Frame painting in the DFW area? (cheapish..)
#1
Vain, But Lacking Talent
Thread Starter
Frame painting in the DFW area? (cheapish..)
So I'd kind of like to get a decent paint job on my steel frame, but I don't love it enough to drop 200 bucks at southwest frameworks. If I were going to restore some rare italian frame, they'd be at the top of my list.
So has anyone here ever hit up a local auto paint shop about giving your bike a quick run through while they're also painting car of the same color, that sort of thing?
So has anyone here ever hit up a local auto paint shop about giving your bike a quick run through while they're also painting car of the same color, that sort of thing?
#2
You gonna eat that?
I don't know if he does his own painting, but Gallus Bicycles makes frames in Fort Worth. You might ask Jeremy. It might be above the cheapish range though (although I don't know what that means to you).
#3
Vain, But Lacking Talent
Thread Starter
Southwest does an amazing job for about 200 bucks, so I'm tempted to go that route, but the bike just isn't worth that much, really. I've considered just doing a powdercoat.
#4
Borracho For Life
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Taos, NM
Posts: 128
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
This guy is in Garland and does decent work for around $60 if I remember. He did a mountain bike frame of mine. Price includes prep and stripping.
https://www.ideal-coatings.com/
Ask for Jacob.
https://www.ideal-coatings.com/
Ask for Jacob.
#5
Vain, But Lacking Talent
Thread Starter
Ha, I just requested a quote from them. If it's seriously 60 bucks, I'd probably do it next month before school started. What was the turn around time on your frame?
#6
Borracho For Life
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Taos, NM
Posts: 128
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
I only got a single color, a bluish powdercoat that changes from dark blue to light blue in sunshine. I think he charges a little more, maybe 20 more bucks if you want two colors. One on top of the other.
#7
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Conroe, TX
Posts: 1,620
Mentioned: 10 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 44 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 4 Times
in
3 Posts
I don't know if he does his own painting, but Gallus Bicycles makes frames in Fort Worth. You might ask Jeremy. It might be above the cheapish range though (although I don't know what that means to you).
#8
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Conroe, TX
Posts: 1,620
Mentioned: 10 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 44 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 4 Times
in
3 Posts
This thread has a few examples of powder done by Enduro Powdercoating in Mesquite.
https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...-Powdercoating
https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...-Powdercoating
#9
Junior Member
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Lorena, TX
Posts: 23
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
This guy is in Garland and does decent work for around $60 if I remember. He did a mountain bike frame of mine. Price includes prep and stripping.
https://www.ideal-coatings.com/
Ask for Jacob.
https://www.ideal-coatings.com/
Ask for Jacob.
Last edited by uncaboos; 12-18-10 at 04:00 PM. Reason: spelling errors
#10
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Arlington, TX
Posts: 1,414
Bikes: 2008 Surly Cross Check, 2010 Fuji Track Comp
Mentioned: 7 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 255 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
So I'd kind of like to get a decent paint job on my steel frame, but I don't love it enough to drop 200 bucks at southwest frameworks. If I were going to restore some rare italian frame, they'd be at the top of my list.
So has anyone here ever hit up a local auto paint shop about giving your bike a quick run through while they're also painting car of the same color, that sort of thing?
So has anyone here ever hit up a local auto paint shop about giving your bike a quick run through while they're also painting car of the same color, that sort of thing?
#11
Vain, But Lacking Talent
Thread Starter
Just so everybody knows, I did drop my frame off at ideal coatings with Jacob. It's very, how shall I say, independent. I mean, it's at the guys house. But hey, I dig that.
At any rate, he seems like a good guy and I asked him a little about his methods and he seemed to have a pretty good grasp of how to handle a bicycle frame. So far it hasn't been a one day turnaround time, but I am doing a slightly more difficult job, not just a one coat process like apacherider. And thanks, uncaboo for the heads up. I'll be sure to give it a good once over. I'm only 45 minutes away, but I'd like to get this thing built back up asap.
Speaking of which, do you guys remember when you got your frames done? Maybe uncaboo had his frame done earlier on in Jacob's experience with bicycles or something like that. Did you have any issues with bare spots, apacherider?
