Originally Posted by
Scriffer
I appreciate all the responses.
... I also got a quote from a frame shop in the area at $400, which I just can't pay when I could get a compressor, sprayer, paint, and some nailers/brad guns thrown in for that much.
And thanks for the link, Scooper. I've been going through that some too.
While I agree that $400 seems high to "just paint an old bike", you would have more fun with the compressor, sprayer and the nailguns!
It's the cost of the PAINT that'll getcha!
Because they are packaged for the automotive industry, ie; LOTs of paint to paint ONE car, the minimum amounts are usually quarts. Colors are usually mixed by the body shop using a mixing system. So the store that sells you primer & clear, may not have base coat colors. If they do, they can usually be had in pints.
Let's review;
$400 to get a professional paintjob or...
Spend the following on materials...
PPG primer, catalyst & reducer, in quarts..$100
Pint of basecoat color $40-$135
PPG clear & catalyst, in quarts..$100
Jasco stripper $15
sandpapers $10+
Tape $6
charcoal mask $35
$300+ so far.
and now it's time to get dirty!
First thing you'll notice, Jasco is nasty, but effective, stuff to work with.
Next, you'll spray the first coat of primer & get shiny spots. The primer will not harden.
Likely due to an insufficient rinsing of the Jasco.
Now you get that fixed & re-primered. Then you discover how nuts it is to try and sand the back of a bottom bracket shell, especially if there's a chainstay bridge.
Got it all cleaned & primered with a final, complete primer coat.
You now have less than 24 hours to get the color/clear sprayed to avoid having to scuff the primer.
The first coat of color will go well.
On the 2nd pass, a gnat will land in your metallic blue.
Pick out the body, but forget the wings, they're there!
Persevering, you spray the clear.
Next day when it's all hard, you find the really spiffy crystal drips, handing from the seat cluster or brake bridge. Nothing you can't "fix" with a number 11 Xacto.
and then lets check your timecard....
Aaaah,...37 hours total, not counting the hours of lost sleep, sweating the details.
$100 divided by 37...you got $2 & seventy cents per hour.
So.....$400
DEAL or NO DEAL?
