DIY Painting Procedure

[LOUD MOUSE]

KISS and easy while doing a Good Job is what I've learned in the many years/bikes parts I've worked on.
I have just completed a 1998 MUSTANG restoration/modification and the fellers did a perfect job with the similar paint system the other feller uses.
However it is a car that requires more than a Good Smooth One Color (no clear coat) finish which the older HONDA had/have.. ....................lm

Thank you Ed for sharing your painting process with us and as I move into my painting learning curve, I will take your advice seriously.
I would remind you that in this world there are many who like to strive for more perfection than Honda, you or I would ever consider. If they like to spend their time sanding and looking at the world through a microscope, then more power to them. Some of us realize there are more important things to "us" and our time. Just a thought,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,RW

[brewsky]

Ya can choose a good paint today which unlike the good old days (spray/sand/spray/sand/spray) and get a good looking bike.
ALL the PARTS I paint are one color (spray, dry. spray. dry) and assemble. ...............lm

Along with the rims, I plan on painting my 1964 CA77 myself. I have an HVLP gun, but I'm wondering about opinions regarding the paint: spray the first coat over the primer, then wet-sand and repeat, or what...? And what about clear coat?

-John

I hope Rustoleum High Gloss Enamel is in the "good" paint category, cause I'm going to try it on my newly de-rusted tank which is down to bare metal inside and out. I have some rattle cans going to waste in the garage.
I realize my painting skills are zero so I'm not expecting much, but it will have to be better than the spare red tank on my black dream. Just for the season till I can dis-assemble and have it painted correctly this winter by someone who knows what they are doing.
Or....I thought about just leaving the red tank on and painting the side covers and headlight pod red for the period 2 tone look?

[Dr. Frankenstein]

Hey, brewski, you're doing what I'm doing to my CA77...I got a couple cans of Rustoleum Aircraft Remover, some self-etching primer and primer/sealer and went at it...I have (so far) taken the finish off to bare metal, then hit it with the etching primer; my next step is to sand it with some 1000 grit, hit it with the primer/sealer, sand it, then paint it - and I'm doing it all with spray cans! :0

I can feel folks grimacing as we speak...:)

Well, actually I DO have a Harbor Freight HVLP gun I'm thinking of doing the frame with, and probably will because of it's size; but as of now, I have the tank, headlight housing, fender and swingarm primed; the forks and frame are next...and it looks dang good, too! The secret (I believe) is to prep the hell out of it - the aircraft remover is nasty stuff, but it works, and a lot faster than a blaster (which I don't have). I have also found that Gumout carb /choke cleaner does a pretty good job of liquefying the base coat, or what's left after the remover does its job, although it takes a lot of it...and I of course try not to breathe it (ANY of it!) in; make sure there's a bit of a breeze, or walk away from it to breathe...

The only thing I have left to strip is the frame, and that will take some time, I expect...but I too am probably going to use Rustoleum gloss white to paint mine with, and probably with the HVLP gun. I'm not trying to make it 'factory-fresh' or anything like that; I just have a good time working on it. And it will probably be a '10-footer', but I don't care. The bike was made 46 years ago. This is not 1964. But I DO know the white headlight casing I have painted so far looks really good! And quarts of Rustoleum are cheap..although I may not skimp on the clear-coat, if the paint comes out the way I want it to...

Spray away, and have fun!

-John

[davomoto]

John, if you have a local automotive paint retailer get some clear urethane top coat and activator, and shoot it over your rattle can job. It will protect the paint from gas, and look a hell of a lot better. A pint will do the whole bike with left overs, all for about 60 bucks

[brewsky]

Hey, brewski, you're doing what I'm doing to my CA77...I got a couple cans of Rustoleum Aircraft Remover, some self-etching primer and primer/sealer and went at it...I have (so far) taken the finish off to bare metal, then hit it with the etching primer; my next step is to sand it with some 1000 grit, hit it with the primer/sealer, sand it, then paint it - and I'm doing it all with spray cans! :0

I can feel folks grimacing as we speak...:)

Well, actually I DO have a Harbor Freight HVLP gun I'm thinking of doing the frame with, and probably will because of it's size; but as of now, I have the tank, headlight housing, fender and swingarm primed; the forks and frame are next...and it looks dang good, too! The secret (I believe) is to prep the hell out of it - the aircraft remover is nasty stuff, but it works, and a lot faster than a blaster (which I don't have). I have also found that Gumout carb /choke cleaner does a pretty good job of liquefying the base coat, or what's left after the remover does its job, although it takes a lot of it...and I of course try not to breathe it (ANY of it!) in; make sure there's a bit of a breeze, or walk away from it to breathe...

The only thing I have left to strip is the frame, and that will take some time, I expect...but I too am probably going to use Rustoleum gloss white to paint mine with, and probably with the HVLP gun. I'm not trying to make it 'factory-fresh' or anything like that; I just have a good time working on it. And it will probably be a '10-footer', but I don't care. The bike was made 46 years ago. This is not 1964. But I DO know the white headlight casing I have painted so far looks really good! And quarts of Rustoleum are cheap..although I may not skimp on the clear-coat, if the paint comes out the way I want it to...

Spray away, and have fun!

-John

Sounds like you have a lot more patience than me. If I had to sand the entire frame I would be ready for the asylum before I was finished! I think they call it ADD or something like that.
The reason my tank is down to metal is that I had it dipped at the radiator shop to de-rust the inside and it came out with no paint anywhere except a couple of small spots.
I plan on initial sanding to remove the rest of the paint and smooth out the surface, then just prime and paint.
How bout posting some pics?

[Dr. Frankenstein]

Davemoto, that's a good idea; there IS a car paint place in Charlottesville that sells 2-part paint and finishes; I used something called UPOL on a tank I did for one of my other bikes; it's essentially a 2-part automotive clear in a spray can for, like, $20...they have it in pints, qts, etc, but I just needed a spray can...a little tricky to use, but it sets up just like a car clear-finish; not too shabby...but are you sure about just a pint? I'm going to try to get at least 2, possibly 3 coats of clear on it. Can you recommend a name-brand clear/top coat? Something that doesn't yellow would be good, since I'm shooting the bike in white...

Brewski, actually, with a good application of aircraft remover and a sharp metal scraper and stiff wire brush, it takes about the same time as a blaster would (possibly shorter), as I've discovered...I plan to just scuff up the inside of the fenders/frame and hit it with primer/sealer, but I'm taking it down to bare metal on the outside..and I must say, when you do that and hit it with etcher, sand with 1000 grit and then hit it with sealer, it comes out looking pretty good! A lot of work, yes, but since I've been 'on the beach' job-wise for a while, I don't really have anything better to do; and if anybody out there is looking for a good radio producer, PM me and let me know! :)

I'll see what I can do about posting some pics; give me a while to figure out how to do it...[/img]

[davomoto]

I use Trans Star, recommended to me by a friend with an auto body shop. I use the spot and panel, uses less activator, and dries quicker. Yes, a pint goes a long way, and is quite thick. I've tried reducer to thin it, but it runs too easliy when reduced.