I understand why you guys want to do stuff yourself, but if you're going to use spray cans, which will never give you a particularly good job in the grand scheme of things, why not just powder coat. It is very cheap, I bet you can get a frame & fork sand blasted and powder coated for around 50 bucks. It just doesn't seem worth it to me to go through the prep hassle to save that kind of money. Maybe I value my time too much!
David Toppin dave@pelletizer.com http://www.pelletizer.com <------ see our complete, searchable inventory.
The Pelletizer Group, Inc. 4 LaChance Street Gardner, MA 01440-2476
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-----Original Message----- From: classicrendezvous-bounces@bikelist.org [mailto:classicrendezvous-bounces@bikelist.org] On Behalf Of scott mattern Sent: Monday, September 04, 2006 2:50 PM To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org Subject: [CR]RE: Advice on enameling.
>I have recently inherited a nice Holdsworth cycle (ID pending). I was
>wondering if anyone had any experience in doing their own paintjobs?
>I live in Central London, so pro frame sprayers are few and far
>between, most seem to be up north, which makes it hard to choose
>colours, and postage is pricey.
>I have heard that when doing DIY frame re-paints, spraycans are
>unfavourable, and buying a compressor/airbrush is out of my budget.
>Has anyone tried using a tinned enamel (like humbrol model enamel)?
>Would it be possible to acheive a good finish by applying lightly with
>a brush and rubbing back? Obviously It would take many coats, but might
>be worth it if it results in a good looking, durable finish.
>If anyone could recommend types of paint and lacquer, give tips, or
>suggest other ways of repainting, I would be very grateful.
>Thanks again
>Lester Lyons, London UK
I have had very satisfactory results using spray cans on many projects in the past, it just takes good preparation, patience and the correct product...just like any good painter would tell you. If you Google "Spray Painting" you can find lot's of links with expert advice on the how and why and some really good tips. Here in the US I have had good luck using Krylon found in hardware stores or Dupli-Color which is automotive touch-up paint with a fantastic color assortment. Careful surface prep includes how you plan to treat the original paint; you can strip it off completely or sand it to give your primer something to grip on. Either way your primer coat should be blemish free and have as close to a perfect finish as you can get, your color coat will magnify any imperfections and ruin all your effort. When painting any object I find that if you work the difficult areas first and get them right, you can mask them off and paint the large areas next. On a bicycle frame these will be the seatstay/seatlug junction and the bottom bracket, once you have these primered to your satisfaction you can mask them off and continue on to the frame tubes and stays. When using any paint follow the manufactures directions, lot's of VERY light coats holding the can a consistent distance from the surface. You can experiment on a piece of plastic pipe to get the idea, holding the spray can closer gives a "wet" or smoother finish but a greater possibility of runs, holding further away makes runs or sags less likely but results in a "orange-peel" or rough surface. In any case patience is your greatest asset, with both primer and color coats allow to dry for six to twenty-four hours and wet sand using several grades of paper. Start with 400, step up to 600, then 800 and go through every grade until you finish with at least 1500 or 2000 grit. Remember, you have to remove every scratch from the previous paper before moving on to the next, there are no shortcuts in this process! Sand until you have a uniform surface finish, then go on to the next grade. Remember that any imperfection will only be magnified by the following coat, so it's step by step and take your time! Remember to paint in a well ventilated area, and use a cartridge style respirator that can be found in any good paint or hardware store. Once you have studied, practiced, stripped, sanded, primered, sanded again, more primer, sand, cuss, stripped the whole thing and started over for the fourth time the cost of a professional paint job will seem very reasonable. However with a great deal of time and patience you can have a very respectable finish, and the great satisfaction of being able to say you did it yourself. Not everyone can say that.
Scott Mattern Hacienda heights, California Where I am gone outside to the pool and a cold adult beverage (hey, it's after 1 PM somewhere!!)