Bike frame spraying - do it yourself, really.

[Tom]

Well Ive finished my bike frame off and its all back together, shiny and new looking.

Ive sprayed it up myself, using an aersol and a bit of hardwork. To anyone out there who is
interested Ill give details on how I did it. The paint looks good, its hard enough to stand knocks
and its very cheap to do. The finish is excellent and I would consider it better than many of the
paint jobs on many frames I have seen.

If noone is daft enough to bother then Ill leave it at that but I thought I would save a bit of time
for people who want to know how.

Cheers, Tom

 

[M]

I've been thinking about spraying an old frame that's been lying in the garage for a year or
so, any tips?

"Tom" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> Well Ive finished my bike frame off and its all back together, shiny and
new
> looking.
>
> Ive sprayed it up myself, using an aersol and a bit of hardwork. To
anyone
> out there who is interested Ill give details on how I did it. The paint looks good, its hard
> enough to stand knocks and its very cheap to do. The finish is excellent and I would consider it
> better than many of the paint jobs on many frames I have seen.
>
> If noone is daft enough to bother then Ill leave it at that but I thought
I
> would save a bit of time for people who want to know how.
>
> Cheers, Tom

 

[Sorni]

"M" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...

> I've been thinking about spraying an old frame that's been lying in the garage for a year or so,
> any tips?

I just hope you're not a male dog.

Bill "throwing Kathleen a Thanksgiving bone" S.

 

[Stephen Baker]

Mark asks:

>I've been thinking about spraying an old frame that's been lying in the garage for a year or so,
>any tips?

This was posted by Rich Touart a couple of years ago, and may give some pointers:

As some of you know, a defect was found in my StumpJumper frame and I got a new one in warranty
replacement. I told the LBS to call me when it came in so I could paint it to cover up all those
logos and stickers. I am not at all concerned about having a pretty bike so I opted to take the
Krylon route to repaint the frame. Here it is as received:
http://www.touart.com/rich/rr/framenew.jpg

I disassembled the three frame pieces and used masking tape to cover up the bushings. I gave the
pieces a very (very) quick and light sanding even though the guy at the paint store said it was
unnecessary. I hung the three pieces from the framing in my workshop
http://www.touart.com/rich/rr/framehang.jpg

then sprayed two light coats of primer. Krlon recommended 30 minutes drying time before painting. No
problem. It was 12 noon.

http://www.touart.com/rich/rr/frameprimed.jpg

I had purchased 3 cans of black epoxy enamel. Each can would yield 3 light coats of paint. The
instructions said to recoat within 3 hours or after 5 days so after each coat I waited 30 minutes
then recoated changing the position of the pieces each time to get a different angle.
http://www.touart.com/rich/rr/frameblack.jpg

By 10 PM I had put 6 coats of paint on the frame pieces, grilled steaks, chopped and stir-fried
zucchini, onions and squash and downed a bottle of 1997 Chateau Neuf du Pape with Lynda. Before
putting on the clearcoat there was just one more thing I had to do.
http://www.touart.com/rich/rr/framename.jpg

I just couldn't resist.

 

[Rocketman]

"Tom" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> Well Ive finished my bike frame off and its all back together, shiny and
new
> looking.
>
> Ive sprayed it up myself, using an aersol and a bit of hardwork. To
anyone
> out there who is interested Ill give details on how I did it. The paint looks good, its hard
> enough to stand knocks and its very cheap to do.

Wow, that's impressive. What brand and type of paint did you use?

I've had good luck with 99-cent cans off-brand paint from Big Lots (discount store). I did zero
prep, just sprayed a pair of old rusted steel handlebars. The finish is shiny and tough as nails.
Best spray paint job I've ever seen, if I do say so myself.

> The finish is excellent and I would consider it better than many of the paint jobs on many frames
> I have seen.

Then you must have sprayed the paint very carefully. It's pretty easy to get drips, runs and orange
peeling with spray cans.

Rocketman

 

[Ivan]

<snip paint intro>
>
> Wow, that's impressive. What brand and type of paint did you use?
>
> I've had good luck with 99-cent cans off-brand paint from Big Lots (discount store). I did zero
> prep, just sprayed a pair of old rusted steel handlebars. The finish is shiny and tough as nails.
> Best spray paint job I've ever seen, if I do say so myself.
>
> > The finish is excellent and I would consider it better than many of the paint jobs on many
> > frames I have seen.
>
> Then you must have sprayed the paint very carefully. It's pretty easy to get drips, runs and
> orange peeling with spray cans.
>
> Rocketman

I, on the other hand, have not had much luck with 99 cent cans of paint. Best luck to date has been
of engine enamel (from the car parts place - a blue-metallic colour). Actually, I did get some
cheap silver which covered quite well, but scratched (and rubbed off) quite easily. Not much luck
with OSHA orange (did not cover worth a darn; however because I put so much on it held up better
than the silver).

I would like to see pictures (and a detailed write-up) on how to get better than factory paint jobs
with a rattle can.

 

[Andy Chequer]

I've sprayed lots of bikes at home. I've come to the conclusion that by the time you've stripped it
using a fivers worth of nitromors and wire brushes, and sprayed it with about thirty quids worth of
aerosols, you may as well take a night off the beer and pay probably an extra 25 to have the job
shot blasted, enamelled and baked by a man who does this for a living.

It's the only bike job I farm out.

Andy Chequer.

 

[Rocketman]

"Ivan" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> <snip paint intro>
> >
> > Wow, that's impressive. What brand and type of paint did you use?
> >
> > I've had good luck with 99-cent cans off-brand paint from Big Lots
(discount
> > store). I did zero prep, just sprayed a pair of old rusted steel
handlebars.
> > The finish is shiny and tough as nails. Best spray paint job I've ever seen, if I do say so
> > myself.
> >
> > > The finish is excellent and I would consider it better than many of the
paint
> > > jobs on many frames I have seen.
> >
> > Then you must have sprayed the paint very carefully. It's pretty easy
to
> > get drips, runs and orange peeling with spray cans.
> >
> > Rocketman
>
> I, on the other hand, have not had much luck with 99 cent cans of paint.

I've tried probably 10 different spray paint brands on bikes in the past 9 years or so. I even had
an auto paint store custom-mix some auto touch-up paint and put it in a spray can ($12 a can - not
bad for custom mixed paint). To date, the best and most durable finish came from a cheap spray paint
made by Sherwin Williams (said so on the can). Coverage was excellent, and the finish is very hard
and durable. As I said, I did zero prep, not expecting much at all; and it came out beautifully.

> I would like to see pictures (and a detailed write-up) on how to get better than factory paint
> jobs with a rattle can.

Nobody here ever claimed anything like that. If you find such a claim, and a write-up, be sure to
let us know! ;-)