Tbone5

Seeking some sage advice.

I'm rehabbing a circa 1974 Motobecane Grand Jubilee. Paint is shot so I'm going to strip it and refinish. Thinking of powder coating but then there are the contrasting seat tube highlights and head tube. Conventional wisdom says says paint won't stick to the powder coat.

On a lark I did some research at some auto body restoring sites. The majority of folk there report good results with putting paint over powder coating (provided one roughed up the surface with sandpaper).

Anyone out there with experience or insights on this with regard to a bike frame?

jiangshi

Pretty sure you can do two tone with powder coat. Good powdercoaters can make it look like wet paint.

nlerner

I had a powder coater do a head tube in a different color than the rest. Turned out pretty good.

SquidPuppet

Good powder coaters can do just about anything.

Notice the mirror image of the photographer in #3

Wolf Dust

I've done it. Paint adheres awesomely to powdercoat as long as you properly sand the area to be painted and after sanding wipe the area with an automotive degreaser or 90% rubbing alcohol. (Automotive degreaser as in, meant for automotive paint prepping)

SquidPuppet

Building a bike from the 1800s? Need wooden wheels? Pick a grain, any grain...

Wolf Dust

^^^^ forth one in from right, that's the one I'm getting my bike powder coated with.

tricky 

@SquidPuppet Thanks for posting that Seahawk moto tank. For everyone else's reference, it's from Forever Powder Coating in Olympia I followed the website to their facebook page and they do some amazing work. I liked their page just in case I ever decide to do a really nice powder finish on something. https://www.facebook.com/ForeverPwdrCoating

Edit, dang, looks like FB images won't display here. Here's a modern Spesh road bike in pink and white. https://www.facebook.com/ForeverPwdr...type=1&theater

Jeff Wills

What, this?

irwin7638

I used Testor paints on a couple to detail the headtube and lugwork. It works fine and is made to be used with plastics, but most automotive sprays are made to adhere to plastics also.



Marc

dck

I've done it with good results. Here's my Motobecane Le Champion I refinished. I had the frame powdercoated with gloss black, then used Testers Model Masters spray Lacquer to do the red highlights. I used a gold paint pen for the highlights.

Wolf Dust

As I understand, being told by a pro painter, the main difference between spray can paint and automotive paint is its ability to resist chemicals. Automotive grade paints have a high resistance to strong chemicals as compared to spray can paints. Some spray can paints are very good, such as Duplicolor brand, but if you're not careful you can damage the finish even with things like rubbing alcohol.

mtbikerinpa

The majority of spray can paints, being un-catalyzed or un 'hardened' will be succeptible to chemical damage in a very wide window of time unless baked. I have had duplicolor be gasoline/oil resistant but it takes months of sunlight unless oven cured. Even commercial spray gun paint with catalyst can go over powdercoat if sprayed in light enough mists to minimize solvent buildup.

Tbone5

This is exactly where I want to take my rebuild! Looks super. Question for you. I'm not seeing decals nor the pinstriping. Are you planning on doing that? If so will they stick and can one clear coat over it?

Senior Ryder 00 

Beautiful!

Ayers

Two tone powdercoat is the most durable and slick option. They will lay the two colors then can shoot a clear topcoat over them to smooth the seams and bury it all underneath a glossy layer.

Tbone5

Can you place decals before the clear coat...or perhaps a better question...will the decals survive the temperature during application of the clear coat?

Ayers

As long as the decals are sturdy, no problem.

I did a fixie bike for a guy a while back like that. I powdercoated the fork black, applied decals, then powdercoated clear over the top. The decals are buried for life now. We cut the decals out of good quality vinyl with a sign cutter.

ramzilla

Here's a place in N GA that specializes in powder coating bicycles. They do it for $100.

PagePricing

SquidPuppet

I just stumbled across this. It's a powder coating forum with dozens of bicycle shots. And some of them are spectacular.






















SNB13403.jpg Photo by spectrumforum | Photobucket

SquidPuppet

Velocivixen

I was at Velo Cult bike shop today for Portland's C & V ride, and the shop owner showed me a frame that had been powder coated then had a liquid paint clear coat over top. Looked great so it can be done.

Tende

Was that powdercoater in Portland? And who was she/he?

Jeff Wills

Don't know if it was the one Sky was talking about, but Brooker Enterprises did my Lightning recumbent a while back. It came out pretty good: All My Bikes

dck

I restored this bike about 8 or 9 years ago. I use it now as my commuter/town bike. I put on vinyl decals except for the Reynolds 531 decals which are waterslide. No problem with decals sticking.