Anyone do their own bodywork painting at home?
Anyone do their own bodywork painting at home?
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Discussion

dern

Original Poster:

14,055 posts

310 months

Monday 25th June 2018
quotequote all
I've just bought a blackbird that's seen better days and despite the plan being to leave it as it is and just use it I thought it might be fun to paint it. I've no experience of doing this but a lot of enthusiasm and frequently misplaced confidence. I've also got a big compressor.

The body work is a mix of original and after market. There's plenty of scuffs that look easy to repair and a crack or two. The tank is a different shade of blue to the rest of the bike and currently hidden under a baglux cover.

Looks good at a distance though...



Quite fancy doing something like this to it...



Anyway, does anyone have any experience of doing this sort of paintwork at home, ideally using a compressor rather than rattle cans. What paint would I use?

Cheers,

Mark

Edited by dern on Monday 25th June 11:08

RemaL

25,103 posts

265 months

Monday 25th June 2018
quotequote all
i sprayed my track fairing on my blade and kit car in the garage at home. came out well. Not easy as it's difficult not to get bits on the paint when drying but seemed to work ok.
I have a small 50ltr compressor. Advice and help from the BIL,

Bought 2k paint an came out well. I did use sheets to make the garage into a spray booth. Again worked out well.

davidn

1,028 posts

290 months

Monday 25th June 2018
quotequote all
I approached pretty much the same way as Remal but on my road bike, started with this.



Ended up with this


As Remal 50 Lt compressor, cheapish gun and then base coat and 2K clear. Mine was all flat paint although I know metalics are trickier but if you've got an old panel to pratice on and set the gun up you'll find what works. But in the end if you screw it up, just flat it back and have another go.
Only word of warning is 2k is nasty stuff, so you'll need to sort out breathing, especially if you plan on more of it in the future. You also need to consider where you'll vent it to if you've got neighbours. I bodged mine up from an old chemical suit helmet attached a pipe and ran it through one of those crap clip on jacuzzi pumps for your bath to outside the garage. Still alive, no ill effects.

Good luck.

3200gt

2,727 posts

255 months

Monday 25th June 2018
quotequote all
Boys, you do know 2k paint has arsenic in it and unless you use a very very good mask in a confined space you will get arsenic poisoning from breathing the fumes.
Use 1k paint and take away the risk. Much the same as ye olde style cellulose but uses a different solvent.
All it takes is patience, and allowing plenty of drying time between coats. Dont expect to get a mirror finish from the gun, that involves flatting back and polishing. A good paint job takes time and a meticulosely clean work surface and enviroment.

IanUAE

3,078 posts

195 months

dern

Original Poster:

14,055 posts

310 months

Tuesday 26th June 2018
quotequote all
That's inspiration right there.

Lee540

1,586 posts

175 months

Tuesday 26th June 2018
quotequote all
3200gt said:
Boys, you do know 2k paint has arsenic in it and unless you use a very very good mask in a confined space you will get arsenic poisoning from breathing the fumes.
Use 1k paint and take away the risk. Much the same as ye olde style cellulose but uses a different solvent.
All it takes is patience, and allowing plenty of drying time between coats. Dont expect to get a mirror finish from the gun, that involves flatting back and polishing. A good paint job takes time and a meticulosely clean work surface and enviroment.
cyanide..

nunpuncher

3,769 posts

156 months

Tuesday 26th June 2018
quotequote all
Done a few tanks and side panels and a few car parts. I tend to do older bikes and cars so no experience of painting plastic.

Can't remember what make my compressor is, I "liberated" it from my old mans garage. I read up on technique on some forum (think it was the mig welding forum) and just got stuck in about it. It's one of those things where you just need to try it to work it how to do it.

Good tip I learnt with regard to dust in the garage was to wet the floor before painting.

moanthebairns

19,177 posts

229 months

Tuesday 26th June 2018
quotequote all
IanUAE said:
How hard can it be.

CAPP0

20,881 posts

234 months

Tuesday 26th June 2018
quotequote all
I did my Thunderace panels myself. I used 1k paint just in the garage with dust sheets around the walls, then I moved house and needed plan B for the lacquer. I used 2k lacquer and I bought a big spray booth gazebo with sides, and did it in the garden, with a decent, although not pressure-fed, mask.

Reasonable results although I made the mistake of buying a black gazebo, so I had to rig up some lights but could have done with more. Buy a white one! As a result, I got some runs in the lacquer, but let it go hard and you can flat those out and polish.

