Paintjob pr0n

[Tim]

I don't want much white in the scheme - it'll just show how grubby it is.

[RJ]

It's for the mudguard, actually.  You drill a hole in it and screw it to the brake bridge before you fit the wheel.  Does away with the need for a nasty bit of pressed metal to hold it in place.

I know you'll use a stainless steel bolt for that (like wot I didn't on my nothing-like-as-nice-but-only bike  )

[Bledlow]

Roberts paint is well known for being thin and flaky.  Shame really, as their frames are awesome.

Which reminds me, I ought to ask Woofage about my old Roberts that he bought off me. The paint had gone all manky on the top tube. He was going to get it resprayed.

Yours looks lovely, BTW.

[Tim Hall]

I was talking to Chas a few months ago. He said that the move away from organic solvents in paint meant it isn't as good as it used to be.

How this ties in with how other manufacturers paint their frames I know not.

[Woofage]

Roberts paint is well known for being thin and flaky.  Shame really, as their frames are awesome.

Which reminds me, I ought to ask Woofage about my old Roberts that he bought off me. The paint had gone all manky on the top tube. He was going to get it resprayed.

Yours looks lovely, BTW.

Lovely bike. I've enjoying riding it too much to do anything about it so far . However, looking at the pics of Charlotte's frame I reckon a trip to Mercian is on the cards soon. Before and after photos will follow, of course!

[Bledlow]

Aha! You must have done something to it. As I recall, only one gear cable was connected (a breakage coinciding with my Enigma getting on the road), the sprockets & chain were both showing their age, & some of the bearings were starting to show signs of being past their best. It was due for a major overhaul.

But I'm glad you like the feel of riding it. So did I, & I'd have kept it if I had more room.

[Woofage]

Yes, I did  fit a saddle, replaced the gear cable and sorted out the front shifting and made a vain attempt at reducing the play in the rear hub. Drivetrain is very dirty but since everything basically works I thought I would get a few miles in to get used to it prior to renovation. Anyway, what was left of the rear mudguard came detached when I last rode it a couple of days ago so I reckon it's time for a strip down and full refurb. I do have another road bike, but laziness on my part in fitting a new chain means it's been in the shed for the past few weeks .

Anyway, back on topic: can Mercian match any colour? I'd like to keep close to the original colour of my frame if poss.

[cyclone]

This means that the build turn around is going to be even longer - the bottleneck is in the Paint dept....6-8 to build the frame 5 months for the paint!!!

[Charlotte]

Anyway, back on topic: can Mercian match any colour?

Don't know.

I do know that this is something offered by Vaz Finishes and by Armourtex powdercoating but both of them are "workaday" type bike finishes compared to Mercian.

Try calling them?  John in the shop is lovely and I'm sure he'll help if he can.

[clarion]

I don't believe even Jacksons do exact matching, though they do have a very broad palette of colours & finishes.

[LittleWheelsandBig]

True.  But I didn't want filler because this is my best bike and I'm a bike tart.

I was replying to Zoidburg and didn't know why you were repainting your Roberts.

Apart from filler (putty), you could have had the dents pulled out (or hydraulically pumped out) and/or used brass.

[Zoidburg]

True.  But I didn't want filler because this is my best bike and I'm a bike tart.

I was replying to Zoidburg and didn't know why you were repainting your Roberts.

Apart from filler (putty), you could have had the dents pulled out (or hydraulically pumped out) and/or used brass.

It's as easy and stronger with a lugged frame to just have a new one, even if you do have it filled with filler or braze it's still going to show as a kink in the tube.

If something is pretty much modualr in construction it doesn't make much sense to be going through a complex workshop process to effect a repair that will not be as strong as just swapping the tube out.

[LittleWheelsandBig]

It's as easy and stronger with a lugged frame to just have a new one, even if you do have it filled with filler or braze it's still going to show as a kink in the tube.

If something is pretty much modualr in construction it doesn't make much sense to be going through a complex workshop process to effect a repair that will not be as strong as just swapping the tube out.

I've found it easier and better in some instances to take other approaches  but I can't argue that it is usually stronger to just replace the tube.  For instance, some people like to save some money or to retain the original metal (historical).  A good framebuilder can use frame blocks (or pulling out the dent or pumping out the dent) and brass nicely enough for the repair to not be visible.

[Zoidburg]

The dint creates raised spots at it's edges so you cant make it vanish with out thinning out the tube wall at a place where it has allready been weakened, I seriously doubt a real price difference between replacement and the faff involved with removing a dent - which I still don't consider to be repair but a cover up.

New tube for me.

[LittleWheelsandBig]

Your choice but my favourite framebuilder has substantially different prices for the various procedures, reflecting the different amounts of work involved.

[clarion]

New tube has to be favourite.  The thought of it makes me squirm a little, but lugged 531 construction makes for straightforward repairs by a skilled builder.

[Zoidburg]

Your choice but my favourite framebuilder has substantially different prices for the variou procedures, reflecting the different amounts of work involved.

They will tell you that.

Think the job through though and and the labour involved is going to be greater when filling with braze or the mechanical removal method.

If he is set up for that though thats the method he will push, charging more if he has to depart from that routine - even if it's actually quicker, it could also be the case that he can't source replacement tube that easily.

How easy something is to physicaly do is not always the deciding cost factor.

[LittleWheelsandBig]

Given that I worked for him for a while several years ago, I will stick with facts, not assumptions.

[Zoidburg]

So you replaced a lot of top tubes then as a comparison?

[LittleWheelsandBig]

While I was there? A couple of repairs and a couple of replacements, from memory. It was up to the owner and what they wanted to spend. A top tube is very lightly stressed, so strength loss isn't a major consideration usually.

[Sergeant Pluck]

I wonder if it is easier to replace a tube in a fillet brazed frame? With a lugged frame, I guess there is going to be bending involved to get the old tube out. Or maybe they just cut a middle section out so that the ends can be drawn straight out of the lugs, I s'pose.

[rogerzilla]

Or maybe they just fill the dent and put a sparkly spray job over the top 

[Baggy]

Oooh, spaaarklyyyy 

[Zoidburg]

The cut and shut "vintage" bike.

[Charlotte]

Or maybe they just fill the dent and put a sparkly spray job over the top 

*La-la-la-la-la*