WalksOn2Wheels

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?

Doohickie 

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).

WalksOn2Wheels

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.

apacherider

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.

http://www.ideal-coatings.com/

Ask for Jacob.

WalksOn2Wheels

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?

apacherider

24 hours. I dropped it off about 6pm and he called 1pm the next day and said it was finished. So, I dropped by after work that day and picked it up.

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.

brockd15 

I did a 400k with Jeremy earlier this year and this came up. I can't remember who paints for him, but it's not done in-house.

brockd15 

This thread has a few examples of powder done by Enduro Powdercoating in Mesquite.

http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...-Powdercoating

uncaboos

If you do go to Ideal Coatings, make sure that you do a THOROUGH inspection before you leave to ensure that the whole frame is coated. I had a frame of mine done there in a beautiful deep, metallic blue, but after I got home and inspected real closely on the bottom side of the top tube/seat tube/seat stay junction, there was about a 3/4" gap of zero coating. Since I live a couple of hours away, just dropping by to have it touched up was out of the question, so I went to an Auto dealer and came up with a touch-up paint to cover the bare areas. Also, I found that Jacob is difficult to get a hold of and does not return calls very promptly. Nice guy though, but I won't be back...I would rather pay more money for better service, I found that I got what I paid for.

JeremyLC

Hey, I'd like to know what you find out on this. My Crosscheck isn't beat up enough to paint yet, but I've had my share of falls, and I've been rear-ended, so it is well on its way.

WalksOn2Wheels

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?

apacherider

I had mine done about a year ago. It was right around New Years. No bare spots. Beforehand, I was mostly concerned with overspray of the BB threads or waterbottle cage threads. He did a good job of covering them up.

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.

WalksOn2Wheels

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.

shrinkboy

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....

custermustache

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.

crdean1

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.

http://www.topkoat.net/

shrinkboy

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.

uncaboos

I think Jacob did my frame and fork in June 2010, and I have no idea of where he was during his learning curve. From 10 feet away, the frame and fork are gorgeous, but any closer and the non-sterile atmosphere that he operates in is obvious -lots of dust bumps under the paint. Also what is noticeable is the lack of frame prep with regards to any sanding of burrs or high spots. He completely stripped the old paint off, but neither the frame or fork were inspected and then touched up with a little #600 paper before coating. Since I live so far away, I was not able to just pop on over and look at the frame and fork after they were stripped and do any touch-up sanding.

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.

apacherider

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.