More paint questions - Tank, side panels, frame

[RichV]

While I wait for parts to come in, I've been looking at the painting. So I have a few questions:

1. My frame does not really need repainting but since I removed all the components I might as well take advantage. I know everyone thinks powder coating is best but I'm not so sure. Any suggestions on a non-powdercoat method for the frame?
2. My tank was stripped by the PO using what appears to be a grinder. There are many little marks and small gouges in the surface and a couple of dents. I got the dents most of the way out using heat and cold and plan to use Bondo for fill in the rest. As for the small gouges and scratches in the metal, will they show through the paint? Any suggestions on how to paint it?
3. The side panels were painted a hideous orange and have several layers of different color panel. I've started to send them down to the base (or close). Any suggestion of painting the panels.

Simple questions that are general in nature and not specific to the model. In the past, I would just take them to a paint shop and let them handle it. However, money is an issue now and I need to use a more cost effective approach. That means I need to do all of the prep myself so any help would be greatly appreciated.

[IanDMacDonald]

Q#1 I had success using PJ1 Gloss black on the frame for my GS and XS750.
Q#2. Several coats of a self-etching primer that is wet-sanded smooth.
Q#3. Remove paint with brake fluid or plexi-glass aircraft remover. Then, use same paint as you use on rest of bike. Don't waste you money on plastic paint. Good luck and be sure to post pics.

[DGXSER]

My frame does not really need repainting but since I removed all the components I might as well take advantage. I know everyone thinks powder coating is best but I'm not so sure. Any suggestions on a non-powdercoat method for the frame?

Depending how complete of a repaint you want, I have used semi-gloss black rustoleum in a pint can with a brush to touch up the frame. Sand off any corrosion to bare metal, use the rustoleum primer and then the black as a finish. Blended pretty well for me.

My tank was stripped by the PO using what appears to be a grinder. There are many little marks and small gouges in the surface and a couple of dents. I got the dents most of the way out using heat and cold and plan to use Bondo for fill in the rest. As for the small gouges and scratches in the metal, will they show through the paint? Any suggestions on how to paint it?

I see two options here, first is to sand the metal down with fine sand paper to get rid of the gouges and scratches, the other is to use bondo to fill them. I use Sherwin Williams paints on my bikes, the local dealer told me the base coat will only fill scratches equal to 600 grit or finer, so the surface has to be that smooth or it will show through the paint.

The side panels were painted a hideous orange and have several layers of different color panel. I've started to send them down to the base (or close). Any suggestion of painting the panels.

Same as the tank. Sand them down as far as you want them taken down, finish with a 600 grit or finer sand. Paint away.

I had never painted other than with a spray can on stuff I could care less what the finish looked like. Then I rebuilt Banshee, and I wanted to paint it. I have a decent compressor, so I go the HF HVLP spray gun set. A respirator. And the SW auto paint. I used rustoleum primer, wet sanded it down to 600. Then sprayed on the color in three or four coats. Let it flash while I cleaned the gun and mixed my clear. Sprayed three or four coats of clear on. Let it flash and cure about 24 hours, then wet sanded with 1500, followed by 2000 grit. then used polishing compound, followed with scratch and swirl remover.

A lot of advice on here, and lots of folks who know what they are doing better than me. I found a rough old cob of a redneck on you tube that goes by "My Friend Pete" DIY Automotive School. Or SWRC. He is bit gruff, but I watched a lot of his videos and it helped me with my projects.

[natemoen]

Do not use brake fluid as a paint stripper. Yeah it works but then you are coating a absorvabt plastic surface with an oily product. You will be cussing that choice for days.

As for the tank, you will need to smooth that out somehow. You can use high fill primer if the sctratchws and gouged are light. Otherwise it is bondo.

[Garagamus]

As the others have said, high build primer after sanding the tank till your arms fall off. Dust the tank with a light coat of contrasting colour and re-sand. You'll quickly find all the low and high spots from where your "guide coat" either stayed or wore away. (Note: Don't use BBQ paint as your guide coat, seems there is nothing worse than putting a fresh coat of spraypaint over a BBQ paint guidecoat, unless you want to see how all your work can magically peel off in a week or two since the new paint doesn't bond to the ceramic particles in the BBQ stuff...and knowing is half the battle).

[fredintoon]

- - - In the past, I would just take them to a paint shop and let them handle it. However, money is an issue now and I need to use a more cost effective approach. That means I need to do all of the prep myself so any help would be greatly appreciated.

Hi Rich,
will you be doing all the painting yourself or taking primed parts to a paintshop for them to put the color on?

[crazy steve]

Do not use brake fluid as a paint stripper. Yeah it works but then you are coating a absorvabt plastic surface with an oily product. You will be cussing that choice for days.

As for the tank, you will need to smooth that out somehow. You can use high fill primer if the sctratchws and gouged are light. Otherwise it is bondo.

Yeah, you want to be extremely careful about using any sort of chemical stripper on plastic. If it absorbs any of it, you'll have issues down the road.

I'd skim coat the entire tank with bondo, then block it out. Follow up with several coats of primer, then block that out.

