The Painting Project ENDS!!

[TopCatGr58]

Still Prepping!

Hey Fred, thanks, I've got a mask with dual filters on it, Ansi rated for painting as I recall, but I'll double check!

Okay, still prepping and preparing for this job!

Below you'll see a photo of the paint stands I made out of ~$10.00 worth of 2x4's! I didn't try to hide or edit anything, so have fun PROM!!



Question for Paintman or others: I started sanding down the tank to see whether it was Primer over just metal or what?? Well, "they" put primer ontop of the OEM Maroon XJ paint. There was a couple of spots where I went thru the layers to base metal. I think I can be safe in once I get down to just the OEM base, scuffing it up nicely and primering over it, but wondering about the few small bare metal sections?

Can I spray the self etching primer on those areas allowing very little overspray onto the OEM paint, and will it be okay once the etching stuff dries...it's supposed to turn into primer, scuffing it and then REPRIMING over the whole tank?? OR do I need to remove the OEM paint all the way to metal over the entire tank?? That's a LOT OF SANDING!!!!!

Okay, below is a photo of the side covers after I have sealed the badge mounting plateholes with BONDO! I had to relearn that I had to mix hardener with the Bondo base to make the stuff, then had to work fast since it sets up in about 4 minutes!



I then sanded the surface back down to a nice smooth finish, left plenty of thicker bondo on the inside/underside so as not to come off!! I also fixed a crack right in the middle of the cover on the left side, it's right/front edge, used the 4" x 2" wide wire mesh that came with the bondo kit to bolster it and put a nice thick layer of bondo onto the cover to join with the mesh! I think it will hold!

Depending on what I hear about the tank, I'm hoping to start spraying the etching primer on the fenders this weekend, and maybe even get to the regular Primer, and even the first BLACK basecoat!!! "Tease"....thought he was going to paint it GREEN!
T.C.

[Da-Bubble]

TC,

I feel weird giving YOU advice but my painting project turned out good so I feel compelled...

The painter I was getting advice from said it'll never look right until you take it to bare metal. When I did my tank I used Aircraft Stripper from the parts store. You can get it in quart or gallon but you only need a quart. You just brush it on and let it set for a few minutes. It's actually kinda fun watching the paint crackle and peel up. Once it looks like it's not doing anything, take a wire brush and get as much sludge off as you can. Then coat it again...repeat until it's all gone.

I had about 3 layers on my tank and 4 on the Harley fender I used for the rear. It was so much faster than sanding! Obviously you can't do the side covers but they should be fine.

Just remember if you can feel a blemish at all it will show up 10 times as bad when it's painted!

Hope this helps....P.S. I'll paint your bike if you'll get mine running right!!!!

[Paintman]

Tank

well if you are going this far to make it nice i would take it all teh way down because some of the oem paint may lift when you go to prime it its better to be safe then have to do it over again. and as mentioned the aircraft stripper works great it will take anything off.unless im just fixing a small spot i usualy take it all teh way down that way i kmow what im working with>but i cheat i have a media blaster. it looks good so far keep teh pics coming.
John

[Paintman]

for side covers

when you go to do teh sidecovers its a good idea to use an adhesion Promoter it gives the primer something good to stick to otehrwise it can lift later on you they sell it in spray cans and its clear good luck'
John

[fredintoon]

Cartridge life

"Hey Fred, thanks, I've got a mask with dual filters on it, Ansi rated for painting as I recall, but I'll double check!"
Hi TC,
how long have your filter cartridges been in use? My information is that they are only good for an hour or so, then the absorber medium is all used up. I buy them by the boxful and put new ones in for each paint job.

[prometheus578]

"T.C., what the heck is that crap?"

Mine look that way after weed wackin' my back yard. Grass stains and such.
Who in their right mind buys white shoes?
What are you, some sort of fitness/sports freak?

"T.C., a man with small vices."
Get more plastic bags, like the one dangling from the vise, and put them over the buffing wheels. Keeps garage grit out of the fibers. I've seen buffing machines on work benches right next to the bench grinder. Not a good idea.
Garage looks a lot better than last year, T.C.
(I'll file this pic with the others)

[fredintoon]

- - Not a good idea - -

Hi Prom,
You say:- "I've seen buffing machines on work benches right next to the bench grinder. Not a good idea."
Oh dear. My buffing wheel is on the other side of the same device that turns my grinding wheel. I can rationalize this.
1) needs must, I'm bitched for workspace.
2) Who knew it was a bad thing?
3) When it's not turning I can plastic bag it.
4) When I'm grinding the mop is also going 3,600 rpm so nothin' gonna stick to it.

[prometheus578]

"The more I polish... the more scratches I get!"

Quite true, Fred.
I have the same type machine, but I use a different grinder for jobs. I just pretend the buffer's grinder is there to act as a fly wheel.
Maybe bind up the plastic bag with masking tape.
Was just a thought. Had to pick on T.C. for something.

