Looking for a good PAINT How To...

Here is a couple pics of my last "spray paint" job.

 

You don't need any flex agents. Modern Automotive paints already have a certain amount of flex agents already added to them. For this application you don't need any more flex agent, if offers no advantage whatsoever, and only complicates things increasing the chance for a reaction and bad things to happen to your paint!

 

Flex agents are simply there to allow refitting of the flexible plastic bumper cover's. It will evaporate way after a week or so as it's no longer needed.

It also makes the paint not completely set for awhile.

So you don't need a flex agent and yes it can make things more complex.

 

Anybody have preference on a good...not to $$$ paint? I spent about 2 hrs reading articles and most tend to use the top of the line show quality paints lol.

 

I really like the shop-line brand of PPG paints for a good quality paint for a reasonable price.

Also, for paintiing bikes I like using a smaller gun to be able to get into tighter places. I just picked up a harbor freight HVLP touch up gun and painted the last bike with it and really liked it due to its size and easy cleanup.

 

^^^Can you tell me which gun exactly it was? And how much paint/clear coat do you think I will need for a set of race skinz?
Thanks for all the help guys!!

 

The tough thing about guns is that you definitely get what you pay for. Its like using a cheap, coarse crappy paint brush vs. using a really nice soft brush. The crappy brush leaves a lot more brush strokes and texture in the paint. Well guns do the same thing. Unfortunately the really nice guns are very expensive. I've always found it hard to digest that you have to spend more money to get a better finish, but like you and a lot of other people have said, you can still do pretty well for your own purpouses using some of the more reasonable priced guns, they probably just won't stand up to long term ware and tare.

As far as paint goes, generally 1 pint will cover an entire bike. Certain colors take a little bit more because they take a lot of coats for perfect coverage, but 1 pint is the general amount that will cover you for a full set of modern sportbike plastics.

As far as good brands of paint, I think most painters have their own preferences mostly because of what they're used to and how their shop system is set up. All the major brands are making a good product these days. I'd probably by the cheaper line of the good brand names for the track bike. For example, "Nason" is made by DuPont, and will work great for a track bike. "Omni" is that same version to PPG. If you want exact color matches for OEM tanks, your probably better off stepping up and spending an extra $30 a pint and buying the DuPont Chromabase or PPG, Spies Hecker, ect. If you are going for custom colors with some "pop" or "bling" metalics, candy's, and pearls...there is no better bang for your buck than House of Kolor. It is actually the cheapest and best custom line on the market right now.

 

Yea I am just looking for a 2 stage paint/clear in bright red.....could care less who its from as long as it doesn't fall off lol. I just am unsure on where to go...ie paint store/auto zone and if you can get it premixed with thinner etc.

 

D-Swen has a lot of good info. Like he said the cheap gun like Harbor freight actually do a good job but after a few paint jobs they get harder and harder to get a good spray out of. Its a good gun to see if this is what you want to do. I actually would suggest two guns one to spray the whole bike with and the second smaller for the tight spots and say maybe number plates etc.

I have used Nason, chromabase, Hot Hues and House of Color. Just remember keep with one brand when painting and use the right reducer. Some paints and colors don't play nice with each other and will give you fits. Remember to dust on your base no heavy coats. This will help prevent problems and give you a better job. Base flashes very quickly for the most part so subsequent coats go quickly. Just remember the base will look flat the clear will make it pop.
The cool thing with the base is that you can repair problems very easily. If the gun spits a big blob or a bug lands on the plastic. Just take some fine grit sand paper and sand smooth clean with a tac rag and respray.

When doing the clear practice a few times with say a sheet of cardboard to get the distance, air pressure and technique. Again its done with a few coats. Usually the first coat will look like sand paper while the second coat will make it all come together. Just remember that it wont be perfect and some color sanding will make it look showroom. I have had some jobs come out without a need to color sand while others I have needed to sand a lot. (don't use old clear)

Also use a respirator...this stuff is bad

Find a store that only sells auto paint they are usually the stores that supply autobody shops. Go in and talk to the guy selling the paint. Usually they can help you with everything you need to know. I found a lot of good information from these people.

Finally only spray with warmer temps read the Data sheet. Base is usually able to spay at a cooler temp but clear is not.

 

If you paint a tank with spray cans (color & clear), will race fuel make it peel off easy?

