Framebuilders - Anyone tried low VOC paint?

I'm ready to paint my first frame (chromoly steel/TIG), and am wondering if anyone has tried any of the new low VOC rattle can spary paint? I'm not going for the Spectrum level on this bike (it's a commuter and likely will be changing some braze-on's at some point) so just want reasonable finish with low environmental impact. I see Krylon has something, and I'm told most cars are now painted with low VOC paint so why not bikes?
thanks-

I'm ready to paint my first frame (chromoly steel/TIG), and am wondering if anyone has tried any of the new low VOC rattle can spary paint? I'm not going for the Spectrum level on this bike (it's a commuter and likely will be changing some braze-on's at some point) so just want reasonable finish with low environmental impact. I see Krylon has something, and I'm told most cars are now painted with low VOC paint so why not bikes?
thanks-




please explain.
What's VOC stand for? What's this new stuff all about?

please explain.
What's VOC stand for? What's this new stuff all about?

Volatile Organic Compounds. This is the stuff that kills brains cells and gives you cancer when you breathe it in. VOCs can also pollute air as well as damaging soil and ground water. Not surprisingly, Google will give you lots more info if you're interested...

To the OP: it wouldn't surprise me if commercial painters are being forced toward low VOC paint no matter what they're painting; environmental regs are tightening across the country. Rattle cans are probably exempt because they figure you can't afford to buy enough of them to harm anyone but yourself :D

There is also a bit of law enforcement pressure in this direction, as idiots are known to abuse the solvents in spray paint to obtain a high. ("huffing")

The solvents are not great, but the really nasty chemicals are the hardeners (catalyst) used for automotive enamels. These are NOT used in spray cans, as the paint must be used quickly after the hardener is added.

Rustoleum "protective enamal" is among the best rattle can paint I've found, but it takes a couple of days to harden up. It is fairly low VOC compared to quick dry paints. One trick a friend taught me is to apply WD-40 to the clean work and wipe it off (leaving just a trace) before spraying....Not sure why, but this makes this particular paint stick great.

"Rustoleum "protective enamal" is among the best rattle can paint I've found, but it takes a couple of days to harden up. It is fairly low VOC compared to quick dry paints. One trick a friend taught me is to apply WD-40 to the clean work and wipe it off (leaving just a trace) before spraying....Not sure why, but this makes this particular paint stick great."

Too weird. One thing I have experimented with is appliance paint, which claims to be epoxy. It seems a little soft, so I post cure it. In summer there are lots of places you can put a frame that will cook it pretty well. I also have a 170 degree oven. Colours are very limited but for a beater, black or white, etc... are pretty good.

I work at an Ace hardware store in California and all paints and solvents for that matter are being changed to a low VOC formula, we used to have two sku# for the same gallon of ace house paint but about a year ago corperate dicided to consolitdate since more states have been deciding to switch to the new low VOC laws, as far as I am concerned the products work the same we recently had to pull our stock of "Goof Off" off the shelf to replace it with the low VOC formula and since then we have used the new formula and it works the same and doesnt smell as bad either. Although I havent seen any changes in the spray cans of paint unless that was done along time ago, Cali tends to lead the nation on these "EPA regulation changes", but I am using a can of Rust O Auto primer on my frame and I let it dry for some hours and it seems to be really hard and sandable. Hope this helps might just be all kinds of nonsense.....

Thanks everyone for your comments!