[fredintoon]

Two mops?

Hi Prom,
you got two grinders? Oh, there's posh.
You could put another mop on the other side of your polishing grinder instead of the grinding wheel that's just there to be a flywheel. That way you'd not get the fine & coarse polishing compounds on the same mop. And quit picking on TC, he might notice. Have you seen the size of that lad?

[TopCatGr58]

Re: "T.C., what the heck is that crap?"

Originally posted by prometheus578
Mine look that way after weed wackin' my back yard. Grass stains and such.
Who in their right mind buys white shoes?
What are you, some sort of fitness/sports freak?

Garage looks a lot better than last year, T.C.
(I'll file this pic with the others)

Hey Prom,

You're slipping, better get your eyes checked! You didn't notice that the buffer pads were ALL NEW, not used yet....but I will put some plastic socks on them to keep the grit out! My real grinder is across the garage next to my mill/lathe. What you saw was just a spare 2HP motor that I put a flap sanding disc on for putting smooth edges on the SOFA/SOFCA mounting threaded pipes!

And now that you mention it, I have become a fitness freak again! With my advancing age..50+, even though I got a clean bill of health on my recent physical, I decided to get back into my exercise program that I had quit over a year ago. SO...I've been working out with free weights, and have gotten my jogging circuit up to 2.5 miles in 30 minutes, 3 times a week! Yeah, I'm tall, but now I'm trying to get a little WIDER somewhere besides my waist! Those shoes were my OLD set that I now use for lawn work....hence the green accents! And they had some "vegemite" on the bottoms, so that's why I left them in the garage!

But now on to the painting update! Thanks again to Da-bubble and Paintman for the advice....a good stripper always makes the time goes faster!! I remembered that I had actually bought some spray on heavy duty stripper a year ago, but had forgotten it until now! It worked very well for the bulk removal, and I am glad I did. I found all sorts of little rust spiders under the OEM paint, around the badge brackets, etc.!!! Ground/drill wire brushed all of them down to bare metal. Cleaned it up with Laquer thinner. And then because I was concerned about the bare metal flash rusting overnight, I went ahead and shot the etching primer on it, as well as the fenders and taillight mount.

It says on the can that IF I put additional regular primer or basecoats on it within 24 hours that I don't need to SAND it!?!?
Any comments on this. Should I block sand with 400 or 600 on every layer of primer I put on??

I am also hoping and planning on doing the first layers of the BLACK basecoat(s) this weekend as well. The Green basecoats will come later since I don't have my special pattern/stencil type materials yet! There will be a mix of the Green with the black showing thru via the pattern, that's why I need a black basecoat along with the green!

Almost forgot, the sidecovers never had any trouble keeping the paint on with just simple primer, and now that I've sanded them down mostly below the OEM plastic color, it's even rougher, so I don't anticipate any adhesion problems with the primers and basecoats!

Fred, my mask is still new in the package, but a recent review says that it's NOT for TOXIC painting protection, so it looks like I'll be shopping for a different one....thanks for the heads up before I experienced a heads down!! Think I can find a decent one at Harbor Freight or Sears??
T.C.

[Paintman]

Primer

Hey TC sounds liek your moving rt along when you put on mpre primer you can shoot 2 wet coats let it sit then block it down primer is cheap so sand till your happy the smooter the primer the shinier the top coat will be . Most good hardware store and Sears sell respirators for teh paint you are shooting .
Green sneaker eh? LOL

[prometheus578]

Judging by Paintman's typing, he's been painting without his mask on again, T.C.
I'm sure now that you can see the value of a good respirator.

a good stripper always makes the time goes faster!!

Only if you prime 'er with a lot of cash first.

[fredintoon]

The correct cartridge

" Fred, my mask is still new in the package, but a recent review says that it's NOT for TOXIC painting protection, so it looks like I'll be shopping for a different one....thanks for the heads up before I experienced a heads down!! Think I can find a decent one at Harbor Freight or Sears?? "

Hi TC,
I assume your "new in the package" mask has replaceable filter cartridges? If so, a pack of the correct cartridges is all you need to buy. But will the Harbor Freight or Sears counter hand know which breathing mask cartridge is the one you need? You have a Safety Supply Co. or similar near you? I'd take your mask and a list of all the paints & solvents to such a store and talk to someone who (hopefully) will know what you need.

[Paintman]

Spelling

Hey Prom i guess da 49.95$ i dun spened on dem huked on Foniks tape was a ripoff
John

[crazypainter]

Paint mask that will work is 3-m part # 7192 or 7193 depending on size. Side covers do not need adhesion promoter. Sometimes the factory paint will wrinkle from the primer surfacer so a water borne primer needs to be used. Yes some primers will stay "open" for 24 hours depending on temp and humidity so you do not need to sand before the top coats.