Yet Another Cycling Forum

Random Musings => DIY => Skip Bike and Bodge It => Topic started by: vorsprung on 28 July, 2008, 09:05:13 am

Title: respraying tips
Post by: vorsprung on 28 July, 2008, 09:05:13 am
I got a old 5 speed peugoet MTB from the recycling place for vorsprung jr
New tyres, brake cables, grips and a saddle and it is servicable

However, jr is keen to "paint it another colour"

Any tips, step by step instructions etc are welcomed

There is a local place that does powder coating for 50 quid frames+forks but I thought of a more basic approach
Title: Re: respraying tips
Post by: Polar Bear on 28 July, 2008, 12:55:50 pm
Hammerite smooth  :)
Title: Re: respraying tips
Post by: rae on 28 July, 2008, 03:17:23 pm
Quote
There is a local place that does powder coating for 50 quid frames+forks   

+1

Once you've dicked around with Hammerite for an afternoon, then watch it scratch off with the slightest touch.....you'll be regretting not handing over the £50.
Title: Re: respraying tips
Post by: Ian H on 28 July, 2008, 03:31:36 pm
My old track frame, god rest its soul, had a perfectly sound paint job done by yours truly. Okay, it was black, which covers a multitude of sins, but it was pretty smooth and lasted several years; it was mostly okay even after languishing bent and twisted in the back of a shed for 20yrs.

Back to bare metal, Jenolite or similar on any rust, primer, rub down, primer, rub down, undercoat or top coat, rub down, top coat.

I just used ordinary car paint aerosols. Take care to reach the parts that careless sprayers miss (inside angles of lugs, under the top of the seat stays).

Hammerite used to be a swine to put on thickly (as recommended) without it running. They may have changed the recipe since.

Title: Re: respraying tips
Post by: woollypigs on 28 July, 2008, 06:56:35 pm
Hammerite smooth  :)
yup that is what I did to Stella.

Just take everything of the bike, clean the frame down with sandpaper or paint remover etc. let frame dry. I didn't have the time to let it dry (only had a day to do it all in) so I ended up with with some marks where I touched it and marks from when cables and tools touched the still soft paint work.

What I learned from this is to take my time and do this ...

Hang frame up (after you have cleaned and stripped it down)

Spray with your chosen spray paint (5-15 quid a can from say B&Q) in thin layers.

Let the frame dry between coats (20-30min)

After 2-3 thin coats let dry longer (3-4 hours or over night)

Continue until out of paint

Let frame dry (and do not touch it at all) for 24-48 hours.

Repeat with come clear lacquer if you want.

Rebuild the bike.

Ride it.
Title: Re: respraying tips
Post by: andygates on 28 July, 2008, 07:55:00 pm
Problem is, that spray job takes time and space, and is pretty delicate.  It's better once it's cured for a month or so.  For a practical job, powdercoating is the most sensible option...

...but if you want to get funky and unique - and really have a laugh - you can't beat a rattlecan job.  Metallic purple and gold camo?  Sorted.   :thumbsup:
Title: Re: respraying tips
Post by: fruitcake on 28 July, 2008, 11:46:11 pm
Colour changes are difficult since any scratch will reveal the original paint.  See if the lad will consider going over it with the same colour to make it look new(ish). 

Paint fumes are nasty poisonous things.  Don't bother unless you really have to.

Hammerite stays soft and slightly tacky.  When retouching a top tube, I've had slightly better results with plasti cote and even with outdoor gloss paint. 
The longer you can leave the paint to harden before refitting the components the better.  Weeks.

Alternatively you could leave as is, get it professionally painted or get another frame.  Irony is there are so many out there you could pick one up for less than the cost of the paint.
Title: Re: respraying tips
Post by: alexb on 29 July, 2008, 01:51:24 pm
I patched up some spots on my Raleigh after having some braze ons added using modelling acrylic.
I was actually planning to just repaint as often as necessary, but it's turned out to e as hard as nails and I've not had any problems with rust through or anything. It would have been much better if I hadn't chosen a metallic colour or hand painted, but I just bought what I thought would match the frame colour the best.

