Looking for painting how-to's

[jbswear]

I plan on painting my frame and tins this summer. The frame will be simply black with clear, but I want to put panels on the tins with lace. I've seen a couple of how-to's on the subject, including the one linked below, but would like to know if you guys have any that you'd recommend. I'm all for reading pages and pages of write ups if I can find them. Good video tutorials, if you got 'em, too. Don't need any help with the set up; I'll build a booth for it. I'm looking more for technique on getting the panels to look good and advice on planning the paint scheme. It won't be anything crazy, but I'd like it to look like it came from the 70's chopper age.

http://soulfullgarage.blogspot.com/2010/10/diy-hundred-dollar-paint-job.html?zx=d3a54079bea26691

I've painted one other bike, but it was a solid color, so it was pretty straight forward and easy. Used an epoxy clear on it to make it fuel safe and durable.

Got any favorite resources you'd recommend I read up on?

[Dougtheinternetannoyance123]

Depends, There are some good build threads on many forums, Some cool ones here on CC but most dont just center on paint although the rattle can thread is interesting. (I could never invest that kind of time and effort into a rattle can job) But I have been painting for years. Both restoration stuff as well as custom and the custom stuff is the most fun.

I have some old school books from the 1970s and early 80s and its interesting to me to see the interest come back in the vintage styles of paint (See my limey tank art thread, I need to add more pix to that) But while some online stuff is cool,, make friends and network with your local commercial jobber stores. Ask for and network with factory paint reps. If you schmooze with a little charm you can ask to be included on paint demos and training.

Paint reps have to demo a certain amount of product and customers every week-Month-Quarter. Get their brands out there. I have gotten some really good tech and info that way, new techniques, learning skills, and proper use of products. If you have a problem with a product they want to know. Most of the time it just comes down to educating the customer. After a while you will start meeting and know all the local top painters and just a BS session can teach you invaluable insights and skills. If you are not a dick, and show respect MOST craftsman LIKE helping out a new guy and teaching their skills. We all had to start somewhere and good guys pay it fwd.

They key is dont be a dick, show respect, and learn to not be a PIA. Let me give you some examples,, Bribery works wonders but you gotta be careful how you go about it. My buddy runs a industrial shop. He bribes the local UPS guy often. Bottles of JD, Gift cards for local resturants, and the UPS guy hits his shop first on his route. Jim can overhaul the gear and the UPS driver hits him again at the end of the day and Jim is basically offering 1 day turn around for his service. The reward is he gots a ton of business so a few bribes go a long way.
When I had my shop I often showed up with 6 packs for the crews at my vendors or I had a farm and raised beef and chickens and pork. I would grease peoples palms with special sausage and pepperoni, packages of steaks and burgers or a nice roast for a family guy. As a result I could show up at my local paint shop needing a custom color match or supplies to crank out some paint jobs over the weekend. I could be there on a Friday 1/2 hr to closing. Normal turn around can be a week to 2 weeks. The staff would grab me as I came in the door,, What do you need? take me in the back and mix what i needed on the spot, even stay after closing. I never had to wait. I even had reps who would deliver to my shop and I made sure they left with some nice stuff to take home. As a result they would also comp me product. "here.. try a gallon of this". Another paint shop owner had a family and I traded sides of Beef and Pork for product and had a tab. She couldnt afford a lot but every 2 weeks I could come in and pick up most of basic supplies and she took it off my tab.

[Tattooo]

Depends, There are some good build threads on many forums, Some cool ones here on CC but most dont just center on paint although the rattle can thread is interesting. (I could never invest that kind of time and effort into a rattle can job) But I have been painting for years. Both restoration stuff as well as custom and the custom stuff is the most fun.

I have some old school books from the 1970s and early 80s and its interesting to me to see the interest come back in the vintage styles of paint (See my limey tank art thread, I need to add more pix to that) But while some online stuff is cool,, make friends and network with your local commercial jobber stores. Ask for and network with factory paint reps. If you schmooze with a little charm you can ask to be included on paint demos and training.

Paint reps have to demo a certain amount of product and customers every week-Month-Quarter. Get their brands out there. I have gotten some really good tech and info that way, new techniques, learning skills, and proper use of products. If you have a problem with a product they want to know. Most of the time it just comes down to educating the customer. After a while you will start meeting and know all the local top painters and just a BS session can teach you invaluable insights and skills. If you are not a dick, and show respect MOST craftsman LIKE helping out a new guy and teaching their skills. We all had to start somewhere and good guys pay it fwd.

They key is dont be a dick, show respect, and learn to not be a PIA. Let me give you some examples,, Bribery works wonders but you gotta be careful how you go about it. My buddy runs a industrial shop. He bribes the local UPS guy often. Bottles of JD, Gift cards for local resturants, and the UPS guy hits his shop first on his route. Jim can overhaul the gear and the UPS driver hits him again at the end of the day and Jim is basically offering 1 day turn around for his service. The reward is he gots a ton of business so a few bribes go a long way.
When I had my shop I often showed up with 6 packs for the crews at my vendors or I had a farm and raised beef and chickens and pork. I would grease peoples palms with special sausage and pepperoni, packages of steaks and burgers or a nice roast for a family guy. As a result I could show up at my local paint shop needing a custom color match or supplies to crank out some paint jobs over the weekend. I could be there on a Friday 1/2 hr to closing. Normal turn around can be a week to 2 weeks. The staff would grab me as I came in the door,, What do you need? take me in the back and mix what i needed on the spot, even stay after closing. I never had to wait. I even had reps who would deliver to my shop and I made sure they left with some nice stuff to take home. As a result they would also comp me product. "here.. try a gallon of this". Another paint shop owner had a family and I traded sides of Beef and Pork for product and had a tab. She couldnt afford a lot but every 2 weeks I could come in and pick up most of basic supplies and she took it off my tab.