The other thing I'll mention is don't go finer than 320 grit paper when blocking prior to color coats. Too fine, and you won't have enough 'tooth' for the paint to get a good mechanical bond and the paint will chip easily. If you're still seeing scratches, you don't have enough paint on it.

[RichV]

Hi Rich,
will you be doing all the painting yourself or taking primed parts to a paintshop for them to put the color on?

Really it depends. I would like to make a go at spray painting myself but I just don't have a big enough compressor to handle a spray gun. I'm generally adverse to using a rattle can (other than maybe the primer).

[motoman]

Pretty much what Ian stated. Duplicolor IS the most durable short of powder coating frame......bar none, BTDT!. Can be bought cheaply at NAPA since you don't have a gun or compressor. Also, your local automotive paint store can match perfectly the panel/tank colors if they are 'worth their salt'. They can pre-mix it into pressurized can that actually DOES have a nice spray nozzle that actually atomizes paint nicely. They can do it now just recently with the added catylist for fuel spill protection. For a $20 cost range, hard to beat IMO. On top of that, It'll lay flat with absolutely no orange peel and look like it was was done professionally....BTDT too for what it's worth, or you can ask 3Phase, as he's seen my Venturer's sidecovers being a perfect factory look and match.

[IanDMacDonald]

For a $20 cost range

What paint supplier charges only $20? Last time I checked onto paint prices, they quoted me over $100 for the paint, then whatever to put it into shaker cans. PPG, Sherwin Williams and Finish Master were all similar in price.

[DGXSER]

Ian, you are getting taken my friend.

I spent less than $80 on a qt of base with the matching reducer. I have used that reducer and base on the tank, side covers, and the fenders on Banshee, and the reducer on a third. Still got some reducer left. I also got a qt of clear and the hardener for it. That clear lasted me to paint four bikes, one being the Katana which had ALOT of paint on it. Now I did use the single stage spray can stuff for the base coat on the Katana, which worked great with the 2k clear. All that painting for $80.

For the red I used on Ruby, they charged $20 for half a pint of base. And when I messed up and needed another half, they gave the second half pint to me for free.

[fredintoon]

D.I.Y. painting options

Really it depends. I would like to make a go at spray painting myself but I just don't have a big enough compressor to handle a spray gun. I'm generally adverse to using a rattle can (other than maybe the primer).

Hi Rich,
what CFM does your compressor put out?
You can get away with as little as 3CFM if you use a pressure reducer to knock the line pressure down to ~45PSI and use a fizzabit-waitabit spraying technique.
If you decide to go rattlecan the primer and colors are all single-mix and that stuff ain't truly gas-proof.
You can get a 2-part clearcoat in a special-purpose rattlecan to gas-proof the tank but once it's activated any amount you don't use right then will go solid in the can within a day.
Or there's the Preval. It's a sprayer with tank of propellant and a jar to put a small amount of mixed 2-part paint (or, indeed, anything you want to spray) in.

[IanDMacDonald]

Dang. Plus, they told me there was a minimum order of a pint or quart, don't remember, and they charged to put it in shaker cans. I know Scott paid similar price fo what I was quoted, as I have the receipt from PPG for it: CLX S4 $153.

[motoman]

Dang. Plus, they told me there was a minimum order of a pint or quart, don't remember, and they charged to put it in shaker cans. I know Scott paid similar price fo what I was quoted, as I have the receipt from PPG for it: CLX S4 $153.

Ian, what I quoted was a few yrs. back, and I know it's went up substantually, but this was also from a couple different locally owned automotive paint supply places.....no chain store.

What Fred said about the Preval simplifes things a bit, even though the downside is the cost of the propellant cans.

[RichV]

Thanks everyone for the great advice. I now understand what I need to do to prep the tank. Since I don't plan to paint it for a while, I just keep sanding it down until most of the gouges are gone and fill in the rest with bondo (which I've done many times) and cover with a couple of primer coats. Same for the side panels.

My compressor is a Porter-Cable 6 gallon unit I've had for about 10 years and have been very pleased with it's portability and performance. I've mainly used it to power my tools and use it almost daily. It is rated at 2.6 SCFM @ 90psi and 3.7 SCFM @ 40psi. It has two gauges that provide the tank and output pressure, which is adjustable to 45psi. I have been told I need at least a 20 gallon unit with 7 SCFM @ 45psi to spray paint and the cheapest one I can find is $199 dollars at HF.

Where I have the most problems is with the painting. All I want to do is paint the frame, tank and side panels gloss black. No color match is required. This is a learning curve for me since all I've ever done is the prep. I don't want to powdercoat the frame. It has some rust at a couple of joints but it did clean up nicely and may only need a a new coat so it's even. I have been painting smaller components with rattle can enamel paint and they look great.

This may be a bridge too far for me. I don't totally understand everything I'm being told. However, I need to get the frame done soon so I can start transferring the engine so I have to do it myself. So here are my questions:

1. Do I have to strip the frame or will sanding and painting be okay?
2. After sanding how many coats of primer? Do I need to cover only the exposed areas with primer?
3. What paint should I use after priming? How many coats?
4. Do I need a top coat of come kind after painting?

Sorry if the questions sound basic. I really don't want to screw this up and have to start over. I also can't afford to pay someone at this point. If the compressor I have will work, I might be okay is I know how to get the paint.