I'd be really tempted to try that again with an air-brush.
Title: Re: respraying tips
Post by: Tom M on 06 August, 2008, 01:26:15 pm
There is something like this:

Hammerite Metalmaster (http://www.diy.com/diy/jsp/bq/nav/nav.jsp?action=detail&fh_secondid=9788828&fh_view_size=6&fh_location=%2f%2fcatalog01%2fen_GB&fh_search=metalmaster&fh_eds=%c3%9f&fh_refview=search&ts=1218025492945&isSearch=true)

Depends on how likely you are to use it again really as its not a lot cheaper than powedercoating once you've brought the gun and paint.
Title: Re: respraying tips
Post by: rogerzilla on 09 August, 2008, 05:25:44 pm
I sprayed a bike myself.  With the time and the cost of materials, I should have just sent it away.  As Rae says, rattle-can paint isn't hard enough anyway.
Title: Re: respraying tips
Post by: Polar Bear on 09 August, 2008, 05:48:58 pm
It is worth noting guys that not everybody regards £50 plus postage either way as cheap.    It depends upon your wealth situation really.

 
Title: Re: respraying tips
Post by: rogerzilla on 09 August, 2008, 05:51:16 pm
It is worth noting guys that not everybody regards £50 plus postage either way as cheap.    It depends upon your wealth situation really.

 

Yebbut paint is going to be £20, paint stripper £15 or so (you'll need more than one can), abrasive paper £5 and you still get a duff job at the end.
Title: Re: respraying tips
Post by: Polar Bear on 09 August, 2008, 06:04:01 pm
It is worth noting guys that not everybody regards £50 plus postage either way as cheap.    It depends upon your wealth situation really.

 

Yebbut paint is going to be £20, paint stripper £15 or so (you'll need more than one can), abrasive paper £5 and you still get a duff job at the end.

I've painted more than one bike very successfully.   Depends what you mean by duff, and how much attention to detail one does in the prep.

If time is cheap and budget tight I'd recommend painting it yourself.   

Title: Re: respraying tips
Post by: rogerzilla on 09 August, 2008, 06:59:19 pm
It can look good when fresh, but without baking it will take months to harden off, if it ever does.

The advantage of spraying it yourself (apart from something to do!) is that you can be really good about masking things off, and colour choice is only limited by what you can find in Halfords.  Also, a quick flatten with wet and dry followed by a few coats of black Hammerite is financially more viable for a cheap bike, or one that needs disguising.  When I advised against it I was thinking of trying to achieve a professional smooth colour finish at home, which requires removal of the old paint and use of a primer.
Title: Re: respraying tips
Post by: Polar Bear on 09 August, 2008, 07:43:24 pm
It can look good when fresh, but without baking it will take months to harden off, if it ever does.

The advantage of spraying it yourself (apart from something to do!) is that you can be really good about masking things off, and colour choice is only limited by what you can find in Halfords.  Also, a quick flatten with wet and dry followed by a few coats of black Hammerite is financially more viable for a cheap bike, or one that needs disguising.  When I advised against it I was thinking of trying to achieve a professional smooth colour finish at home, which requires removal of the old paint and use of a primer.

Indeed.  I refer you to the last sentence of the OP.    ;)
Title: Re: respraying tips
Post by: chris on 11 October, 2008, 09:16:04 pm
I've just painted the Dawes Super Galaxy frame that Gandalf gave yellow-ceitidh with Hammerite Smooth. I followed the instructions and painted carefully, but the finish is awful. I knew it would be, but I thought it was probably best to make sure she gets on with it before shelling out for a proper respray.
Title: Re: respraying tips
Post by: pcolbeck on 13 October, 2008, 04:44:46 pm
Use crinkle finish Hamerite instead :)
Title: Re: respraying tips
Post by: robgul on 13 October, 2008, 06:48:39 pm
Nah, - home painting is a non-starter

20 quid cash usually sees a blast and powder coat job - pretty hard finish, although maybe a limited range of colours.  You have to take the bike to bits and mask any threads with bits of studding/old bolts and the BB shell with a couple of old-style cups.

