himespau 

Hi,

I have a project frame that I've been working on. It had a lot of rust and the paint was in bad shape, so I thought I'd touch it up after an oxalic acid bath. Did the bath (well another member on here did it for me), and then I primed the bare spots. When I started painting it to touch it up, I realized that I was doing so much touching up, that it didn't really make sense (and didn't look all that good). So I thought I'd just repaint the whole frame (not a particularly valuable frame and the paint is in really bad shape). Since it's not in the greatest shape, but I'm not looking for perfection, I figured I'd just paint over what's there, through 3-4 number of coats with sanding in between rather than fully stripping it bare first. To do that, I'll want to pull the headbadge off. The other logos aren't in good shape, but the headbadge is, so I thought if I pulled it, I could put it back on when I'm done painting. Is there a good way to pull it (and put it back when I'm done)?

Also, I've seen some people used some sort of paint pen to outline the lugs. These lugs are somewhat outlined now and I think it's a neat look that I'd like to replicate when I'm done painting. Is there a special paint pen you use for this?

Finally, I'm using a brush to paint on Rustoleum paint (worked well so far, though I don't know about durability - that's one reason for several coats). Will that stick ok to the manufacturer's paint, or should I prime the whole frame before starting? Or should I give up on the perceived easiness and really just strip the whole frame bare and start from scratch (would prefer not to because of space and landlady issues - also not having a lot of toxic stuff around when I have a toddler is a consideration - unless it's really easy/fast)?

due ruote 

Really easy/fast/non-toxic in no way describes stripping a frame with chemical stripper. If you don't have a garage or outdoor space, forget it. And by all means keep Junior far away from that process.

Have you looked for an inexpensive powder coater? I just had a frame/fork done for $85. It's not perfect but it's quite good - a far sight better than I could do with paints, I'm sure. If you do use Rustoleum, I'd give it a coat or two of sandable primer which will help the paint stick. Also, because that's enamel, you'll need to give it a good long time to harden before you build up the bike.

I know others have used Krylon paint pens. I wasn't able to locate one locally so I outlined my lugs with Testors gold model enamel, using a crow quill pen. Not quite as easy as a paint pen, but easier by far than a brush I think. The results imho are acceptable; the line has a bit more of a "by hand" quality than a pen.

puchfinnland

headbadges are either rivited on or glued on.

my glued on one was aluminum, after confirming the colors are anodized on, i took a heatgun and warmed the thing up so the glue loosened enough that i could carefully pry it off.

about your paint- I did my daughters bike by brush- it turned out great.

word of advise, use foam brushes and lots of smoothing strokes, if you just dabble it on it will look bad.
3-4 coats- i took the thing apart before, my girl helped and it was fun, she loves that bike.

himespau 

Hmm, I hadn't considered foam brushes, but that's not a bad idea.

I'd looked into powder coating a while back but the only one I could find around here for them to strip and powdercoat both the frame and fork was going to run me $250-300 and I just don't want to put that kind of money into it.

That paint looks nice puchfinnland. Did you have to let it cure for a while before building it up again?

puchfinnland

I used a different paint, but it was a high gloss enamel.
I dont remember how fast rustoleum drys, I did mine in the boiler room where it is a nice warm .
you may need 2 days between coats- how far down are you stripping the bike?
mine was a bare frame.

I painted it thinly and used a scuff pad between coats,
I did not have a rust problem, just an ugly color under.

if its not rustly or flaking there is no reason to take it off.

thin coats and long strokes..(sounds like a song name)
3-4 coats, you wont get it on the first shot unless its a dark color.

due ruote 

Rivets, drive screws, glue or clear silicone sealant all work for attaching the badge.

eschlwc

if the headbadge is riveted, use a long file inside the head tube.

himespau 

Yeah I figured I'd have to wait a couple of days between coats. I'd just heard people say that when they rattle canned the frame if they built it up right away it chipped really bad. It's a bare frame right now. With all the chips that are currently out of it (I ended up pretty much painting one of the tubes in it's entirety (it's a mixte). I was looking at it and reallized that if I do that for a couple of the tubes it's going to need several coats to look decent and, if that's the case, I might as well just repaint the whole thing and not have blotchy spots where the paint was a close but not perfect match were I just touched it up (in many cases to preserve what's left of the decals). If I'm going to do that, I might as well consider changing the color as it's for my wife and right now it's black, which isn't the most girly of colors. Saw I could get a quart of a high gloss candy apple red paint for $10 or so and thought I might end up with something more her style.


