ceelint

Spray.bike is an acetone based acrylic. I was thinking of using a 1k clearcoat for a bit more durability but was told it would basically melt the SB paint right off the frame because it acrylic resin. What clear have you guys successfully used?

unterhausen

I haven't used it, but I would use the spray.bike clear. Their paint is expensive, I think to do anything else would be an experiment in spending a lot more money than it's worth

guy153

Spraymax 2K clear is much better than the spray.bike clear. Gives you a properly glossy finish (if that's what you want-- they have a matt version) and is much more durable. I have used the spray.bike clear which kind of brings the matt finish up to a kind of satin but doesn't really add any protection.

ceelint

Seems the SM 2k is what everyone uses.. I just didn't want to rush between coats and it only lasts for 48hrs once mixed. That's why I wanna go with a 1k clear. And yea, Ive read that about the SB clear.. it's not durable at all and def not glossy. Needs to be buffed and it's still not very glossy

unterhausen

Thanks for offering actual experience. I'm a bit surprised that sending it to the UK is not super expensive. What did you think of the result? Have you ridden it long?

guy153

It was this bike. Looks nice enough in those pictures but I'd only just made it. That was spray.bike paint and clear. After a couple of winters (there are no fenders) the paint was quite chipped and so this summer I stripped it completely, sanded it down, repainted it in the same colour, and put the Spray Max stuff on. Looks great, way better than before. But haven't used it in anger in the winter mud yet.

But on another bike this summer I removed the TT in order to lower it, which necessitated replacing it. So I have the old TT, which was Montana Gold + SprayMax. I've tried experimenting to see how strong the paint is and it's pretty good-- the metal actually starts to dent a bit before the paint chips off. So I'm pretty sure it's better. I think it can take a month or so to harden up fully though.

I get the cans from Graff City. They are quite dear but I think this stuff usually is. It's the only 2K clear I've found.

Show us your builds

unterhausen

That bike looks great. One of my favorite colors.
Yeah, the spray.bike is so expensive I want to get something I can spray with a gun. It would be a bit more though.

guy153

Thanks! It looks even better with its new glossy coat. spray.bike looks quite shiny in bright sunlight where I took that picture but otherwise a bit dull. It also now has lime green bar tape and a flatter stem (that rising up one made more sense on the touring frame once I had finished that so that's where that is now).

mikeread

Useful info thankyou

I used Spray Bike and the Spray Bike Clear and it is not very durable at all.

I will give it a touch up over the winter and try the Spraymax on top instead

Doug Fattic 

I wonder if any of you can be influenced to graduate to a real spray gun using automotive paints like House of Kolor? Of course a complete professional set up will be way beyond what most could do. But some touch up spray guns with smaller nozzles don't consume as much air requiring less of a compressor. I would think that would be a big improvement over automotive paint in rattle cans like Spray.Max. There are a number of my framebuilding class students that want to paint their frames both made in class and in the future and a full set up is for now out of the question. If a frame is going to have 2 or more colors, there is a back and forth between color and clear that is problematic if using an activated clear from spray cans. Once you punch the button on the bottom of the can that adds the activator, there is a limited time before it becomes a solid.

The very best spray guns for painting frames are the Iwata (made in Japan) and Sata (made in Germany even though it has a Japanese sounding name) mid-size touch up guns with 1.2 to 1.4 mm nozzles. Of course there are all kinds of lower quality guns. I really like my 3M light plastic gun for doing primers. The nozzles are disposable and come in different size orifices. But there is a category of gravity feed spray guns designed for touch up that have small nozzles (like .5mm) that requires much less air consumption. Harbor Freight sells one for $30. While I prefer my air brush style Iwata G5 for more than 10 times that much, I could make a cheap one work if I needed to. Just for context, my primary guns are the Iwata 300 series. They require a lot more CFMs than my Iwata G5 I use for touch up (even though all these guns are in the "touch up" class).

There is a new kind of small air compressor that is being sold at big box stores that are much quieter than the old piston type. They put out enough CFM to operate small nozzle guns. They run around $200. More if its tank size is bigger.

Tandem Tom

I kinda like the way they did Ralieghs back in the day. A big tank of paint and dunked the frame!
What are your thoughts Doug!

BTinNYC

Yes.
I have the small garage compressor, so for the next frame job I'll get the small gun. I'm sure the pro paints are dear, but so is 2 cans of Duplicolor, one 2K primer and one 2K clear.

squirtdad

I have done a grand total of 2 frames one with rattle can and one with real auto paint.

I used a pre-val sprayer (bascially pour the paint in and make your own rattle can) with the auto paint

came out nice and was about 10000% more durable than the rattle can.

I don't think I will ever paint a frame again, will be patina, powder coat or off to an experienced painter

I really don't see how you can justify the time to do a frame right and user rattle can, even spray bike

ymmv