Now that answered his question to a tee..........

[Dougtheinternetannoyance123]

My advice on frames is that they are kinda bitch to paint,, all the tubes its hard to not to get overspray and to get a good gloss on everything is actually pretty challenging. It takes practice and learn how to mix the chemicals to get good flow but not get a run. I personallly PREFER to paint my frames as I can ALWAYS repair them. Powdercoat? Not so much. Very difficult to spot repair powdercoat. A good quality paint job can be ALWAYS repaired and usually without taking the whole bike back apart.
Ill be doing some custom jobs shortly, and Ill throw up a tech thread dedicated to JUST paint. I got some frames, and tins to shoot.
My advice on frames is basically get good & Clean, sandblast and good clean with solvents. Then a good etch primer such as Diamont DE15 or Valspar VP50. This will protect against corrosion. Unless a chopper show bike I dont hand sand them with primer/filler, Just a good piss coat etch coat followed by a single stage catalyzed enamel or Poly Black. Code 99. I cocktail in some reducer and some clear coats INTO the black paint for the last 2-3 coats. Not a seperate clear coat, but mixed IN with the paint mix. Then follow with the 50/50 clear and Single stage black to get my gloss. Takes practice as I said to get a nice gloss and uniform finish. If you want a color other than
Black-Code 99 its the same process. Keep in mind when spraying black, the booth gets DARK!! Cant have enough lighting. Its common to get a part out in daylight and see you didnt get enough color on it and you can see thru the color to primer. Hence,, NEVER ENOUGH Light.

I use a variety of paints and products depending on the paint job. I Used to do a lot of restorations and show vehicles as well as aircraft and commercial vehicles. But everybody has their favorite products but the paint biz changes every 6 months so what you used to know has changed. Always learning, always trying out new products and techniques. Been painting since the late 70s because I couldnt afford to pay someone else and I have a lot of weird ideas and experiments I try out.

Back in the day doing driveway and garage paint jobs, I used a lot of DuPont. (Still get a warm fuzzy when I smell some old school Centari in the air) But I prefer BASF & RM Products,Glasurit has been the cadillac brand I really like and prefer when I can afford it,, Use a lot of VALSPAR as well, The BEST stuff out there,,, THE BEST though is Spies Hecker. That is the shit! When only the best will do, Spies Hecker is the finest paint products out there.

This is some products I REALLY like as well,,, See: http://www.houseofkolor.com/homepage/ See if you can sign up for Jon Kosmoskis clinics and classes. I have taken a few classes with the master himself. Gods gift to the body and paint world. He has videos and books out as well. Im getting all fired up and gonna squirt soon,,, All sparkles & rainbows,, My favorite shades here have sold a LOT of bikes for me over the years. Some of it I call "Re-Sale Red" but the Kandy Burple is damn good, Kandy Kobalt Blue with Alaskan white rally stripes with gold pinstripes is what I will be painting my 68 Chevelle and my Kit car with. (Kit car is modelled after a Cobra Daytona Coupe)

[53rigid]

Although I have no where near the experience he ^^^^ has, but I have painted a few bikes out of my garage. I was lucky enough to have a neighbor who was a retired old school body man. He taught me the basics and the rest was practice, practice practice. Get your gun bought, again I was lucky enough to be sitting next to the sole distributer of SATA products from Germany at a trade show and he gave me a smoking deal on a gun. Buy some paint- ask for some oops paint at your local supply place to start. Then get to spraying on old flat pieces of sheet metal or even a gas tank. You will find out real quick there is a huge difference between flat and curved surfaces. Fuck around with the settings, amount of product, air pressure etc... mist coats, light wet coats and heavy coats. Get too close and see what happens. Don't let your first real job be your practice time. Then practice taping off your panel and spray some designs or lace. just play around and get yourself used to dealing with this stuff. Read the tech sheets that come with your paint and for God's sake get a nice mask to block that wicked shit from your lungs.

[jbswear]

Write ups and tutorials explaining the process; that's what I'm looking for, particularly for the process of painting panels and multiple color layers.

I've painted a bike; I know the challenges of nooks and crannies.

Anybody got any they like?

[image1]

Used an epoxy clear on it to make it fuel safe and durable.

bad idea. epoxies are not UV stable, and will chalk/fade with time.

as far as the panels go, use good quality tapes. A good trick to ensure crisp, bleed-free lines is to spray a coat of intercoat clear after the panel has been taped out, but before color is sprayed. This 'seals' the tape line. For the lace portion, pull it as tight as possible, and tape into place, you don't want the lace to move when you hit it with air, or it will look fuzzy and 'out of focus'.