Works for me - must have had about 8 done now.

Rob
Title: Re: respraying tips
Post by: chris on 13 October, 2008, 06:51:05 pm
Nah, - home painting is a non-starter

20 quid cash usually sees a blast and powder coat job - pretty hard finish, although maybe a limited range of colours.  You have to take the bike to bits and mask any threads with bits of studding/old bolts and the BB shell with a couple of old-style cups.

Works for me - must have had about 8 done now.


Who do you use to do that then Rob?
Title: Re: respraying tips
Post by: robgul on 13 October, 2008, 09:06:57 pm
I have a man in Coventry that obliges ... if you would like to e-mail :     rob  <at>  beewee.co.uk      I'll dig out the details for you.   [Don't PM - that seems to be flaky at this end for some odd reason]

One of my winter projects is to strip 2 of my machines (the "best" Galaxy and Peugeot I use for CTC runs) and get them both redone with powder coat.

Rob
Title: Re: respraying tips
Post by: Pneumant on 15 October, 2008, 09:39:38 am
I've never been sure about powdercoat, as a paint finish it can dull and eventually lift off! I had a frame refinished yrs ago in BT phonebox green which did just that, more recently I had the 3 year olld powdercoat paint job lift off the swing-arm of my old motorbike. I refinished this with hammerite.  I like hammerite because it is readily available and  easy to touch up. One tip is to paint on the first coat (quickly and sparingly!) and then spray on the second coat for a nice unbrushed finish after an hour or so. Leave it for the required six weeks to cure and then 't' cut back and polish. A friend of mine mixed up a couple of tins for a custom bicycle colour, sort of a gold-green which looks quite fetching and which according to hammerite should not be done!
Title: Re: respraying tips
Post by: zzpza on 17 October, 2008, 12:48:19 pm
I did a rattle can paintjob on my singlespeed. I think it turned out very well. I did it over three months ago, and I've been riding it four or five times a week since. It still looks as good now as when I did it.

I did several base coats first (this was going to be the final colour but I changed my mind), then two colour coats, then two lacquer coats. I let it dry for about 30 minutes between the coats, longer (over night) for the lacquer.

This is what it looks like now:
(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3223/2591244292_446c414f78.jpg)

I would suggest not to spray it like this though
(http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2277/2522472038_b11a63d2d5.jpg)
as you just end up with newspaper stuck to the frame when you turn it over.

This is a much better way to hang the frame when you are painting it:
(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3066/2590138567_34f52ca956.jpg)

N.B. In the last pic, this was before lacquer so the colour looks different.

The overall process was simple, but very time consuming. Even though there was no rust on the frame when I got it, there were a few little scratches so I had to do a lot of sanding. The whole frame needed to be sanded to key it for the new paint. I used wet and dry 1200 grit to prep the frame and to colour sand before the lacquer. About a month ago, I used some T-Cut on it to really bring out the shine and then some wax to seal it in. The finish is very very nice, even if I do say so myself!
Title: Re: respraying tips
Post by: Zoidburg on 19 October, 2008, 04:17:59 pm
If it were a lugged frame I would be tempted to break out a roll of 2" duck tape and just do the main tubes, I am handy with a knife though so i would be able to get right into the edge of the lugs

Good way to make a dull looking unstealworthy bike if you go for grey, black or olive green
Title: Re: respraying tips
Post by: gordon taylor on 01 February, 2009, 08:44:40 pm
Can an alumunium frame be powder coated? Or does it work on steel only.
Title: Re: respraying tips
Post by: andygates on 01 February, 2009, 08:49:03 pm
It certainly can - my Cannondale's powder-coated.
Title: Re: respraying tips
Post by: Air Dancer on 01 February, 2009, 08:52:02 pm
I'll second that.

