Painting The Frame

[beechfront]

i would really appreciate some advice here.

painting is an all new territory for me.

My frame has a few rust spots mostly where it looks like the battery leaked. I'm trying to restore this bike and want everything to look good. I would really like to take the frame somewhere to get it done professionally but just don't think it would be worth what they would charge me since most it isn't visible anyhow.

well I was just wondering what others have done.

thanks in advance for any advice.

[Bob Falter]

Having it sandblasted and then powder coated is the best way to go but it cost a lot. They wanted several hundred dollars to do the frame of an XS650 that I am rebuilding. Didn’t want to spend that kind of money so I sanded the rusty areas down and primed with the primer made for rusty surfaces. Then I painted it with some good quality paint in spray cans. It took a lot of cans. I waited for a nice day and hung the frame up on my cloths line post. Painted it about a dozen very light coats (just enough to get the surface wet). This was to keep from getting runs. It still looks good two years later but it hasn’t be out of the garage. I've never have had the time to put the bike back together. I tell people I’m letting the paint cure. LOL

[TopCatGr58]

Hey there Beechfront,

They sell a special rust convertor type paint/primer at the local auto parts store that turns rust into a black material and locks it in, stops the rust process! I just sanded/ground the rust off as much as possible, then sprayed this stuff on, let it setup, then spray painted over it with modest engine temp rated(500 degree) type gloss black paint. Like you said, it rarely shows anywheres, main thing was to cover/stop the rust from continuing! HTH.

T.C.

[beechfront]

after some checking yesterday: first place I called said they don't do that type of work so was referred to another place - he said it looked like it had been powercoated and that is how I would probably want to get it done. Said if I wanted them to just paint it it would cost around $375. So I checked about getting it power coated and was told approx $150-175.

I think I like TopCat's method.