Bicycle Mechanics - Can Anyone Recommend Type of Spray Paint for Paint Job

Yeah I am thinking of painting my frame. Anyone suggest what brand or type of spray paint I should use?

When I did mine I used the best paint I could find and did like 6 coats of clear. A month later frame looks like crap. And yes I did prep it, actuall stripped it down to steel then primered. Powdercoating is the way to go.

Rustoleum.

That said, I think you might get better responses if you described the type of frame you are painting and the expected outcome. For example, are you planning on doing a single color on a steel frame?

55/Rad

looking to do a flat or matte black on an aluminum. single color

What is "powdercoating"?

Paging paint guru Patriot, come in Patriot, clean up on Thread Cazzooo...

What is "powdercoating"?
Google (http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&q=powder+coating&spell=1) is a search engine. 7 links down in the white section.

Google (http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&q=powder+coating&spell=1) is a search engine. 7 links down in the white section.
Raiyn, I love you man for writing what I think.

Can you chime in on this thread - it needs someone to encourage the original poster to do something for himself. Thanks.

http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=99254

55/Rad

Here's a thread, on CyclingForums.com, that was started by a powdercoater. Much info here . . . but . . . yeah . . . Google . . . . .

http://www.cyclingforums.com/t227531-.html

For painting steel, I use Dupli-Color's Adhesion Promoter clear primer and Clear Engine Enamel as a clearcoat. Make sure you observe the recoat window, and the temp and humidity recommendations, they mean it! I've got an exhaust pipe on my scooter painted this way that looks great after 2 years of heat, road salt, and other exposure.

There are a lot of factors to a good paint job.

If you are going the 'grunge' flat, use Rustoleum's Industrial Enamel, which is meant to go right on unprimered metal. Though for extra adhesion use one of their outdoor/automotive primers under it. Remember to shoot many thin coats instead of one thick one, and observe the recoat window! Most failed paint jobs I see are a result of people recoating too late. Enamel must be recoated after 10 minutes, but before 1 hour after the last coat (though it can vary paint-to-paint, so check the can), otherwise you'll get wrinkly finishes, or poor adhesion.

Good luck, and remember that flat black is the easiest color to touch up. ;)

If you have a few extra bucks, powdercoating is great, but if you only have 7$, rattlecans will get you a long way.

peace,
sam

what do you guys think of Krylon?
after sanding a steel frame down, should i apply a clear coat first, then the color then clear coat again?

phidauex
what kind of scooter do ya have?

Go to walmart and read the labels...

I repainted my 69 Schwinn frame, stripped it all with sandpaper, 2 layers of primer, 4 layers of paint, no clear coat... frame fine 1 year now. Just picked up a can of primer from Walmart and same brand paint. I even painted the bumper on my car with the stuff from there - 3 years now, no problem... the question is in sanding well, wash it with some solvent (I used gasoline - great stuff to clean ballbearings and oil), primer couple times, dry weather, thin coats - better thin coats with good dry in between - took me like 3 days, I'd put a coat in the morning, then when come back in the afternoon put another coat, lat at night third coat. Make sure the weather is right since we do not have the special rooms... Hope it helps, ask if you need more.

As a restorer there are only 2 brands of sprays I will use on a frame(though I like using the real urethanes instead). Plastikote and Martin-Senour.
Plastikote is available in many automotive parts stores and MS is only available through NAPA stores. If you use a clearcoated finish, be ABSOLUTELY certain the clear is compatible with the color. Each component will be listed on a chart when you get the quality brands. MS is what we swear by at the car shop, it always works and it polishes well.
Rule to live by:
Use the primer from the series of paint you will be coloring with. There may be differences in composition from brand to brand, so mixing and matching can be risky. Might work with one set, not others, why risk it.
Plastikote is the best enamel we have found. It applies easily and hardens exceptionally fast for enamel.
With either option, if you have the ability, the paints will respond very well to being baked for 2-4 hrs at 300 or so degrees in an oven or similar. It makes the surface flow more evenly and accellerates the hardening considerably.
While powdercoating can produce good results and is very durable it is not always the best option. It will not polish as well as a wet paint, and it cannot be touched up when it scratches. For an aluminum frame I would consider it, but on steel I will stick to wet paint for maintainablility.