Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - diy paint: complete

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Original setup

'82 Univega Viva Sport frame

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hacksawed and filed off cable stops and other parts

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after removing components I sanded down the frame.
not that concerned with getting all the way to bare steel.
mostly used a sanding sponge (large/medium grit $2.92)

washed down frame with soap and palmolive, let it dry

sprayed 1 coat of primer, sanded using fine grit
sprayed 2 more coats

sprayed on top coat. did 1 light coat and then a heavier 2nd coat.
i admit i didn't get the most even results, but hey my "graffitti" finger was
getting tired. getting a sprayer next time

applyed clear coats. did 2 coats within an hour of each other.
then did 1 more the next day. might want to do a fourth if I
do decals.

put everything together. rode my sister's bike to go get BIKE grease (!)
still need new tape and a new brake cable

All in all it turned out really well. Sorry about the last picture the white washing machines and mirrors make it look all bright when its actually pretty dark.

couple random thoughts:
1. sanding sponges rule instead of paper
2. take pedals off first. I never could get them off
3. check your chainring bolts (2 of mine were loose, 1 was missing!)

here's what i used (prices for things i bought special)
hacksaw w/ carbide blade
assorted sandpaper
sanding sponge (large/medium grit) $2.92
neoprene gloves $3.27
rustoleum spray paints
primer (sandable grey) $3.14
top coat(metallic black) $3.20
clear coat(crystal clear enamel) $3.27
add in the grease and tape and it'll be a little over 20 bucks.

thanks for all the advice (esp. shrimpx and al5)

rock

jeff

jeff - nice work! (and nicely documented - a true hci'er)

this is great info for anyone going through the same process - (read: me).

how long did it take to sand? did you have gloves on? where did you store the bike once it was sanded?

now get out and ride!

Great job, especially with the removal of the cable stops.

dude, awesome work.

i am a bit confused about the last pic... is that the final product? the paint looks pretty weird -- as opposed to the pic right before it.

you should take a pic in daylight.

enjoy the bike. i dig the geometry on that frame, too.

Great work, StickerGuy! Removing the cablestops definitely gives the frame a nice clean look. Just curious...if you went thru all that trouble, why didn't you remove the headset and the B/B......?

Nice job - very clean without the cablestops. Looking forward to seeing some photos outside in better light conditions - show that puppy off at its best!! :beer:

Nice job Jeff. I remember seeing that bike a while ago at Mass. What tickles my pickle is that in the first photo there's a silkscreened poster of a show my band played at (the brown one with the red skully biker) and my band's name is the last one on it showing. Funny.

Not to mention, I know you too.

thanks everyone

al5- yeah i conducted an evaluation of the heuristics and found blah blah cognitive usability...something.

um sanding was the longest part. I cut the stops and everything in about 2 hours. ( while watching the simpsons). I sanded all the joints using sandpaper in one night and the rest in like an hour with the sponge. Didn't start using gloves until I started having to handle the bare steel. I hung the bike up in my 'rents house in Naperville to store/paint/dry

shrimpx - better pic soon.

george- didnt' want to take the BB, fork, headset off because it was grueling to put them on in the first place. esp. the BB. I also have mad masking skills.

absntr- Dolorus Center..huh? I remember that show. Couldn't find a webpage to try and figure out who you are. let me know. looking forward to the next C. Mass I missed the last two while i was abroad

rock

jeff

Jeff, Naz is the name. Met you at CM with Ben and Tyler a while back. Dolorous Canter is spelt wrong on the poster, they always spell it wrong.

Nice job SG! If I ever get a new-ish frame I'll definitely come to this thread for my step-by-step guide! At the moment though it seems a little stupid to sand and spray my dented piece-of-crap frame. Again, nice job!!

dv: lucky you! - you get to help me sand/paint mine next week!!!

al5: Lucky you! You get to help me paint my walls and move next week! Ha ha.

I just finished painting my bike, I did almost the same job that you did, but my old man told me to use high grade steel wool before the last coats. It shines alot better if you do so.