Ok, I'll give that a try. Didn't want to try drilling out the rivets and screw something up, but wasn't sure the best approach.

Ok, I'll probably try and get it off (maybe with a file) and then after a repaint see how I can get it back on (superglue)?

unworthy1

3M makes a very thin double-stick foam tape (it's dark gray) just for attaching automotive badges and trim. It's super strong yet you can heat with a gun and remove later on if needed...probably non-destructive to the paint and the badge. Trim it so if fits just inside the edge of the badge all 'round, and you you won't see the tape once mounted.

himespau 

Good idea, thanks. Does anyone know if paint will stick ok to the manufacturer's paint or if I should re-prime the whole frame before starting out on the repaint?

puchfinnland

this thread is long enought that you must show us the frame!!!

if it is a nice frame with lugs why not spray it yourself?
buy some spray primer and pick out a nice automotive color and clear?

I painted my kids bike, it was a welded frame, I got carried away and smoothed and polished the welds,
primed and painted, If it was a somewhat valuable frame with lugs I would have sprayed it.

noglider 

That's brilliant.

old's'cool

I removed a riveted headbadge using a dremel type tool, to grind off the head of the rivet on the outside, very carefully! And I treated myself to a stiff drink afterward, IIRC.

Haven't gotten to the reattachment stage yet, but I believe there are a few different types of pin rivets out there, just need to find something the right size. They come in two pieces, and you just insert the assembly, and tap the outer piece into place to set the rivet.

himespau 

Not a particularly nice frame, but I think it's ok for what I want to do. Sorry for the old picture that doesn't do a good job of showing the condition. I had a picture of it with all the chips covered in primer so you could see the extent of the damage, but I must have deleted it. Anyway, it's hard to tell from this picture but pretty much the whole side of the top tube from head tube to seat tube was gone in a huge scratch and much of the rear triangle is similarly gone.


Because it's a mixte with needing to cover all the inner area and not wanting to deal with spray by, I figured using a brush would give me less mess and more consistent results than rattlecanning it. Is that a wrong assumption?

vjp

do not use solvent based paints in a boiler room if there is a pilot light!!!

himespau 

To whoever suggested the long file, I did that and then pried the rivet out with an ice pick and it went brilliantly. The rivet was super soft and a little green around the sides as if it were made of copper. Whatever, it worked well, so thanks.

Have some high gloss hunter green coming to repaint the frame, so hopefully that'll look nice. Going to outline the lugs with a gold paint pen. Hope that doesn't look too much like a John Deere tractor. If so, I'll go with a cream paint pen instead. (Or, since the wife and I are Michigan State alums, a white pen to match our school colors).

Mos6502

Here's an old Rollfast frame I repainted with rustoleum. I would not completely remove the original paint as it is more than likely going to be more durable than a spray primer. I just sanded the original finish with 600 grit paper, then gave it two coats with a rattle can (a day apart) rustoleum has to cure for a day or more before you can apply another coat if you want good results.

himespau 

Ooh, that looks really nice.

mb158127

as others have said, you should prime it before giving it several light coats of the final color. and before priming it you must at least rough up the surface with a high grit sand paper if not totally strip it. The primer needs a rough surface to stick and the paint needs primer. If you try taking the shortcut it may look nice for a while but will bubble and peel in short time. I say this from no particular experience with bikes (I've never actually repainted a bike) but just from general knowledge of painting metal surfaces (cars, railings, whatever).

3speedslow

I have recently had to remove a riveted headbadge from a frame. Simple operation. Took a drill bit and twisted it on the rivet with my hand while appling steady pressure. Couple of rotations and the rivet head was off. No damage to the badge, which was great cause that's all I wanted.

Fletch521

I used a Dermel to carefully grind off the back side of the rivets on my Raleigh. When the time comes to put it back on I plan to use the original rivets with a small amount of JB weld on the back side to hold it inlace. maybe a dad of glue on the back of the badge too.

okane

Your bike has similar ffeatures to my Rabeneick. Is yours by chance the same make? Note: Photo shows bike as found...ridiculous stem replaced.