paint

I need some sand paper grit info. I want to paint the bike but im not sure of the grit of paper to use when dry sanding then wet sanding. any info on this would be apperciated this is going to be a first for me...Im going to buy a sprayer this week end...

 

Honestly, you should read up on your automotive paint techniques before spending any kind of money on a spray gun. Theres a lot of technique involved that can make it a lot more involved then most people think. You may be better off dropping the parts off at a body shop and have them paint it. Probably lots cheaper. Unless you're looking for the experience, then I'd start with a google search.

 

I painted my tank and fenders this past winter. And honestly it was about the same cost as haveing a bodyshop do it. However I like the experience. And would do it again.

 

thats what its all about is experince men..I want to experince every aspect of this bike...I can make your bike or you can make your bike all your own..personalize it men thats what its about to me...now about those grits of paper men..

 

Havent tried this (i will be trying it out on my headlight bucket soon... the tank and sidecovers can stay in primer until i get a "booth" worked out in my shed).
I'm a little skeptical but I've read a good few articles that say the same thing.

How to make a rattlecan paintjob look professional
... Oops, that's a dead link... Got it from another forum...
Sorry.

The gist of it was that on a bike you can really make even a spray job look good with the right prep, sanding and finishing technique...

Sorry I dont have the sandpaper grades, but if you are going to an autobody store to pick up your paint, the guys there should be knowledgeable if not experts on the subject.

 

I think the best thing for you to do is ask the people where your going to buy your paint. They should have the best info for you.;

 

Yeah, when I bought House of Kolors paint a while back, the paint shop provided a detailed HOK how to booklet for the paint. They were even nice enough to mark out the sections I would be using and highlighted the mixing info. I'm a little surprised that it doesn't cost less for a DIY than to have a shop do it. It really shouldn't take much paint. It only cost me a quarter of what a shop wanted to paint my car, but that's a car too. A google search or a trip to the paint supplier might be your best bet.

 

Every paint job is different.

There is ONE KEY factor to a GREAT Paint Job.

~~> "It's ALL in the Prep" <~~

 

IF you have to HOG off body filler, a DA Sander with 80 grit takes it down nice. On a car I go down to 40 if it's really thick, but a bike your working with small spaces so usually it's only filling a small dent. With a Hand forming Block, Sand and spray primer with about 220 to find the high and low spots. What I mean by spotting the high and low spots is you sand your surface (wet), then pour water over the surface and watch the sheeting (thinning, and change your view over the surfaces horizon and you'll spot the indifferences, (highs/lows). Rub with your hands too while wet over it, alot of the time you can feel imperfections.
Once it looks even and uniform. Spray and sand with 400, You don't want any smoother surface then 400 to apply paint to or it won't imbed and adhere to the surface as good. A good sealer is best to apply over the primer, before paint, then lightly hit again with 400, wipe down clean before applying paint.
Actual spraying is the trickiest part for a new person doing this, if you don't really know how to spray, try and read up on it. No closer then 12 inches or so, and keep it moving, don't concentrate on any area, try and apply them evenly over several coats. Make sure your coats are no more then 20 to 30 minutes apart, as well as the few clear coats towards then end.

You want each coat to spray to a barely dried, but still slightly tacky previous coat. If it's wet, it mixes and you'll have a run going. If you let it dry too much, your paint will lay in skin layers. do many coats until entire surface is well covered, and don't forget to do a few coats of clear.

Place in front of some heat lamps for about 36 hours to cure, then wet sand with 1500 until you've fogged over the entire surface evenly. Apply a quality wax, (I like Maguire's) buff in well to restore the shine. Then do again with 2000 grit.
Hopefully if your really detailed it will look great.

Rattle can's can look good, but they lack the mineral quality's to last really long against sunshine and weather, try and use professional paint and spray gun methods.
Hope this helps.

 

Buy some extra cans ... the trick is to "Waste some paint."

You start the spray ... off and away from the work ... bring the spray across the surface to be painted -- DO NOT REVERSE DIRECTION -- keep going until you are off and away from the job.

Every single time you push down the top to start the spray ... you start the spray OFF and AWAY ... bringing the already started mist on and over the work ... NEVER reversing direction ON the work ... ONLY after making a complete pass across the work.

NEVER -- aim the sprayer at the work and start the stream!!! You'll get runs.

 

yeah but you said it all rick...when you said its all in the prep..cause before you spray you got to pay...meaning we got to prep them tins with a good wet sanding and dry sand as well..as a primer to recieve that glorious spray...so lets get down to the basics.grit+elbowgrease+vision+will=finished project...man rick I have to say Ilike the detail explanations.. 8) ..oh by the way its back together and I took her for a ride tonight ..beautiful

 

I did some research on the subject and found the same information as here on the forum.
I just got done painting my fender and side covers with Duplicolor gloss black. I wet sanded everything with 400 grit to get it smooth before painting and used 1000 grit between coats (3 coats of paint) After pinstriping, I clear coated everything with Duplicolor hightemp clear and wet sanded between coats with 1000 grit. It turned out nice and shiny. It was an experiment of sorts, and now I will probably re-paint my tank. Although the tank does not need to be painted (looks perfect now) I'd like to do some custom graphics on it. I was sceptical using rattle cans to do my bike, but with the right precedure, it turned out better than I could imagine. Buffing everything after it's dry makes it even better now.
*The reason I used the hightemp clear is the fact that it is impervious to oil/ gas and doing the tank, I wanted to protect incase of spills while fueling.

 

man what a wealth of info thanx guyz.

 

PainterD makes a good point. There is so little real estate on these bikes that it doesn't take a lot of elbow grease to fix a less than perfect paint job.

Get orange peel or overspray sticking on a car and you have a big job. On these bikes it's a few minutes with the 1000 grit and then the rubbing compound.

I had thought my XJ was original paint, but faded. I hit it this past weekend with the rubbing compound. Realized from the sound that the surface was rough - probably somebody's rattle can job. Now it's as smooth as a baby's a--. Looks great too.