To have an old ally frame shotblast, phosphated and powder coat cost me approx £25.

It's a bombproof finish.

It's also worth considering having a clear top coat, for a glossy finish.
Title: Re: respraying tips
Post by: kyuss on 01 February, 2009, 08:54:00 pm
Where are all these powdercoaters that do frames for £25? I got a quote a month or so ago for frame and forks and it came to £70 :o
Title: Re: respraying tips
Post by: Air Dancer on 01 February, 2009, 09:01:41 pm
Twas a local outfit to me, who specialises in automotive Alloy Wheel refurbs and luckily for me does the odd bike frame.

Only drawback at that price was I was limited only to the colours they had in.
Title: Re: respraying tips
Post by: PhilO on 02 February, 2009, 10:25:44 am
I've heard tell of prices as low as £10-15, if you're prepared to have it done whatever colour another customer has ordered for their job.  :thumbsup:

Black is a favourite, obviously...
Title: Re: respraying tips
Post by: cyclone on 11 March, 2009, 10:39:46 am
You have to make sure that the coaters are aware of how fragile bikr tubing is - I used a local firm to me for some Harley parts they did a good job and the price was very reasonable, so I thought I send in a 531 frame and forks....
Came out with 3 monster dents and they had the cheek to try and charge me £45 quid :demon: So much for a cheap build... :-[
Title: Re: respraying tips
Post by: nuovo_record on 11 March, 2009, 01:06:41 pm
Where are all these powdercoaters that do frames for £25? I got a quote a month or so ago for frame and forks and it came to £70 :o

me too, I was quoted £60 for blasting and powdercoat.......
Title: Re: respraying tips
Post by: zzpza on 12 March, 2009, 12:14:10 am
£35 a frameset (had two done at same time, different colours each)

that included having the frame dipped / blasted, phosphated (anti-rust) and powder coated. the finish is very nice.

when from this:

(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3127/3163182697_0904ee8c08.jpg)

to this:

(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3612/3320204964_47f784a78d.jpg)

chingfords (aka cmf) in slough. CMF (Slough) Ltd - Powder Coating - Stove Enamelling - Shot Blasting (http://www.chingfords.co.uk)
Title: Re: respraying tips
Post by: Freddie Danglenuts on 31 May, 2009, 10:09:15 pm
Many years ago when I was young teenager and very poor but had the enthusiasm and imagination that goes with youth, I drilled a small hole in the back of an empty aerosol spray can and soldered onto it a woods valve from an old inner tube.
By taking out the core of the valve, I filled the can with a 50/50 mix of enamel paint and thinners and then used my bike pump to pressurise it.
The finished bike frame (after some practice spraying) was the envy of my biking mates.
If you try this yourself, make up two cans as it is quite easy to explode the first can with a bike pump.  (I know) :)
Title: Re: respraying tips
Post by: aidan.f on 01 June, 2009, 10:35:18 pm
My last  powder coat was £10-00 a fat bloke in Bill Quay did it. (Gateshead to you)

Move North, save money!

P.S. Watch the grit blasting, - can be very abrasive you might loose a quality frame.
Title: Re: respraying tips
Post by: Tea_Bee on 25 May, 2010, 09:16:08 am
Many years ago when I was young teenager and very poor but had the enthusiasm and imagination that goes with youth, I drilled a small hole in the back of an empty aerosol spray can and soldered onto it a woods valve from an old inner tube.
By taking out the core of the valve, I filled the can with a 50/50 mix of enamel paint and thinners and then used my bike pump to pressurise it.

Genius!!

