Bicycle Mechanics - Unconventional Finishes

I'm planning on painting my bike frame and I was just wondering if anybody has used unusual paint finishes such as "hammered" paint for tool boxes, etc., or a textured paint for inside of car trunks or an "antique" or "chalkboard" finishes. Seems that there alot of different choices in paint spraycans nowadays!

I know the subject of paint has been beaten to death here I would like to know if anybody has had any luck with these kind of products. I think somebody here did the chalkboard finish but I am really interested in doing a hammered copper finish.

I've never seen a hammer paint job. Be the first. Break the ground. Don't ask permission. Just do it. Start a hammer paint bike cult.

Just do it! If you hate it you can always strip it off and paint it over again. One of the nice things about messing with bikes is that it can be a relatively cheap hobby.

I painted an iron railing in my house with Rustoleum hammered finish last summer. It seems like it's a pretty tough finish once it dries, but it takes along time to dry completely. You might have to wait a month before you clamp on a front derailer. On the up side, it has enough texture to hide defects in your prep work.

I simply 'finished' my frames with primer before assembly...

I painted an old Nishiki Continental with a hammered green and it lasted just as long as anything else. You can easily touch up scrapes and abrasions. It certainly adhered very well.

If you have access to an air compressor, then I would recommend using auto quality paints that are probably the most durable types of finishes. You can get just about any color made up, do all types of graphics, then spray a few coats of clear that can be polished for an extremely smooth shiny finish. How about some fading flames, or swooshes? I have used crinkle finish paints many years ago that came in cans, then you would use a heat lamp or halogen light to dry it so that it would wrinkle/crinkle well.

I did a computer case with the silver hammered stuff. Was pretty happy with the outcome. As said above though - it has a very very long cure time. A shed in the Texas summer sun will help, but it still takes a while.

I simply 'finished' my frames with primer before assembly...

They're gonna rust. Primer isn't waterproof. The primered look is popular now for "rat rods", but they're using flat paint that looks like primer for that reason. I did the same thing to a '54 Chevy lowrider that was twelve years old at the time and my idea finally caught on.

If you have access to an air compressor, then I would recommend using auto quality paints that are probably the most durable types of finishes. You can get just about any color made up, do all types of graphics, then spray a few coats of clear that can be polished for an extremely smooth shiny finish. How about some fading flames, or swooshes? I have used crinkle finish paints many years ago that came in cans, then you would use a heat lamp or halogen light to dry it so that it would wrinkle/crinkle well.

I'm actually a professional spray painter by trade and I've painted several bike frames w/a spray gun but I'm not allowed to do that anymore. Long story but someone else had to ruin it for the rest of us! :(

Anyway I'm building up a three-speed S-A hub road bike (this will be my thirteenth bike!) and I just want to experiment with a different kind of finish. I already sprayed (with a gun) the fork and wheel rims with a beige two-component epoxy but I'm not allowed to bring anymore frames into work.

The Fixer you have some really nice bikes and the primer looks good on them. I might paint my bike brown to go with the beige components but now I'm wondering how a red oxide primer would look?

They're gonna rust. Primer isn't waterproof. The primered look is popular now for "rat rods", but they're using flat paint that looks like primer for that reason. I did the same thing to a '54 Chevy lowrider that was twelve years old at the time and my idea finally caught on.


I know... But nothing rusts in SoCal....:D

I love the idea of chalkboard paint. I'm about to refinish one of my workbikes (I wrench/ride for a messenger company) and that would be a great (and incredibly silly) option for taking notes right on the bike. Just have to hang some chalk from the bars.

I'd use this stuff:

http://tinyurl.com/r8qde

24 colors!

I love the idea of chalkboard paint. I'm about to refinish one of my workbikes (I wrench/ride for a messenger company) and that would be a great (and incredibly silly) option for taking notes right on the bike. Just have to hang some chalk from the bars.

The black bike pictured in post #5 used to be green chaukboard. Pretty tough finish and able to scribble on...

I saw a really nice hammered copper finish on a bike hanging up at mikkelsen's shop. Sexy as hell.

I know... But nothing rusts in SoCal....:D

Actually, most modern primers are sealing primers and work just fine as a final coat.

Az

I am going to use Gun Blueing on my next frame. I like the look

I tried some of the hammered finish spray paint on my van's wheels. They were polished aluminum, and I got real tired of cleaning the brake dust off all the time. So I painted them a dark gray color with the hammered finish and it looks great. Seems to work fine on the wheels, and if you do manage to get a chip or two, it's easy to touch up.

Az

http://www.spectrumpowderworks.com/images/bp/bp408.jpg

I thought this site had some interesting and novel bike finishes.