At any rate, he seems like a good guy and I asked him a little about his methods and he seemed to have a pretty good grasp of how to handle a bicycle frame. So far it hasn't been a one day turnaround time, but I am doing a slightly more difficult job, not just a one coat process like apacherider. And thanks, uncaboo for the heads up. I'll be sure to give it a good once over. I'm only 45 minutes away, but I'd like to get this thing built back up asap.
Speaking of which, do you guys remember when you got your frames done? Maybe uncaboo had his frame done earlier on in Jacob's experience with bicycles or something like that. Did you have any issues with bare spots, apacherider?
#12
Borracho For Life
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Taos, NM
Posts: 128
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Like you mentioned, his overhead is ummmm, minimal.
Here is a photo of my BB area, which I guess would be the hardest area to paint. He did a great job, I think.


I have forgotten the exact color. Ice blue something.
#13
Vain, But Lacking Talent
Thread Starter
Ice Blue Explosion. I'm still waiting on mine, but I figure it's the holidays, so whatever. Still waiting on a BB lockring tool from my local bike shop anyhow. not like I could slap it together before then.
I actually landed on that same color, but the lugs will be a lighter blue. Kind of a vintage Gerolsteiner team bike if they had existed then. Anyhow, I did ask him to do the lug work and I don't think he's really done that before, so that might also be a part of the hold up on him finishing it. That and it's now a 3 coat process with the two colors and a clear. I expect good results, though.
EDIT: Just got an update from Jacob. He had told me he was trying a new tape that should help the job. He did the fork first to make sure it would all work out alright and he's taping up the frame now. Hence the reason mine is taking longer than a one coat job.
I actually landed on that same color, but the lugs will be a lighter blue. Kind of a vintage Gerolsteiner team bike if they had existed then. Anyhow, I did ask him to do the lug work and I don't think he's really done that before, so that might also be a part of the hold up on him finishing it. That and it's now a 3 coat process with the two colors and a clear. I expect good results, though.
EDIT: Just got an update from Jacob. He had told me he was trying a new tape that should help the job. He did the fork first to make sure it would all work out alright and he's taping up the frame now. Hence the reason mine is taking longer than a one coat job.
Last edited by WalksOn2Wheels; 12-29-10 at 04:58 PM.
#14
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 629
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
i just had a really beat down frame done by jacob and its what i would call a 'good-not-great' job that will be perfectly adequate for the project and i loved the 24 hour turnaround and the $60 job....
#15
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Plano, TX
Posts: 790
Bikes: 1968 Falcon San Remo 1973 Raleigh International, 1974 Schwinn Suburban, 1987 Schwinn High Sierra, 1992 Univega Ultraleggera, 2007 Dahon Vitesse DH7G
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Jacob did my Falcon, and it's a good not great job as said above. It cost me $60 as well, and I had it done about a year or more ago.
On my bike, he had mistaped the chrome on the fork and the coating ended up uneven - not a huge deal as I used some pinstriping to hide it the error.
Nice guy, just check the detail if you are really anal - otherwise realize it's a $60 powdercoat and move on.
On my bike, he had mistaped the chrome on the fork and the coating ended up uneven - not a huge deal as I used some pinstriping to hide it the error.
Nice guy, just check the detail if you are really anal - otherwise realize it's a $60 powdercoat and move on.
#16
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Texas
Posts: 403
Bikes: '06 Litespeed Siena
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Top Koat in Kennedale is good. I'll be using them to paint a frame in a couple of weeks ($125). Jeremy at Gallus doesn't paint, but he is a good frame builder.
https://www.topkoat.net/
https://www.topkoat.net/
#17
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 629
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
i've seen the results from both jacob and topkoat, and topkoat is far superior, as reflected by the higher dollar. i had the mis-taping result as well, and also some areas of thinner application, etc.
#18
Junior Member
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Lorena, TX
Posts: 23
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
I think he charged me $60 for the frame and $15 or $20 for the fork. He did a great job of masking, but I had to point out the areas to be masked, so I had no trouble with paint where it shouldn't be. My biggest complaint was the missed area at the top tube/seat tube/chain stay junction.
The frame looks gorgeous from 10 feet away...I got what I paid for.
#19
Borracho For Life
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Taos, NM
Posts: 128
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Well, the way I figure is that I got a $150 paintjob for $60. I would never expect some kind of Mona Lisa piece of artwork. I just needed paint put on a frame. The materials alone to powdercoat something like a frame plus the labor makes a $60 price very attractive.