Classic & Vintage - Looking for some accent color input for a metallic burnt copper frame...

I am planning to paint my frame - an 82 Schwinn Superior...

http://somegeek.home.comcast.net/schwinn_superior_1.jpg

There are nicks, small surface rust bubbles and rubbed areas all over the frame and I'd like to give it a proper finish. Nothing appears pitted but the paint job is very tired. I don't have the $ to spend on a professional job, but feel I can do a decent job with rattle cans of Duplicolor. I've put smooth paint jobs onto items in the past with rattle cans and some patience.

I'm gonna strip it and put on nice coating of primer. Read a ton about prep work being key for a good finish adherence and also curing time for the finish to harden being in the weeks. This is fine by me and I like the idea of doing it myself and taking my time.

The primer will go onto the bare, scuffed metal. Picked up a can of aircraft stripper to clean the frame. Headset and bottom bracket will be removed prior to this work. Duplicolor has a self etching primer but it's light green. I'd like to put down a lighter primer to help the copper / almond/white pop.

Planning a main body finish of Metallic Burnt Copper Duplicolor (http://www.duplicolor.com/products/metalspecks.html) and an almond or white for a middle section on the seat tube and the head tube.

Clear will be Duplicolor Wheel Coating clear.

Couple of questions...

Is Rustoleum automotive primer decent for this kinda paintjob? That is given the surface is lightly sanded and clean immediately with mineral spirits before the primer goes on, will this primer establish a good base of adherence?

What do you guys think about the color for the head tube and seat tube areas? Should I go white or almond or somewhere in between given I am using metallic burnt copper for the rest?

Figure those in this section have an eye for a good looking color scheme on the classics so these questions fit here.

Appreciate any input.

somegeek

I don't know about Duplicolor's primer, but the one I used that was light green (maybe it was Sikkens) was an epoxy primer and it is THE BEST primer for adhesion, far better than Rustoleum or any other gray primer, but I've used the R brand and it's OK for general use. If you use an epoxy primer the tip I got is that it needs to be sanded with a coarser grit (220) than you'd do to a gray primer... I don't think the primer color will affect your burnt copper metallic coat as that should be opaque. Color for the accent panels is purely a matter of personal choice, and I'd pick off-white or ivory rather than a stark-white, but that's just me.

I am planning to paint my frame - an 82 Schwinn Superior...

There are nicks, small surface rust bubbles and rubbed areas all over the frame and I'd like to give it a proper finish. Nothing appears pitted but the paint job is very tired. I don't have the $ to spend on a professional job, but feel I can do a decent job with rattle cans of Duplicolor. I've put smooth paint jobs onto items in the past with rattle cans and some patience.

Prior experience is half the battle!

I'm gonna strip it and put on nice coating of primer. Read a ton about prep work being key for a good finish adherence and also curing time for the finish to harden being in the weeks. This is fine by me and I like the idea of doing it myself and taking my time.
If the old paint isn't too bad, and it doesn't sound like it is,just clean it well with PPG DX330 or PrepSol. Then sand out the rough spots with 220. Sand the rest with 320. When you've got it all smooth, clean it really well again.
Then shoot whatever color primer, like white in your example.

The primer will go onto the bare, scuffed metal. Picked up a can of aircraft stripper to clean the frame. Headset and bottom bracket will be removed prior to this work. Duplicolor has a self etching primer but it's light green. I'd like to put down a lighter primer to help the copper / almond/white pop.
See above comment & skip the stripper mess. If you do go that route, be sure to rinse & clean thoroughly before primering.

Planning a main body finish of Metallic Burnt Copper Duplicolor (http://www.duplicolor.com/products/metalspecks.html) and an almond or white for a middle section on the seat tube and the head tube.
Do the white or almond first on the headtube & seattube panel. Then mask & spray the copper.

I bolded the word mask because . . those head lugs will be ..uh..FuN! :thumb:

Fear NOT! You can always add some gold pin-stripes to hide the trouble spots.

Clear will be Duplicolor Wheel Coating clear.
the trick to a nice finish is getting the last coat on quick & wet.
This is trickier to do with cans instead of spray guns.

Couple of questions...

Is Rustoleum automotive primer decent for this kinda paintjob? That is given the surface is lightly sanded and clean immediately with mineral spirits before the primer goes on, will this primer establish a good base of adherence?
Check with both suppliers to double check compatability.
If in doubt, do a sample tube on a 12" piece of PVC pipe.

