How to repaint (the RIGHT way)?

[Lucien Harpress]

I'm thinking about repainting my motorcycle, and I'd like to do it the "correct" way. I have a buddy with a really nice compressor, and I figured I could pick up a spray gun for not that much, so it would be nice to know the professional way to do a re-paint job.

I'd like to go for a satin finish, so I guess my main questions are this:

-Could you point me to some reasonably-priced automotive-type paint? (I don't need anything fancy- metal-flake and the like)

-Depending on what kind of paint I use, what would be the best (fuel-proof) clear coat to use, and can I get it in flat/satin?

-What is the best order to paint/sand/clearcoat a tank and sidecovers?

Cost isn't a huge issue, but I don't want to pay out the nose for it, either. Thanks in advance!

[crazy steve]

Well, here's a decent inexpensive gun: http://www.harborfreight.com/profess...kit-94572.html The 'detail' gun in this kit is just about perfect for spraying a bike.

'Satin' paint? I hope you want black, as there's not much available in colors. Some guys are using basecoat/clearcoat paint minus the clear to get a satin finish, but the basecoat paint doesn't hold up that well without the clear. Although this is new to the market: http://www.eastwood.com/ew-rat-rod-s...ouart-kit.html. You could use this over the color of choice. You definitely want a two-part paint (add a hardener) as that will take the abuse waaay better than rattlecan paint. I used this:http://www.eastwood.com/eastwood-rat...paint-kit.html as this is available in a quart (with the hardener) for only $40. Easy to apply, and very durable.

If your looking for more options, check with your local paint supply; mail-order is usually in gallon quantities ($$$), and a quart will be more than enough.

[natemoen]

Down and dirty explanation for painting.

Strip and clean first. Then you are going to have to go across and make sure the metal is all smooth and straight, use bondo if necessary, sand. Then you will want to use a filler primer, sand with a moderate grit sand paper, then do a very light missing of a different color paint as a "guidecoat" to help you see high and low spots as you sand. As you sand across the guidecoat with maybe a 300 ish grit paper you want to see the guidecoat all sand away evenly. Off it doesn't then you know where it is uneven and needs to be built up more with the filler primer (now keep in mind these differences are like the thickness of maybe a couple prices of paper at most if it is thicker you need bondo). After everything is smooth according to the guidecoat then use a regular primer and a then its time to blocksand for smoothness repeat coats if necessary. Now you shoot it with color wetsand repeat coats if desired. Shoot with clear wetland start at about 800 or 1000 and work up to 2000 and then buff. Now granted the last few parts are for shine so if your going flat you can skip that. Although you could stop at a 1000 or 1500 grit saanding amnd may have the effect you are looking for.

Paint wise I have painted some things with rustolium enamals through a hvlp gun with outstanding long lasting results (needs to be reduced quite a bit though). You can get the rustoliym in lots of colors and finishes and it is quite resilient to most things.

If you want real automotive paint, they have flattening agents for the paints. According to a dupont rep it is just baking soda that is used for the flattening.

[fredintoon]

Hi Lucien,
what Nate sez. In addition, wear a good quality breathing mask with the correct cartridges. Those solvents will rip your lungs out.

[skids]

I don't know what the existing paint on the bike is, but if someone painted it with laquer, it all must come off. If it is uretane, you can sand it smooth to apply more urethane. Stripping the tank to metal is a big job because of the roughness of the steel, and you would need etching primer. Painting over laquer makes it check.

The side covers are difficult because you really shouldn't use stripper on them. To make matters worse, some paints are harder than the plastic, making sanding tedious.

[Lucien Harpress]

The paint that's on it right now is a combination of enamel rattle-can and urethane clear coat. I've repainted it once, but it's not as clean as I'd like (and is proving to be less than ideally durable as well). I could touch it up, but I'm tired of buying 500 rattle cans whenever I mess something up. I plan on sanding everything down to bare metal/plastic anyway. (I made a right hash of the sidecovers, let me tell you.... )

I'm still debating on the exact finish I'd like.... I've got a thing for aviation, and I wouldn't mind the top of the tank being painted like a flat-black anti-glare panel type thing... but I digress. Thanks for the help, I'll take a look through the links tomorrow morning.

[bikerphil]

I just did some side covers, hard bags, and a tank. Took the tank down to bare metal, fixed the dents, primer and base coat enamel. Wet sand the base coat 1500-2000 till no orange peel. Used 2 part Nason clearcoat, 1 light coat then 2 medium heavy coats with 5 min. flash time in between coats. Wet sanded that with 1500-2000 within 12 hrs, then hand buff with chrome polish. It came out way better than I thought it would. Side covers done pretty much with the same procedure. Just take your time with the prep and any dust particles on the base or clear (assuming you don't have a booth) can be wet sanded away.