talking paint......just some things maybe some didn't know

[sangathor]

Great thread, keep the tips coming and I may finally attempt painting that new tank I got several years ago and is still in the box. I moved this to How-To's and made it sticky.

[wadave]

If anyone has any good links or step-by-steps for a beginner, it would be most appreciated. For you pros out there, I am not cheap. I do respect that some of you have mastered the trade and deserve to get paid for what you do!

It's just that, as much work as has been done to my bike, I have done it all. From oil changes to welding and powder coating, mine have been the only two hands to ever touch my bike.

It may be stupid but I like that feeling and want to keep it that way if possible.

Any help would be appreciated!

[gchalifo]

DIY means DIY man!!!!!! Same here, I do everything myself....

So which do you want to start with? airbrushing, or hvlp base coat/clear coat?....

Originally Posted by wadave

If anyone has any good links or step-by-steps for a beginner, it would be most appreciated. For you pros out there, I am not cheap. I do respect that some of you have mastered the trade and deserve to get paid for what you do!

It's just that, as much work as has been done to my bike, I have done it all. From oil changes to welding and powder coating, mine have been the only two hands to ever touch my bike.

It may be stupid but I like that feeling and want to keep it that way if possible.

Any help would be appreciated!

[wadave]

I don't know that I have the artistic ability for airbrushing. That is definitely better off left to those with talent!

I guess "hvlp base coat/clear coat" would be more my my immediate interest, though I don't even know what hvlp stands for! As far as painting goes, I am at level 0!

[rcoligan2]

High volume low pressure. It has to do with the gun and the amount of paint and air going through it.

The DarkMidKnightWarrior

[gchalifo]

So WADAVE,,,,

I would suggest beggining where most people might not consider the most important part...AT LEAST I DIDN'T...

YOUR PAINT BOOTH.. or area where you are considering painting.....let me list a few considerations, and others I'm sure can chime in with what they have done; please think safety safety safety during this entire discussion....KEEPING IN MIND, THIS IS FOR THE DIYer......not someone who has access to or owns a nice professional spray booth, or the funds to own one.....for a small investment, you can build your own booth....

1. the spray booth/room should be separate from your house if at all possible.
2. ventilation, you need a fresh air source into the booth, and a big enough exhaust fan to handle the sq. footage of air in the room....ie, 300sq ft. booth = 300 ish cfm rated exhaust fan.
3. not all exhaust fans are alike. exhaust fans for spray booths of any kind should be (again if possible) explosion rated.

Now if I haven't freaked you out enough yet hang in there....it gets worse....

4. storage for your paints and other paint related chemicals should be in a well ventilated/secure place to keep little hands from getting at the stuff....just my 2 cents here.
5. PERSONAL PROTECTION- home depot sells a disposable hooded jump suit for small coin, consider this serioulsy. And last but not least, a resperator....rated for paint and chemical fumes.....even consider the ones with fresh air supply....but they get expensive.


AND THIS IS EVEN BEFORE WE START TALKING ABOUT PAINTING.... and chances are I missed something....

More talk about the booth;

- should have enough electrical power or circuits to handle;
- a compressor big enough to support your needs. Mine is rated at I believe 20amps or so, which means it needs it's own 30amp breaker all to itself. I'm not an electrician, but having worked in the computer data centers for many years, the rule of thumb is you can only load a circuit to "70% or 80%" I believe it is, then you need to start with another circut. For example, if I run my compressor, the lights, and my boiler, then I turn on my hair dryer to dry a part, BOOM....off goes the breaker.,...

My point is, you can't just go plugging things in and expect everything to just carry the load....
- lighting.....a nice over head shop light, light a 4 or 6footer, and a couple of movable construction lamps.....to light your work form various angles will come in very handy.
- a large table surface.....to work on, a lazy susan or 2..... man oh man.....there's lots of set up stuff to talk about.....

So, lets start here if you want....fire off some questions and answers about what you have for a paint booth option where you live.....

g

Originally Posted by wadave

I don't know that I have the artistic ability for airbrushing. That is definitely better off left to those with talent!

I guess "hvlp base coat/clear coat" would be more my my immediate interest, though I don't even know what hvlp stands for! As far as painting goes, I am at level 0!

[btk572]

here is what I would suggest, go look at paint for whatever project you can think of ,then see how much the smallest amount of each component you can buy is, then add up the base color the basemaker,the clear ,activator, gun, good mask, sand paper, filler if needed, buffer, wet sand paper, compounds, and glazes. then your ready to do some base clear if you have a safe area to spray in. yes you can cut some costs on buffing things and such, but base clear is by far not the best place to start learning how to paint! go get some laquer duplicolor premixed in a can, its reasonably priced, or some enamel with activator and reducer. if you want to mainly paint small bike parts you can learn using a small touchup or 1/4 size gun. it works and adjusts like a big gun ,just shoots less material and a smaller fan pattern. then see if you want to step up to more costly paint and tools. as far as a compressor you should look for at least a small 25-30 gallon 5 horse or something close if you want to even come close to running a da sander or spraying any size object bigger then a bike

[wadave]

Sounds like I need to take a solid class before being able to attempt my own painting. I don't have the room to set up a spray booth right now and all my spare cash has gone into winter mods on the bike, so I'll have to wait a little bit before tackling a new paint job.

[btk572]

hey g,
no. 1 to your post, no booth or spray area not hooked to the house ? then do not paint PERIOD !
no. 2 twice the fan as cubic ft of room
no.3 only explosion proof fan and aluminum or plastic blades
no. 4 steel full cotained cabinets.
no.5 an approved suit for the chemicals you are using, not a jump suit for spraying latex interrior paint, and a face mask and fresh air if your talking 2 or 3 parts paint systems.
also check out the other how to in the paint section would be advisable also. btk572

[mayhemossf]

As i have read along on this and a couple other threads the information is invaluable. And as are many of the members here I am a DIY person. to date the only sublet item on my bike is having Christok build me a makko and clutch cover. Learning to paint and airbrushing as a DIY'R is expensive. But if you have a riding family as I do the initial cost is slowly washed out as you do more than one bike. Remember quality tools and equiptment are not cheap. But they will last a long time when cared for. I am now on my second round of paint and airbrushing on my bike. learned that not sanding the final seal coat fine enough will show through. so I learned, stripped it back down and im back to primer. with more paint to come this weekend. followed buy more learning on my airbrush. In the end it is rewarding to be able to say I did it myself, and to know it looks good in the end. That my friend is PRICELESS!