Anyone have any painting techniques they'd like to share?

[thewright1]

Hi All,

So i'm interested in taking on the task of doing some painting. Starting off small with just my side panels and fuel tank, but wanted to know if someone could give me pointers on how to do that the right way. A friend of mine told me to just get some automotive canned spray paint and go to work, but I'm shooting for a more professional look. Pointers anyone??

[DGXSER]

I found a description on the web that says to get professional look with rattle can paint, it is all in the sanding.

States to sand down good and smooth, then use sandable primer and put twice the coats on you normaly would. Then sand with 600, 1000, 1500, and 2000 grit. Next spray color, again twice as many coats. Again sand through those ranges. And finally, the clear coat. Then a good buffing. Let the paint cure between color and sanding and the clear and buffing also.

I am in the process of applying this to a side cover, I'll let you know how it works out for me.

[thewright1]

I'm curious to know why they sand, paint, and then sand again? Does that just make things smoother? Clears out small scratches and such?

[DGXSER]

Rattlecan paint spray is much larger droplets of paint than through a professional sprayer. So you get an uneven buildup of paint leaving it rougher texture.

I will share that if you paint the piece, let it cure about 16 hours or so, sand let it dry and then apply clear coat, you will get a really cool wrinkle paint effect!! ( experienced just ten minutes ago!) So now I can sand it all back down and try again!! WOOHOO!!

[thewright1]

Are you sanding by hand? When I sanded my tank down, it was a pain in the bunz. I'd prefer to wrestle a lion. I may have not been using the correct sand paper maybe? When you sand it, you don't sand it all the way down, just until it's smooth right?

[randy]

Yes, it's possible to get a nearly pro look with rattle cans.....spent more $$ on sandpaper and primer than paint



NO, the pinstripes didn't come in a can...

[thewright1]

Yes, it's possible to get a nearly pro look with rattle cans.....spent more $$ on sandpaper and primer than paint



NO, the pinstripes didn't come in a can...

I couldn't view the images for some reason.

[DGXSER]

Randy,

Did the process I outlined work for you? I am not using auto rattlecan paint, but Rustoleum enamel. Everytime I sand it even down to 2000 it comes out looking very dull. Will the clear coat fix that?

[randy]

Don,

I used automotive laquer from duplicolor. That's a GM standard color for Chevy Blazer, IIRC, #285? Anyway, most important is don't try to spray laquer over enamel, the enamel will melt. You CAN spray enamel over laquer, though.

The clear is high heat duplicolor engine enamel (1300 degrees). Says fuel proof on can, and so far, 4 years has not lifted when fuel spills on it. It's important to let the clear coat cure a looong time before you buff and wax it. I cured mine for two weeks.

Wet sand between coats. Used 800, 1000, 1500 grits in that order for each coat. Sand, Sand, Sand. Rinse well, dry, then let it cure a couple of days. Repeat with another coat and sand. I used four color coats and four clear coats. Last color sand will be dull, but the clear will bring out the shine.

[DGXSER]

Ok, sanding is in order to start since my clear went wrinkly on me.

Bought a set of side covers and one is broken, but I have a good one that does not match color of bike, so trying to match color for the set. Thats why it is a winter project, it'll take all winter to get this thing painted right!

[fredintoon]

Hi All,
So i'm interested in taking on the task of doing some painting. Starting off small with just my side panels and fuel tank, but wanted to know if someone could give me pointers on how to do that the right way. A friend of mine told me to just get some automotive canned spray paint and go to work, but I'm shooting for a more professional look. Pointers anyone??

Hi 1,
rattlecans use single component paints and single component paints cannot be made entirely gasoline-proof.
There is a rattlecan 2-part clearcoat that will protect rattlecan paint but it ain't cheap and you gotta use all of it once you start it fizzing because it'll go hard in the can PDQ anyway.
Then there's this gadget:-
http://www.prevalspraygun.com/
where you mix just enough 2-part paint and use the Preval unit to apply it.
But what you really need is an air compressor and a paint gun. And an impact wrench. And a nut runner. And air tools can become a complete addiction. I love air tools.
You gonna spray paint you need REALLY NEED a good breathing mask. Those fumes will rip your lungs out.
Sand between coats with wet'n'dry paper and warm soapy water to key the next coat and knock off the chunks of dust that will settle on the wet paint because you ain't got a air filtered downdraft spray booth to paint in.

[DGXSER]

Stripping plastic parts

And no, I do not mean medically enhanced human body parts.

Will the typical quick acting paint stripper ruin something like a side cover? I have basicaly the aircraft type stripper (in a copper colored can) and wondered if it will eat the plastic side cover when it finishes with the paint.

[fredintoon]

- - - Will the typical quick acting paint stripper ruin something like a side cover? I have basically the aircraft type stripper (in a copper colored can) and wondered if it will eat the plastic side cover when it finishes with the paint.

Hi DGXSER,
not if you are really quick to scrape off the dead paint and wash off the stripper before the stripper starts gnawing at the plastic. It don't know what's paint and what ain't, eh?
As an alternative, try wet-sanding the sidecover's existing paint, spraying with primer and see how that looks.

[DGXSER]

Thanks Fred,

I'll try the primer. Basically I screwed up and put clear on to quick and it aligator skinned the paint. I wet sanded from 600 down to 2000 and put another coat of color on and that is again aligator skinned on me. So I reckon the clear got down through the color layers pretty deep. Hopefully the primer may cover it though.

[cywelchjr]

And no, I do not mean medically enhanced human body parts.

Will the typical quick acting paint stripper ruin something like a side cover? I have basicaly the aircraft type stripper (in a copper colored can) and wondered if it will eat the plastic side cover when it finishes with the paint.

I tried to strip a set of side covers off a 400 (same material) that had several coats of paint on them and it ruined the finish on the side covers. I was never able to get them smooth again and ended up having to replace them. So I would say avoid doing that and use sandpaper and elbow grease, seems to be the only way to do it.