Which makes me wonder...  Does anyone make a pump-up spray gun/airbrush?

If I want to mix my own paint and/or add my own substrate to the mix, I need a spray gun, not a rattle can. But the spray gun I bought the other day for occasional spray jobs like this uses screw in tins of propellant. But they give me no idea how much coverage they will provide. OK, I can take an educated guess, but Sod's Law says that I will run out of oomph 93% of the way through one of the coats. So I'll have to buy a whole bunch of propellant tins just to make sure. And I doubt that they are purely compressed air, so that's unnecessary cheicals added to the atmosphere etc. etc.

So OK, the tins will give a lot more spraying time than a pump up air reservoir. But the advantages of being able to just attach my stirrup pump and put some life into the cannister on a constant basis would far outweigh the short spraying duration disadvantages.

I tried a quick google, but apart from the Ronseal fence sprayer (which I feel it would be hard to get a good finish with!), nothing is jumping out at me. Anyone seen (or better still, used) a spray gun like this?
Title: Re: respraying tips
Post by: andygates on 25 May, 2010, 09:31:25 am
A spare tyre as air reservoir for airbrushes is common - I ran my little Badger like that for a while.  But an artists' airbrush for coating, rather than detail, is insanity.
Title: Re: respraying tips
Post by: Tea_Bee on 25 May, 2010, 12:22:14 pm
I'm thinking about coverage *and* detail really. I'd be interested in owning both a spray gun and an airbrush.

I have several old rides that are in need of some TLC but aren't valuable enough to send to Armortex (they are the "don't bother trying to steal me" bikes for parking in dodgy areas). I used to paint and draw a lot, so I've been thinking about trying my hand tarting up those old bikes. If it looks rubbish, they'll still look better than they do now.

So cheap, simple kit that requires minimal setup time which I can start furtling with seems an ideal starting point.
Title: Re: respraying tips
Post by: Tewdric on 25 May, 2010, 03:35:14 pm
You could buy a compressor on Ebay and sell it on again afterwards - something like this:

AIR COMPRESSOR on eBay (end time  26-May-10 17:09:57 BST) (http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/AIR-COMPRESSOR-/150445700742?cmd=ViewItem&pt=UK_Air_Tools_and_Compressors&hash=item2307433686)

If you buy a poorly-marketed slightly tatty example mid-week, give it a good clean up, take good pics, get it back on Ebay ending sunday pm you'd probably be able to turn a profit.  Screwfix sell cheap airbrush kit, I think my compressor cost me 35 quid and the airbrush and paint container about another 25.

Of course if you decide to keep the compressor you can then get all kinds of fun air tools like impact drivers and NAIL GUNZ.
Title: Re: respraying tips
Post by: Tea_Bee on 04 June, 2010, 10:37:20 am
How many coats would be considered reasonable for a rattle-can respray job? I've never resprayed an item like a bike, which is going to get clunked into bike stands etc. And if I skimp on the paint am I asking for it to flake in 5 minutes as soon as the bike starts seeing some use and abuse? Will extra layers help that, or is it all about the lacquer? And how many coats is enough, how many is too many?

I guess there's plenty of "how long is a piece of string" in those questions, because there are variables like how thickly the paint layers itself etc. But I have some spray paints that I intend to use to repaint an old utility ride. The primer will cover me for 3 coats of the whole bike. But then when it comes to the paint, I'm stuick as to how many coats I should give that? I was guessing at 4 layers of paint and then maybe 2 or 3 of acrylic laquer depending on how it lays itself down (test sprays make it look like it layers pretty thickly), but is 4 coats being miserly on the paint layer? Would 6 coats of paint going over the top? That'd be 12 layers of assorted "stuff" on the frame in total - which seems a bit OTT to me.