3200gt

2,727 posts

255 months

Tuesday 26th June 2018
quotequote all
Lee540 said:
3200gt said:
Boys, you do know 2k paint has arsenic in it and unless you use a very very good mask in a confined space you will get arsenic poisoning from breathing the fumes.
Use 1k paint and take away the risk. Much the same as ye olde style cellulose but uses a different solvent.
All it takes is patience, and allowing plenty of drying time between coats. Dont expect to get a mirror finish from the gun, that involves flatting back and polishing. A good paint job takes time and a meticulosely clean work surface and enviroment.
cyanide..
st either way, but yes your right

Mrtee

91 posts

224 months

Tuesday 26th June 2018
quotequote all
yes - it is possible to get a good finish..







its actually a lot better than the last photo makes it look.

the infra-red heater is brilliant for this sort of thing. wet the ground before painting to control dust.

biggest problem I was having was that the gazeebo had paint on it - by the end and in any breeze this was flaking off and landing on the panels - not a disaster just more work polishing at the end.

I painted a mini in that gazeebo when it was new and got a very good finish straight from the gun - yes 2-pac, yes poisonous, always use in a well ventilated area and dont do it very often.....

dern

Original Poster:

14,055 posts

310 months

Tuesday 26th June 2018
quotequote all
That's very impressive.

Mrtee

91 posts

224 months

Tuesday 26th June 2018
quotequote all
paintwork appears to be 90% preparation, 5% technique and 5% luck! (to me anyway...)

pick a nice warm windless day and it all works nicely



pick a colder slightly windier day and it can be a complete bh.

I wouldnt advocate the regular use of 2-pac unless using an air-fed mask, I was in that gazeebo with effectively 2 open sides and I made sure there was a through draught.

these £50 gazeebos are brilliant for this - although once they get paint on them like mine has, throw them away and get another.

CAPP0

20,881 posts

234 months

Tuesday 26th June 2018
quotequote all
Mrtee said:
these £50 gazeebos are brilliant for this - although once they get paint on them like mine has, throw them away and get another.
Oi! I patented the gazebo spray booth!! redcard

biggrin

Biker's Nemesis

41,478 posts

239 months

Tuesday 26th June 2018
quotequote all
Mrtee said:
yes - it is possible to get a good finish..



its actually a lot better than the last photo makes it look.

the infra-red heater is brilliant for this sort of thing. wet the ground before painting to control dust.

biggest problem I was having was that the gazeebo had paint on it - by the end and in any breeze this was flaking off and landing on the panels - not a disaster just more work polishing at the end.

I painted a mini in that gazeebo when it was new and got a very good finish straight from the gun - yes 2-pac, yes poisonous, always use in a well ventilated area and dont do it very often.....
That looks mint.

tricky1962

160 posts

223 months

Tuesday 26th June 2018
quotequote all
3200gt said:
Lee540 said:
3200gt said:
Boys, you do know 2k paint has arsenic in it and unless you use a very very good mask in a confined space you will get arsenic poisoning from breathing the fumes.
Use 1k paint and take away the risk. Much the same as ye olde style cellulose but uses a different solvent.
All it takes is patience, and allowing plenty of drying time between coats. Dont expect to get a mirror finish from the gun, that involves flatting back and polishing. A good paint job takes time and a meticulosely clean work surface and enviroment.
cyanide..
st either way, but yes your right
Not cyanide either..isocyanate. Not nice stuff, but not as bad as cyanide or arsenic

moanthebairns

19,177 posts

229 months

Tuesday 26th June 2018
quotequote all
CAPP0 said:
Oi! I patented the gazebo spray booth!! redcard

biggrin
The woods are free

Weso

480 posts

235 months

Tuesday 26th June 2018
quotequote all


Here's a couple I've done.
I have to admit to being a painter by trade, but these were both done in my back garden, so it is doable.
I'd also say if you want a proper durable finish you've got to use 2k products and a mask.
Wes

3200gt

2,727 posts

255 months

Tuesday 26th June 2018
quotequote all
tricky1962 said:
3200gt said:
Lee540 said:
3200gt said:
Boys, you do know 2k paint has arsenic in it and unless you use a very very good mask in a confined space you will get arsenic poisoning from breathing the fumes.
Use 1k paint and take away the risk. Much the same as ye olde style cellulose but uses a different solvent.
All it takes is patience, and allowing plenty of drying time between coats. Dont expect to get a mirror finish from the gun, that involves flatting back and polishing. A good paint job takes time and a meticulosely clean work surface and enviroment.
cyanide..
st either way, but yes your right
Not cyanide either..isocyanate. Not nice stuff, but not as bad as cyanide or arsenic
No one likes a smart arse!biggrin