Alt Bike Culture - Spray Painting a Frame

I'd suggest using Epoxy Spray Paint.

Who makes it?

Who makes it?

Rustoleum appliance epoxy. It's available at Home Depot and Lowes -- about $6 per can. I goes over bare metal, no primer is required. I've used it, it is very durable when properly cured. Unfortunately it's available in limited colors only -- gloss white, gloss black, two shades of gloss beige, and silver/gray. If you can live with any of those colors, I highly recommend it.

Rustoleum appliance epoxy. It's available at Home Depot and Lowes -- about $6 per can. I goes over bare metal, no primer is required. I've used it, it is very durable when properly cured. Unfortunately it's available in limited colors only -- gloss white, gloss black, two shades of gloss beige, and silver/gray. If you can live with any of those colors, I highly recommend it.

Thanks for the tip. Does it air dry or is the curing with heat lamps? Sounds like a good alternative if you just want a beater or around town bike.

I doubt it's the latter considering most people aren't going to put a heat lamp to their appliances....;)

Actually, I've gotten cans of this stuff over the years (as I now recall) and used it on some things. I think I'd have to go with some more color, though. Green is what I'd like to use.

Thanks for the tip. Does it air dry or is the curing with heat lamps? Sounds like a good alternative if you just want a beater or around town bike.

If you've got heat lamps, that will speed things up -- obviously. If not let it air dry. In a week's time, it's very hard.

Here's my experience with rattlecan painting:
everything has to do with the prep and how long you let the final coat of lacquer dry. make sure you WET SAND sand EACH LAYER with a very fine grit sandpaper (i think i was using about 800 wet or dry) basically spray the dry coat of paint with soapy water or some type of mild cleaning spray and then sand it lightly to take away the gloss. do this between every layer! my paint job was good because i did this with each coat of color but i got lazy and didnt do it with each coat of lacquer, so the lacquer actually chipped and peeled and left the better prepped enamel still intact. also let the paint dry for maybe about a week or if you are patient, leave it for even longer to dry, and DO NOT PUT ANY STICKERS ON IT FOR A COUPLE OF MONTHS!! I put some stickers on it and tried to peel them off to get them centered better and it took the lacquer right off!

if you want a unique paint job, go for it, but just know that it wont be as durable as the factory paint job.

I've spray painted a couple of my bikes but only did it because they were cheapos, $40 anchors.
I'll take you through the process:

Like said before taking the bike apart makes it tons easier. Do it outside on a fair weather day, and have something to hang it in the air if possible, like tying line to a tree branch. Or just set it on the ground with some newspapers underneath. (Be prepared to flip it around.)

Well, before that sand paper the old paint to rough up the surface to give it something to stick to, wipe all the dust off with a wet rag.

Apply 2 or 3 coats, or even more if necessary, and do them while the paint is still tacky, aka sticky, but not wet.

I've never applied a clear coat but they could defintely help with durability, longevity, and possibly looks.

Most of all remember, you get what you pay for. Oh and test the color of the paint out on something. The caps don't always match the actual contents. I once bought what I thought was burgundy but turned out Barney the Dinosaur purple.

Sometimes spray paint looks better than powdercoating.

http://i453.photobucket.com/albums/qq254/The_Emo_Gearhead/1975%20mystery%20road%20bike/003-1.jpg


http://i453.photobucket.com/albums/qq254/The_Emo_Gearhead/1975%20mystery%20road%20bike/005-1.jpg

Looks like it has tiny flakes in it. Or are m eyes playing tricks? Anyways nice job!

Yep, rustoleum metallic blue, im thinking about stripping then doing it a metallic black instead.
Its about six bucks a can so prep work is a definite must.

I started out with a white bare metal primer(thats why the color is so lite) then i sprayed a very thin coat, then another, and another, about 5 coats in all, then when the last coat of paint was still sticky, not wet, i put a nice thick coat of clear on it, sand lightly then another coat of clear( i did that about 7 times) and let it air dry, then i baked the paint wiht a heat gun, its as hard as nails now :D i still need to wet sand then polish, and a final coat of wax.

Looks like it has tiny flakes in it. Or are m eyes playing tricks? Anyways nice job!


Thanks!

Don't use paper to tape off. Use masking tape. It'll bleed through the paper.