1) professional jobs are out of the option and ridiculously high priced in my opinion!

2) I want to paint my bike, my friend just got an awesome air compressor, so I was planning on getting an HVLP SPRAY gun to paint it up

I'm trying to figure out what paint I should use? I'm pretty sure you use automotive paint, but the only brand I find online is House of Kolor, which using would defeat the purpose of DIY because it's so expensive. I basically want to paint the bike a cream color and the lugs orange (I'm going to paint the lugs not by hand). What type of paints exist? and Where do you buy them? And do you use spray can primer or prime via the gun? How much do these paints cost and how much do you need to do a frame/fork?

Thanks!

The answer my friend, is Krylon in the wind. The answer is Krylon in the wind.

Acrylic enamel is fairly inexpensive and user friendly. You can get it in quarts here. You'll also need reducer and hardener.

https://www.tcpglobal.com/restoration...=RSP+AE1101-QT

A quart is enough for 2-3 bikes.

A basecoat-clearcoat job will cost more and clearcoat is not easy to spray on a bike frame.

I use a Sharpe MGF gun that I bought used for $40.

https://www.spraygunworld.com/product...%20SHP7040.htm

I'd say that you might be able to do it for $200.

It might make more sense to have it powdercoated cream and rattle can the lugs.

Ok, so you do have to explain the hardener and reducer stuff to me?

Hardener makes the paint hard. Reducer is like paint thinner.

spraying frames is an art, to get good coverage with no runs...not to mention "fish-eyes" or other problems. The first frame I sprayed looked...ok, but not great. After frame number 5, much better but still not perfect.

Powder coating is far more durable and a great idea

I am repainting my Olmo right now (and will post it when I'm done), and can share a few tips. Basically, any good quality automotive paint from a reputable company should be fine. I am using Dupont Chromabase, a bright metallic blue color which is really sparkly and beautiful. It is extremely expensive (hundreds of dollars per gallon), but they sold me half a pint, so it comes out very cheap. You need to use a special Chromabase reducer to thin it. Since it's a base, it needs a clear polyurethane gloss protective coat over it (with its own reducer and accelerator/hardener). However, since you're not using a metallic color, you can choose a type of paint that doesn't need a clear coat over it. That will simplify things quite a bit. Also, since my bike has some chrome areas that will be painted over, the guys at the store recommended I use zinc chromate primer, because regular primer does not adhere well to chrome. The zinc chromate also has its own special reducer. So I have bought 7 different paint products for a single color on the bike. But it still came out to less than $50.
It's great that you have access to an air compressor. Using your own spray gun gives you much more control than cans. Invest in a good mask, the fumes are really bad. Experiment on an old piece of tubing first, until you find the proper mix of paint, pressure, distance, etc. Hang the frame by the seatpost with a piece of clothesline, that way you can get at every area easily. Roll up some paper to mask off the bottom bracket and head tube. Apply several light coats instead of trying to cover everything at once. Lightly sand with 1000 or 1200 grit paper between coats. Painting your own bike is actually fun, saves you lots of money, gives you total control over the process, and really makes it feel like it's your own restoration project.

Yes, 50 bucks, lots of time = worth it! I've spray bomb painted to actually decent success (3 people have stopped me and told me that my bike was cool...) , but I used too much supply, inhaled too much fumes, etc... I had minimal orange peel and fish eye.


The dynamics of the hardener and reducer are unclear...

So I buy paint, reducer, and hardener

Do I then mix some pain + some reducer + some hardener in a cup and put in the gun and spray or is it more like Paint + reducer -> spray, then hardender=spray, then clear spray? I like the idea of painting myself... I have a massive dual breather to protect my lungs. Painting is fun and rewarding, doing something myself = awesome enjoyment... The clear coat is the best part!

Also, do you use spray bomb primer or do you shoot the primer with the gun?

What grits sandpaper(s) do you use and when (i'm just curious different people do different things)?

What temps are optimal for painting?

Talk to some people at an autobody shop, or the store where you buy the paint. Every paint has its own characteristics, and they can give you instructions.
I have been using a gun and compressor for everything, but I suppose you could prime and clear-coat perfectly well with a can. But I don't know if zinc chromate comes in a can. For small details and touch-ups, I use a modeling airbrush.
I sand with 1000, 1200, and 1500 grit paper. Sometimes just rub the frame down with standard bond paper.
Climate should be be cool-to-warm, calm, and dry.

Nice reference. Kudos.

When in doubt, read the instructions.

https://www.tcpglobal.com/restoration...chsheet_ae.pdf