Since the search doesn't work I'll try anyway. Any tips on spray can painting a frame? I'm not looking to win any awards here just a gray frame and black fork would be fine. I have everything off the frame but the cranks so far (need to get a tool). Any and all tips appreciated including what kind of paint ppeople have had luck with. Thanks!!!

several light coats rather than one thick coat. start the spray off the bike, then sweep the spray across the frame, ending off of it again (so it doesn't build up thicker in one area).

don't use krylon, the stuff sucks. use any of the rustoleum brands (rusto, painters touch, american accents). all the AA colors are matt, and they have a couple cool, different kinds of grey (london fog is bad ass).

clear coat the same way if you want it shiny and protected.

wait atleast 24 hours before putting it back together if you can. the paint dries fast, but takes longer to really 'set'. it'll chip easy otherwise.

i just typed out a really good reply and then i lost it.

hang it in a tree (take the fork off) with coat hangers. put one through the brake hole in the fork, and one through the seat stays / top tube. tape off what you wanna, make sure you cover holes and keep threading clean. go over the frame from a nice distance, you don't want the paint to drip. try to nail it with as few coats as you can, but make sure the paint doesn't drip.
i used a matte finish on mine and it's decent. rusto makes really good stuff for doing bikes, and there's some stuff now with a pinstriping pen.
let it dry and you'll be good.

Rusto products rock. If you've sanded any, or all, of it down to the metal -- use an etching primer to start. It bonds to the metal better. Post a pic when you're done and good luck.

Don't forget to mask your headset too, if you didn't take it out. Some kid was "documenting" his rattlecan job on here, didn't take it out, and everybody made fun of him for 4 pages. He never finished posting the pics.

Yes! Thats cuz he tried to convince everyone he DIDN'T accidentally paint his HS.

Nothing wrong with painting it yourself, but after the cost of materials (paint stripper, emory cloth, degreaser/solvent, respirator/dust mask at least, primer, paint, clear and not to mention labor) I find it is more cost effective to find a $50 powdercoat job instead. You'll be much happier and will spend about the same.

For your fork bearing surface, assuming you paint it seperately, it's easier to use a light coat of grease than spend the time taping it. Make sure to wipe it after it's dry, but I've left it out for a couple weeks and it still came off with my fingernails. Also, use good paint, the $1 rattle cans from wally's world aren't very durable.

Duplicolor paints for the win.

Here's a recounting of my experience:

https://www.sultanik.com/blog/MotivTriadPainting

Here are some links to other threads that I found when I was researching this topic (back when the search function still worked). I never actually ended up painting a bike, but I kept the links around.

https://www.bikeforums.net/bicycle-mechanics/66606-frame-painting-diyers.html
https://www.bikeforums.net/bicycle-mechanics/144045-painting-your-bike.html
https://www.bikeforums.net/bicycle-mechanics/53788-frame-painting.html

Good luck.

i might actually end up helping a friend of mine rattlecan his bike this weekend or next.

+1

https://www.flickr.com/photos/baldylo...7594217415202/

Engine Enamel oh yeah!

Where can you find a $50 powdercoat? I usually see prices around $150 for a bike.

You might check into having the frame soda blasted, shouldn't cost much and the media is light enough it should leave a smooth surface to apply the paint. You might also consider the Duplicolor paints for automotive touch up (rattle cans), lots of colors to choose from and they are durable, definately use a good (and compatable) primer too.

Oh yeah - and make sure you leave it sit for a few days before you reassemble anything. Giving your paint job time to cure properly will help keep you from accidentally messing things up putting it all back together when the paint's still too soft.

ok gray primer gray or gray glossy

just use duplicolor auto primer you get it at the local auto parts store same price as spray paint but works better for what your trying to do

and the other guys pretty much sum up technique

duplicolor has all kindsa products you should look at em they have a chameleon paint a glow in the dark clear coat and a professonal grade auto clear coat that you can put over you gray paint

hope this helps

I would just do a couple few light coats of auto primer gray it is flat but it is cheap and toght if you want it glossy just do clear coat over that and if you want it really fancy get rubbing compound and a good non abrasive rag and buff that puppy till it looks like a gem

you can also get buffer wheels for you dril that work just as good

then it will look like a pro did it

estimated job time buffing and all 5 - 10hrs depends how sparkly you want

I wouldn't sand the old paint off by the way if it is butted tubing the tubing is really thin I would use a chemical stripper like orange kwik or something available at hardware stores works great

A friend spray-painted his and once it had dried a bit, he placed it on the grass in his backyard and covered it in a black cloth and left it in the sun for a few days to really bake the paint. Worked out nicely and it hasn't chipped at all.

i've done this enough to know how to make rattlecanning look it's best:


buy:
duplicolor prep cloth
tack cloth
duplicolor sandable primer
duplicolor automotive laquer (engine enamel looks worse)
duplicolor clear coat
800 grit sandpaper
1000 grit sandpaper
tack cloth
clearcoat specific polish
car wax, or silicone polish

why duplicolor? it's more durable, and the cans have a wider spray than krylon, far easier to get an even finish

have a rag handy.

1) wash bike, thoroughly rinse and let dry
2) wipe every surface with prep cloth
3) before prep cloth solvent dries, wipe with a clean rag
4) sand lightly with 800 grit sandpaper
5) wipe with clean rag
6) wipe *lightly* with tack cloth
7) 2 light coats of primer, let it sit for a couple of minutes between each coat
8) 2 light coats of laquer, let it sit for a couple of minutes between each coat
9) 3 coats of clearcoat, let it sit for a couple of minutes between each coat
10) allow paint to cure
11) *lightly* apply clearcoat polish - this is a superfine abrasive,
12) wax using your choice of automotive wax, or silicone polish (i like pedro's bike lust)

make sure to paint slowly and evenly, using an overlapping back and forth motion. the quick primer/paint/clearcoat makes for an undoubtedly glossier and more durable finish, compared to applying wet paint to dry paint every couple of hours with krylon.

good luck!

fifty bucks for a powder coat are you mad I have a cousin who owns a powdercoat shop and he wont even gimme that deal wait okay maybe he will but for everyone else it is upwards of 150

Beh, way too much work. I'd rather just pay the $75 and have it professionally done. No headaches.