painting

[jiggersplat]

well, while i have my motor out, i decided i might as well strip and paint/powdercoat the frame.  i called around a few places and it looks like ~$250 -  $300 to powdercoat.  i'm thinking of just having it media blasted and i will paint  it myself.  gonna borrow an air compressor from the girlfriends dad and pick up a spray gun and just paint it myself.  anyone have any tips for me.  types of paint to use?  types of spray guns or nozzles?  how much air pressure?  the painting process?  thanks in advance.

[Moose]

You can read this post it directly has a link at the bottom about painting.  On the type of gun, I would use a gravity fed paint gun.  Test the PSI with the paint, each gun and paint is different.  But the average is 15-30 psi, if I remember my autobody days.  Any other opinions out there on this?

[jiggersplat]

well look at that... i searched for paint & frame and missed that one.  thanks for the link.

[Moose]

Another thing, if you are buying a paint gun, check out the local pawn shops(if there are any) and compare prices.  Sometimes you can get a good used gun for very cheap, especially since you probly won't use it very often.  On the link I posted it refers to a computer case, but the method that is used still works on painting bikes or cars.  Good luck  

[zoltan]

i would suggest taking it in and letting them do, because you'll end up paying close (or even well over) $300 for you equipment and materials, not to mention your labor, and the fact that you won't do as good of a job as a professional - painting takes a lot of skill and experience.

you're looking at at least $150 for automotive pant and clear coat, then you need the spray gun, a compressor, plus all your prepping supplies. that's an easy $300 right there.

also, there are serious health concerns if you do it yourself. if you're working with catalysed urethanes, that stuff will do a serious number on you unless you are fully protected. a lot of people recommend only using it with supplied air. there are health hazards with any paint, but automotive paints are very deadly and very unforgiving of handling mistakes.

finally, powdercoat is an extremely durable finish, i'd say significantly more so than paint. i'd say suck it up and have it powdercoated. it's much safer, probably a good bit cheaper, and i think you'll be much happier with the finished result.

[The Buddha]

I have been coated $150 for powdercoating... Its a easy process for them. The stuff goes in a series of tanks for a fixed time in each, and into the pre oven and then powder booth and into the oven again. Hardly takes a hour. Most of the $$$ is for a color change. I typically leave it there and say whenever you spray black or whatever color (dont ask for fuschia they will charge you for a color change).
Cool.
Srinath.

[Moose]

See now I would like to have my frame and gas tank powder coated British racing green.  I know it would be a little expensive, but I don't think I would ever see one like it.   :mrgreen:  :mrgreen:

[jiggersplat]

well here's the thing... i don't really want to pay that much for it.  this is just a "while i have the bike apart, i might as well..."  BUT if i use it as an excuse to buy some tools (air compressor) then it's not so bad.  especially if i paint anything else in the future.  i checked out prices on spray guns and it looks like they start at $20 and go up from there.  i really had no idea automotive paint would cost so much though.  if it came in under $200 for the media blast and powder coating, i would do it, but i think it's gonna be more than that, and since my bike probably isn't worth more than $1k at this point, it seems kinda silly to spend a lot.  dunno.  i'll have to think about it some more.

thanks

[Moose]

Well you had already said that you were gonna borow the air compressor from the gf's dad.  So that expense is gone, the only thing you would then have to find is the gun, paint, clear coat, primer.  And having a proper area to spray it at.  Outside is not a good idea.  To many things like to get on it, learned that one from experience :x .  Inside a garage wouldn't be bad but you then have to look at overspray and making sure everything else is covered.  Then sandpaper and the man hours it takes to prep and get everything ready just for painting it.  So for probly $100 to $200 you could probly have it painted for you at a shop, but it would have to be bare(haven't priced it around here yet).  Just the frame, plastics and tank(if that is what you wanted all painted).

[RoundBall]

Have paint my CBR frame and swingarm  
Took about 3 ours of boring job........
Costs in total 10-11 USD for black paint
Do it yourself ,Its easy

[RoundBall]

[jiggersplat]

Have paint my CBR frame and swingarm  
Took about 3 ours of boring job........
Costs in total 10-11 USD for black paint
Do it yourself ,Its easy

what kind of paint did you use?  just spray paint?  how is it holding up?  

prep i'm not so worried about.  i'm having the frame media blasted for $50.  that should take all of the old paint off and the rust too.  then it's just prime, sand, paint, sand, clear.  right?

[Baker]

auto paint isn't that expensive.  I bought paint directly from my honda dealer to paint the bumper on my car, it was like $14 a quart for red, if you go through a supplier and don't use red its even cheaper

[500rider]

If your bike is only worth about 1k then why not paint it yourself ... if you want to learn, go ahead.  

I would be concerned about the health effects so wear a respirator for any kind of painting or sanding.  They are not that expensive and it will keep you from getting black lungs and damaged organs.  I used one when I painted my exhaust and I could not even smell the paint!  

I have heard that people can get good results with rattle cans as well but the finish will not last.  Use several coats and sand with fine grit in between.  Powder coating is the toughest of the painted finishes.  I just had my swing arm powder coated and it was about $45.  

Good luck!

Rob

[zoltan]

auto paint isn't that expensive.  I bought paint directly from my honda dealer to paint the bumper on my car, it was like $14 a quart for red, if you go through a supplier and don't use red its even cheaper

that paint you bought is just touch up paint. it's most likely an enamel. 2 part car paint in red is about $45 a pint, plus hardner and thinner which are about $15 each. clear is about $30 a pint.

[RoundBall]

I do not use spray . Do not use it,it is shaZam!.
This is powder paint.
I Have powder camera at my work........

[JBix]

I'm prolly going to have the frame and swing arm powder coated black.  Maybe rims to, but I'll have to wait until I put on an '89 Gixxer rear.

[Baker]

auto paint isn't that expensive.  I bought paint directly from my honda dealer to paint the bumper on my car, it was like $14 a quart for red, if you go through a supplier and don't use red its even cheaper

that paint you bought is just touch up paint. it's most likely an enamel. 2 part car paint in red is about $45 a pint, plus hardner and thinner which are about $15 each. clear is about $30 a pint.

no i did not purchase touch up paint, i purchased the same paint they use to paint cars at the factory, and honda red is a three stage paint.  Its no where near as expensive as you think, i did a slight discount on it since my friend works at the body shop owned by the dealer but normal price wasn't that much more

[zoltan]

auto paint isn't that expensive.  I bought paint directly from my honda dealer to paint the bumper on my car, it was like $14 a quart for red, if you go through a supplier and don't use red its even cheaper

that paint you bought is just touch up paint. it's most likely an enamel. 2 part car paint in red is about $45 a pint, plus hardner and thinner which are about $15 each. clear is about $30 a pint.

no i did not purchase touch up paint, i purchased the same paint they use to paint cars at the factory, and honda red is a three stage paint.  Its no where near as expensive as you think, i did a slight discount on it since my friend works at the body shop owned by the dealer but normal price wasn't that much more

it's exactly as expensive as i think it is, considering i just bought some 2 weeks ago. that is dupont linear urethane 2 part paint. that's the same price body shops pay for it.