What do you guys think about the color for the head tube and seat tube areas? Should I go white or almond or somewhere in between given I am using metallic burnt copper for the rest?
Course gold pearl over white, with micro prism splinters! :D

Figure those in this section have an eye for a good looking color scheme on the classics so these questions fit here.

Appreciate any input.

somegeek

Search the forums for posts by fender1
He has recent pictures of a copper Trek that might be inspiring.


..oh,.right....my . avatar...:innocent:

Anyway, have fun with that somegeek! Post pics! ;)

a very soft metallic seafoamy turquoise would look awesome with copper (think the color of patina on an aged copper item).

a very soft metallic seafoamy turquoise would look awesome with copper (think the color of patina on an aged copper item).

You would have loved some of the finishes I saw at the Portland Handmade Bike show, especially on the GroundUp frames made by Eric Baar. Exactly what you describe, KP.

There may be pics on their website...

www.groundupdesigns.com

out of Colorado Springs, CO.

Welcome back, DR.!! and thanks for the really good and very practical painting advice (so much better than I can offer)

I used that very paint for a motorcycle I have for a test. Actually works pretty good.
I used the Duplicolor etching primer that you are talking about and it is VERY good.
You can even polish that Duplicolor spraypaint when you are done....I used some 3M "perfect it"
rubbing compound followed by some regular car wax I had laying around.

Even close up, you can't really tell it wasn't a pro job. If you don't store your bike outside & take
reasonalble care of the finish, it seems like it would last quite a while.


As for your accent colors, I think that white is too stark of a contrast for that copper, while the almond might be a bit dark. Could you try a "off white" or an antique white, maybe with a pinstripe that is a darker metalic. Duplicolor might have "wimbleton white" color on many of the old mustangs back in the day...not too bright, not too dark.

Stay within that Duplicolor paint systems....you won't have any problems and they work very well for
their price.

Another color you may want to consider is yellow. My 1974 Scapin was monochrome burnt copper and I went with yellow bar tape, cable housing and saddle. I thought it looked good. Black also looks good with copper.

Good suggestions. I think silver would go pretty well also.

Welcome back, DR.!!
THANKS, uw1!
It's nice to be back at the party. :thumb:
(thanks to another school loaner laptop, but still don't have the email/website together yet)

I've finally cleared my head from the last painting fiasco and decided the situation is like a cement truck pulling out in front of you when you have the right-of-way.

Just some ________ head(fill in the blank) truckdriver who don't give a __________ !(fill in the blank)

Yes, irritating at first, but just life, ... according to Murphy.
As long as I made it through alive & unscathed, I'm good.

I did the take the time away from painting to actually enjoy riding bikes.
I took the 3 youngest on an overnight "stay-cation" camping trip. We rode the tandem trike with trailer and camped at Veterans Memorial Park in Monterey. All of 12 miles each way. (starting from home)
But it took us an hour & 5 minutes, getting up the mile long hill to the campground.
(we were passed by a SeaGull ....that was walking! ) :roflmao2:
On the ride home, I caught a nice sized golpher snake for the kids to play with.

And my 8 yr old learned to ride a 2-wheeler! :D
He's the first of my brood to acheive that skill! :thumb:
And thanks to wonderful OldFatGuy, he's tearing up the pavement aboard a pristine 1969 Raleigh Mountie.
20x1 1/8 wheels.

Well, this event inspired me to something that has been in need of doing for quite some time...
(10 years at least)
I put wheels together for my Clive Stuart! :love:

So now my kid & I ride our '69 English "racers". :p

AAaaand, a week after he got the hang of the Mountie, he rode with us in the Marina Labor Day Parade.
"Us" being the Monterey Bay Recumbent club entry. He couldn't quite get the hang of the BikeE, so he just rode the Mountie.

Great fun and wonderful family moments!

But those frames in the rafters costantly beckon...
And with some happy miles under my (ever expanding) belt, I'm re-inspired to create again.

The Carlsbad Masi restoration. The family heirloom Raleigh resurrection. And...oooooo, that crazy mixte.
Then the wildcards! :D
Yet another Raleigh, (the kids wanna know when we're going to Tahoe again) ;)
And working around LOTS of chrome on an Italian Stallion.

So I spend this weekend on the computer (with y'all) and get back to the shop and my gun,:rolleyes: on monday!

Thanks for the continued inspirations,
and yes,...I'll try to post pics. ;)

Spray ON!!!

Dr. D

Welcome back, good Dr. :D :thumb: