Author Topic: respraying tips  (Read 34734 times)

vorsprung

  • Opposites Attract
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respraying tips
« 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

Re: respraying tips
« Reply #1 on: 28 July, 2008, 12:55:50 pm »
Hammerite smooth  :)

rae

Re: respraying tips
« Reply #2 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.

Re: respraying tips
« Reply #3 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.


woollypigs

  • Mr Peli
    • woollypigs
Re: respraying tips
« Reply #4 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.
Current mood: AARRRGGGGHHHHH !!! #bollockstobrexit

andygates

  • Peroxide Viking
Re: respraying tips
« Reply #5 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:
It takes blood and guts to be this cool but I'm still just a cliché.
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fruitcake

  • some kind of fruitcake
Re: respraying tips
« Reply #6 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.

Re: respraying tips
« Reply #7 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.

Re: respraying tips
« Reply #8 on: 06 August, 2008, 01:26:15 pm »
There is something like this:

Hammerite Metalmaster

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.

rogerzilla

  • When n+1 gets out of hand
Re: respraying tips
« Reply #9 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.
Hard work sometimes pays off in the end, but laziness ALWAYS pays off NOW.

Re: respraying tips
« Reply #10 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.

 

rogerzilla

  • When n+1 gets out of hand
Re: respraying tips
« Reply #11 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.
Hard work sometimes pays off in the end, but laziness ALWAYS pays off NOW.

Re: respraying tips
« Reply #12 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.   


rogerzilla

  • When n+1 gets out of hand
Re: respraying tips
« Reply #13 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.
Hard work sometimes pays off in the end, but laziness ALWAYS pays off NOW.

Re: respraying tips
« Reply #14 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.    ;)

chris

  • (aka chris)
Re: respraying tips
« Reply #15 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.

Re: respraying tips
« Reply #16 on: 13 October, 2008, 04:44:46 pm »
Use crinkle finish Hamerite instead :)
I think you'll find it's a bit more complicated than that.

robgul

  • Cycle:End-to-End webmaster
  • cyclist, Cytech accredited mechanic & woodworker
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Re: respraying tips
« Reply #17 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

chris

  • (aka chris)
Re: respraying tips
« Reply #18 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?

robgul

  • Cycle:End-to-End webmaster
  • cyclist, Cytech accredited mechanic & woodworker
    • Cycle:End-to-End
Re: respraying tips
« Reply #19 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

Re: respraying tips
« Reply #20 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!

zzpza

Re: respraying tips
« Reply #21 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:

I would suggest not to spray it like this though
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:

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!

Zoidburg

Re: respraying tips
« Reply #22 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

gordon taylor

Re: respraying tips
« Reply #23 on: 01 February, 2009, 08:44:40 pm »
Can an alumunium frame be powder coated? Or does it work on steel only.

andygates

  • Peroxide Viking
Re: respraying tips
« Reply #24 on: 01 February, 2009, 08:49:03 pm »
It certainly can - my Cannondale's powder-coated.
It takes blood and guts to be this cool but I'm still just a cliché.
OpenStreetMap UK & IRL Streetmap & Topo: ravenfamily.org/andyg/maps updates weekly.