How many coats of what did you give your rattle-can paint job? And how well did it last?
Title: Re: respraying tips
Post by: kevinp on 04 June, 2010, 12:48:05 pm
It also depends on the kind of paint you are using. this is one I have done this week, the under coat went on very well nice and thick and I put the top coat on last night again I always try to get a nice thick coat of colour on and then tonight I will lacquer it.

The paint I used for this is plasti-coat there are only two top coats on this as that's all the paint I had, with this paint you have to respray again within 4 hours or after 36 hours or it wrinkles.

If I was really bothered about durability I would do at least two undercoat, three to four top coat depending on what sort of finish you are achieving then sand it back, then lacquer it with at least two coats.

crap quality pics sorry
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v437/kenderworld/Bikes/04062010081.jpg)

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v437/kenderworld/Bikes/04062010079.jpg)

Its going to be very fast bike as its red !!!!:)
Title: Re: respraying tips
Post by: Biggsy on 04 June, 2010, 01:00:15 pm
I don't reckon you need more than two coats of primer, four coats of paint and two coats of laquer - but more important is the preparation and the method of application.   A bike shop bloke once advised heating the frame before painting to have better adhesion.

Each coat must be thin and allowed to really dry before the next is applied.  You need to spray from some distance and with plenty of speed to get the coats thin, and don't be tempted to keep going over and over.  Do it outdoors and wear a mask.

But still be prepared for it to chip off more easily than a professional job.  Frankly, DIY spray-can painting is more suitable for bikes you're selling rather than keeping for yourself!  I can't remember how long it lasted when I used to do it, except it wasn't long enough.
Title: Re: respraying tips
Post by: rogerzilla on 04 June, 2010, 06:50:43 pm
One tip I read is to spray a frame at the beginning of summer, then make a sort of box for it in the garden from black bin bags and leave it in there on sunny days to bake it and speed up the hardening process (which can take months with DIY jobs).

After all that trouble and £25 worth of paint, it still looks crap and you wish you'd just paid to have it enamelled  :-\
Title: Re: respraying tips
Post by: border-rider on 04 June, 2010, 06:57:03 pm
After all that trouble and £25 worth of paint, it still looks crap and you wish you'd just paid to have it enamelled  :-\

+1

If it's a scruffy hack bike, then Smoothrite.

If it's a general utility/winter bike, then a cheapo enammelling or powder coat from a place that does radiators and stuff.

If it's decent then use a high-end bike re-enameller.

Doing a great-looking job with spray-cans at home is just a waste of time and effort. And money.
Title: Re: respraying tips
Post by: teethgrinder on 04 June, 2010, 08:02:08 pm
Doing a great-looking job with spray-cans at home is just a waste of time and effort. And money.

That's what I reckon from my experience.
Plus you end up with coloured dust everywhere, as I did when I did it in my mum's garage. I no longer have a garage and wouldn't spray in my flat, nor outside.
I've just used a paint brush and tin of paint. Just as good as expensive spray cans and a fraction of the cost. Much less hassle and much cleaner. Still a crap job though, but I could probably do a better job if I had more time and patience at the time. I've done it on old bikes. It's either re-paint the old frame or pay almost what the frame is worth just for a coat of paint.
My £5 tin of paint that has painted about 3 frames still has lots left.

Aerosol cans are very expensive. The other option is to buy the proper kit, but that's only worthwhile if you're doing a hell of a lot.
Title: Re: respraying tips
Post by: Gotte on 17 February, 2011, 06:11:37 pm
I've used spray cans since the 70s when it was the only option. I'd prefer powdercoating now, but it's too expensive where I live. £25 for a colour that's already being done, £40 for my choice, and that's before another £25 for shot blasting. That's £65. The last bike I sprayed cost me £26 off ebay, a nice Saracen Sahara SE. I spent about £26 on spraypaint, and though the coating isn't as tough as powdercoating, it's beautifully smooth, due to rigorous sanding. I know it's a lot of work, but, frankly, I enjoy it.
My tip for a good finish is primer, leave 24hrs, check for defects, sand and respray, leave 24hrs, base coat, leave 24hrs, any defect that show up here, wet and dry, leave 24hrs, top coat. I can usually get away with one big can of primer and two, sometimes three cans of paint, depending if I'm just doing frame, or frame and forks.
But like I say, I quite enjoy it, so it's not really a bind.
Title: Re: respraying tips
Post by: Biggsy on 18 February, 2011, 11:20:39 am
That's £65.

