Need some paintin tips!
 

Just bought a dope old frame, but the paint is trash. It's black and green spraypainted (the entire bike, crankset and alll.) I'm going to repaint it red, and I was wondering, what's the best stuff to use to get the previous paint off? Sandpaper? Paint stripper? And what is a solid spraypaint brand to use?

Use a paint stripper, then sand it or use a wire brush on a drill to get any rust off of the frame. for a good paint job you don't want any old paint, rust or dirt on the frame. I like Krylon paint. Rustoleum is good too.

make sure to use primer and use lots of thin coats

It's all in the prep. Spend your time there, sanding and spraying thin coats.

I like the appliance paint, for refrigerators and the like. It's got a little something in it that makes it more solid. Goes on thick, though. Use with care.

Yo man dont use any store paint like krylon use montana http://www.mtncolors.com/

So should I strip the paint as well as sand afterward? What's a decent brand for paint stripper?

Kleen Strip Aircraft Remover (stupid name, great product). Follow the directions, and try NOT to breathe in the vapors (major stink). Rinses with water. Clean off ALL the stripper (lacquer thinner works well for this, too). Then sand (180 to 220 grit) to give your metal some tooth.
I don't recommend Krylon or Rustoleum paint only because they are oil-based, and will make a wrinkly mess if you use anything BUT those products later on. So if you decided to use a clearcoat on it, a lacquer or urethane clear would wrinkle and soften the Rustoleumylon.
Don't know much about Montana paints, but I've heard good things.
Lacquer primers (DupliColor, etc) dry quickly, sand nicely, not terribly durable.
Epoxy primers (like US Chem's SprayMax cans) are wonderful, but only good for a few days once activated. Epoxy gives the best protection against corrosion on bare metal (etching primers contains slight amounts of acid that can cause problems later on)

Should I also remove the fork or is it safe to leave that on?

remove everything that can be removed, and tape off everything you dont want paint on. so, yeah, take off the fork, it'll make everything a bit easier

Alright well I've applied paint stripper three times, and there's still some of the old green/black spraypaint in some areas. It's pretty patchy throughout, should I try and remove it via sand paper?

Strip
sand
primer
sand
primer
sand
clean
sand
clean
paint
sand
paint
clear
sand
clear
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4077/...7b6bedb8_b.jpg
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4123/...2fa004c7_b.jpg
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4136/...b205aa75_b.jpg
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4142/...0479d5f3_b.jpg

New camaro green with house of kolor green flake in the clear. Did my miata engine bay the same day too
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4080/...e49529a6_b.jpg

What would be a safe grit sand paper to start off with? I still need to get rid of some existing paint. Btw that green is dope.

Update: I used 100 grit to get the rest off, followed by 400 to smooth it a bit, and I believe its ready for primer. This is going to sound stupid, but I don't exactly get what primer is/used for. I understand that it needs to go on before paint. Do I apply primer then add paint, or do I apply primer and then sand more?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Primer_(paint)

Apply primer, then sand. After that you can add more primer or add paint.

dude. come on. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Primer_(paint)
google that ish.

depends on how thorough you want to be. sand between coats of primer, and sand very well before painting. the sanding makes for a smoother, more even surface, as well as acting as an abrasive on the surface, and giving a little more surface area. (same reason you scuff up a tube before patching it) helps the paint get all up on there.

edit: just make sure to allow all coats of paint to thoroughly dry before applying new coats. helps everything set up way better.

Sorry, I was too busy listening to chillwave. I'm assuming I should use a very fine sand paper when sanding after the primer is applied? Thanks dood.

i use 320 first
then 400 forprimer
then 1000 on the paint
and higher end around 2000 or so to wetsand.

just take your time
im no pro at all, and i got mine to come out almost perfect.

So even after I do a first coat of paint, in between coats, I should sand?

if it isnt even, o you have runs, or dirt, yes

but it all depends on how you want it to turn out. you saw my finished product. its glassss

I forgot to ask something I should have asked a while ago...should I sand it down to the bare metal?

So here's the deal...I just finished the first coat of primer, and in the process, used the entire can. Now, how long should I wait before sanding it and applying another coat? I figured I should probably do another coat of primer because there's a few spots here and there where I applied too much, so it isn't perfectly smooth. I checked the can, and the instructions read "within the hour or after 24 hours", which I find slightly perplexing. Thoughts?

better to wait longer than wait not long enough, especially if coverage is inconsistent. if you're in no rush, give it a full day, sand, and reapply primer

I applied the first coat of paint today, and I plan on sanding and adding another coat tomorrow. After this should I leave it as is? Or should I add another coat of something to protect the paint?