Do you need to have it painted with a gun and a specific type of paint / clear? If so what kind of paint?

 

Read up on the autobody101 web site. Read everything by Reckon (Joe) there and everywhere else he has posted.

Get low volume guns better suited to your low-CFM compressor. Get one for primer and one for base and clear (the tip sizes are different). Get filters on the guns and in the lines to avoid water.

You will hardly use any paint but you will go through a lot of high-build primer. You will go through more light paint than dark paint.

Get a shoot suit, hood, proper respirator, eye protection, and wear gloves. Ideally, you should have a full mask/hood to spray isocyanates, which can get in through the eyes. (I couldn't find a cheap mask solution.)

Build a booth with fans and filters. (Google it. I used my EZ-UP frame.) Have a fire extinguisher at the ready.

Don't try to finish the job in one coat or you will get runs. Two coats might work with black over dark primer. Several coats of white are needed over white primer.

NAPA sells a line of paint products that far exceed the quality needed for track/race bikes at prices far lower than auto paint job shops, without the attitude.

April 2008 (first ever spray gun paint job):


September 2008 (after many track miles):

 

* shrug* I've done a couple of rattle can jobs. Let dry for a day or so, follow up with 1000 grit wet sanding, polishing compound, Mequiar's paint cleaner, then wax. I probably have more time invested, but I only spend about $15.00 for paint and mine look way better than some $400 - $500 paint jobs that I've seen.

 

Any of you painters want to hire an apprentice? My DREAM is to do custom auto body and paint, but alas... I'm an architectural drafter. I have an old Yamaha I'm restoring and really want to paint the bodywork myself, but don't want to screw it up. I just paid a friend of my brother $500 to paint my Z1000, and its a good, but not so good paint job. Everyone that has seen it says it looks fantastic. I'm a perfectionist and can point out every mistake. I guess I'm too picky.
Anyway, I have no good advice except to listen to the guys who do this professionally if you want a professional paint job. Yeah, you could probably get a rattle can job to look great, but how durable will it be. From what I've read rattle can paint "dries" but doesn't "cure" so its never as hard as the good stuff. But if its a track/race bike that you may possibly dump anyway that may not be a big deal. Oh... and take your time, second bit of advice.

 

OK this is what I have now....
Porter Cable 6 gallon 2HP compressor. 150psi, 3.7 scfm @40psig, 2.6 scfm @90psig.

So far I found this one http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=46719 that will work with what I have.

And this package deal http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs...3&productId=100637535&N=10000003+90401+502673

All other ones I find require higher cfm. Any ideas? I won't be buying a larger compressor either lol.

 

That detail gun is the same one I have and posted earlier. It will NOT shoot primer or epoxy primer. Honestly, I like the larger gun better. The detail gun is good for number plates and small stuff like a fender or graphics. If you use that gun to shoot all the CC at once, you will need to refill it like 4-5 times per coat.

 

Tiffanator my suggestion is to read and do. Its really not that hard just a little practice.

Blue Dude I actually started with the Harbor Freight guns. I have both the small and the 20 oz. They do a great job and come with a pressure regulator at the handle. The key is to get the proper pressure at the needle to get a good atomized paint spray. Again this is more important with the clear. For me it was about 60 psi at the handle. When I pulled the trigger it went down to about 47. So if you can get that out of your compressor you should be good. You might need to wait for the compressor to catch up on long sprays.
I have seen people place one of those travel air tanks in line to add more reserve air.

As far as the small gun...yeah it has a 1.0 needle too small for primer. Primer needs something like a 1.6 or bigger. The larger gun has a 1.4 needle. Its not bad for all around painting. Again not the best but first time painting it will work. Here is a sample of what the Harbor Freight paint guns can do.


after graphics

 

Looks good to me....I don't plan on priming my armour bodies..just painting as soon as they come.

 

You think the larger one would work with my compressor though?

 

You will drive yourself mad painting a complete set of bodywork with the small gun. Lets just say its like painting a bedroom with a 2 inch roller. It can be done but at what expense?
Also the needle is really too small for clear, plus it will likely take 4 refills to do the belly pan alone.

 

^^^So the larger 20oz one will or won't work with what I have? I will rule the small one out...even though it looks like the only one that would work, unless I am reading it wrong.