That sounds very reasonable indeed to me, considering you're paying someone's wages and that it's more durable than a home spray job.

On the other hand, I would consider buying a whole new frame instead, if the frame is basic.
Title: Re: respraying tips
Post by: Tewdric on 18 February, 2011, 11:22:12 am
I'm looking at £120 to have mine Argossed.
Title: Re: respraying tips
Post by: rogerzilla on 18 February, 2011, 08:52:39 pm
I can't remember what it cost to have the Brompton done at Argos because my mind has censored it.  It was only the main frame and stem, too, but flam red isn't the cheapest.
Title: Re: respraying tips
Post by: PaulR on 23 February, 2011, 01:18:41 pm
I am contemplating getting Miffy resprayed.  I did some emergency sanding back and repainting (in the hope of stemming the tide of rust spots) shortly after it joined my fleet but I think it's time to get it done properly.  Nor more faffing around with masking off, blue paint powder all over the place, wrinkles, runs and drips, patches of blue lawn, bits that scrape off when someone moves another bike in the shed....

I am torn between Mario Vaz for enamelling and Armortex for powdercoat.  I suspect they are similar prices.
Title: Re: respraying tips
Post by: Tewdric on 23 February, 2011, 01:19:55 pm
I can't remember what it cost to have the Brompton done at Argos because my mind has censored it.  It was only the main frame and stem, too, but flam red isn't the cheapest.

£140 for f+f in flam red!  :o
Title: Re: respraying tips
Post by: iakobski on 23 February, 2011, 01:28:19 pm
That's £65.

That sounds very reasonable indeed to me, considering you're paying someone's wages and that it's more durable than a home spray job.

On the other hand, I would consider buying a whole new frame instead, if the frame is basic.

I paid £10 for blasting and £15 powder coat in black.

The same frame I had previously sprayed myself. Stripped with a welding torch then enamel sprayed with an art airbrush. Primer, several coats of enamel and two coats of clear laquer. Looked pretty good when first done, but nowhere near as strong as the powder coat and weeks of faff. As others have said, would never bother again: powder coat for a cheap job or proper professional frame sprayer for quality.
Title: Re: respraying tips
Post by: Polar Bear on 23 February, 2011, 04:04:48 pm
I am torn between Mario Vaz for enamelling...

Mario Vaz is cheap.  Ask yourself why?

Mario Vaz did what I consider to be a reet naff job for me.   Never again.
Title: Re: respraying tips
Post by: rogerzilla on 26 February, 2011, 06:49:24 pm
I can't remember what it cost to have the Brompton done at Argos because my mind has censored it.  It was only the main frame and stem, too, but flam red isn't the cheapest.

£140 for f+f in flam red!  :o
Plus fitting decals, plus fitting headset cups, plus taking 1mm off top and bottom of head tube to increase the stack height, plus facing the BB - it was not cheap.
Title: Re: respraying tips
Post by: andygates on 26 February, 2011, 06:53:44 pm
And if that's flam as in fancy shimmery enamel, that's pimpy damn paint too.
Title: Re: respraying tips
Post by: rogerzilla on 26 February, 2011, 08:02:59 pm
Silver basecoat and red lacquer, what the Americans call candy apple.
Title: Re: respraying tips
Post by: Blueth on 30 October, 2011, 07:07:22 pm
I used to get reasonable results by brushing with Tekaloid coach paint.  As the name implies, it's for doing large areas so the brush marks disappear if properly done.