Painting a frame
Discussion
I may be getting a used frame off a mate of mine to build into another bike. However, I'm not a great fan f the colour scheme, and due to me sourcing forks etc from other places nothing will match. Whilst it is all in bits, I was thinking of painting it with some rattlecans - first some etch primer, then primer, then a rub down with wet and dry before a colour topcoat. All coats will be done twice to build up a decent layer of paint.
Would this work ok? I am pretty good at getting a good ralltlecan finish having repainted nerfguns and stuff in the past without runs, missed parts or overly thick coating gumming things up
Would this work ok? I am pretty good at getting a good ralltlecan finish having repainted nerfguns and stuff in the past without runs, missed parts or overly thick coating gumming things up
I've just done this and got a reasonable finish: Splodge or someone posted a quick guide a few weeks ago, I think.
I would suggest:
Clear lacquer over the top - several coats.
Let the lacquer harden somewhere warm for a fortnight before cutting and polishing.
Get some Fablon or leading edge tape to protect the most chip-prone areas - front of the downtube, back of the seat tube and driveside chainstay.
Scotchbrite pads are handier for flatting thin tubes than wet-and-dry.
I would suggest:
Clear lacquer over the top - several coats.
Let the lacquer harden somewhere warm for a fortnight before cutting and polishing.
Get some Fablon or leading edge tape to protect the most chip-prone areas - front of the downtube, back of the seat tube and driveside chainstay.
Scotchbrite pads are handier for flatting thin tubes than wet-and-dry.
IroningMan said:
I've just done this and got a reasonable finish: Splodge or someone posted a quick guide a few weeks ago, I think.
I would suggest:
Clear lacquer over the top - several coats.
Let the lacquer harden somewhere warm for a fortnight before cutting and polishing.
Get some Fablon or leading edge tape to protect the most chip-prone areas - front of the downtube, back of the seat tube and driveside chainstay.
Scotchbrite pads are handier for flatting thin tubes than wet-and-dry.
Thanks! Anyone got a link to the thread?I would suggest:
Clear lacquer over the top - several coats.
Let the lacquer harden somewhere warm for a fortnight before cutting and polishing.
Get some Fablon or leading edge tape to protect the most chip-prone areas - front of the downtube, back of the seat tube and driveside chainstay.
Scotchbrite pads are handier for flatting thin tubes than wet-and-dry.
voicey said:
It can't cost much to have a bare frame powder coated can it? I got a huge rear grill done on my car for £30 and that included shot blasting the old coating and rust off.
Well its not just a bare frame. The frame still has the bottom bracket and crank arms on it because there was nothing wrong with them and neither of us have a puller. Secondly, the forks want painting too and there is no way I am having those taken apart. I can however spray them if I very carefully mask off the stanchions and seals etc first. Thirdly, powdercoat is fantastic at chipping and allowing moisture in under the coat before flaking off. Fourthly, can you even get khaki powdercoat?? (My decided colour scheme is army drab with black wheels, bars etc)
A paint sprayer friend advised me to pop the cans in a bowl of hot water before spraying. No they don't explode....
The thinners evaporate really well and its worked a treat for me too.
If you can heat up what ever your spraying too; so for a bike frame keep in the house this time of year or out in the sun in 'summer' - like a poor mas oven.
The thinners evaporate really well and its worked a treat for me too.
If you can heat up what ever your spraying too; so for a bike frame keep in the house this time of year or out in the sun in 'summer' - like a poor mas oven.
If you can strip it, I'd go for powder coat too.
Search for RAL codes to see the colours available, there are loads and there will almost certainly be one very close if not exactly what you want.
I've recently had one done a loverly pinky purple colour for my daughter.
As the amount needed to do a bike frame is small it is usually covered in a sample order by the powder coater so they should be happy to order in for you.
By the time you've bought all the primer, paint etc. I can't see it costing much (if any) more.
Search for RAL codes to see the colours available, there are loads and there will almost certainly be one very close if not exactly what you want.
I've recently had one done a loverly pinky purple colour for my daughter.
As the amount needed to do a bike frame is small it is usually covered in a sample order by the powder coater so they should be happy to order in for you.
By the time you've bought all the primer, paint etc. I can't see it costing much (if any) more.
Gassing Station | Pedal Powered | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff