Paint Cost and Advice

I stopped up to a local auto painter and asked what it would cost to get my tank and side panels done. He said around $700 for a basic paint!

Now I have seen his work and it is great but I was shocked!

Is this normal? If not does anyone have anywhere I should go? I live near Binghamton NY.

Also, what would I have to do to DIY this? I have a buddy with an airbrush and have been getting some thoughts of trying it myself.

Thanks
Steve

 

The easiest way to determine if you want to paint all your parts is to "Paint something else" and see how the job turns-out.

I'll give you a tip that anyone serious about blowing-on their own color needs to know.
Rule #-1 (All the paint in that can isn't going to be used on the part!)

Hang the part ... AND ... Hang a "Start / Stop" Target.

~> When you aren't blowing-on color ... you're shaking the can. <~

You START the Spraying by shooting the Start/Stop Target FIRST and bringing the started spray across the job.

You END the Spraying by shooting the Start/Stop target after bringing the spray off the job. Stopping the Spray ~> on the Target -- NEVER on the work.

NEVER shoot the job without hitting the Start Target FIRST.
Never stop spraying without hitting the Stop Target LAST.

Change to a FULL can of paint BEFORE the one you are shaking runs out!

 

I've used spray paint on every bike I've owned. I use a higher quality paint, plus lots of sanding and multiple coats with a clear coat. Prep work isn't that bad since there's usually only 4-5 parts to paint. I ended up making a little make-shift paint booth in my basement out of heavy-mill clear plastic....it keeps the dirt and dust from falling on your fresh spray, and it's ventilated with a small house fan out the window through a furnace filter rigged in there. If you take your time, a rattle can job can look good quality!

-Nick

 

The answer to your original question of "is 700 too much" is totally relevant to the result your after.

700 is about right if you take the amount of hours a professional painter will take to give you that perfect job.

What does a pro make??? $50-80 an hour???? more if he's good. Even for him, he will spend 8 hours rubbing, filling, coating, rubbing, coating etc

A good 200 for quality paint and it'seasy to see where 700 gets used up.

Now compare this to a rattle can job. Maybe a 100 worth of filler, paint and 5 grades of sandpaper. Sounds good. Of course the twenty hours of your time don't cost a cent. (Don't for a minute think you can do the same job in the same time as a pro)

Downside of a rattle can job.

The final coat.

Should be a 2 pac clear coat for resilience and fuel resistance. Can't buy 2 pac in a rattle can. Clear enamel and clear lacquer can be bought in a can but if using one or the other then the base coats must be the same type.

Lacquer will stand up to fuel spills better than enamel but it will still stain if left for a short time. Tis also harder to work with.

Horses for courses, and nothing wrong with a rattle can job, just be prepared for some hard work and possible disappointment. :wink:

I did a rattle can job once. It was spectacular. Perfection. Filled the bike up and rode for a hour. Decided to sync the carbs and lifted the tank two inches to get under it. Got distracted and left it like that for an hour. Full tank managed to leak past the filler seal and left some nice streaks in the clear coat. :cry:

But, $700 IS a lot to spend on an old bike.

 

I've been looking to paint my tanks as well. MAACO has a $125 booth min. (at least the store I called) By the time he sanded out some scratches and took care of a small ding..he quoted me $200. This was for one color - black, clear coat included. Some MAACO's have a bad rep. This store does pretty goog work. $700 is pretty steep.

Good Luck.

 

Hi Steve
I don't live too far from you. I live between Utica and Syracuse.
I've just finished paint and done it all with spray can. I turned out awesome. If you're in the area you can come and see it.
I'll post some pics this evening.

 

i don't think he needs your business, and doesn't want to be bothered

 

If you have an air compressor you can buy a small spray gun and the right paint and see how it turns out. Even if it's not perfect you have the satisfaction of doing it yourself.

That's what I did anyway.
As far as the 700 I was told 800 for mine.

 

Here's my fuel tank.

From this
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To This - Can Spray Paint
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Forgot to say thanks to my helper.
Second picture, top left corner.

 

I was planning on painting my tank and side covers, in the wintertime, and i was wondering how to go about it myself, was going to wait until the time got closer, but it seems like this is a big topic right now, though i must say i'm surpise that people are wanting to do this now! what with Summer and all coming up, but oh well reason why i'm now jumping into this,
I saw Nammy, had hung his tank up to paint it,
Did it work well when you did this? i'm just wondering as i was trying to figure out what would be the best way to go about it...

 

It was hung after it was dry.
I put the tank over a big can and on a stool so no parts of the tank was touching.

 

Summer is the best time to paint. Too cold in winter and the paint takes forever to cure.

Unless you have a heated, well ventilated place to paint then try and do it in summer. If you have a straight peice to work with it will only take one weekend.

And remember, an open flame heater in winter is a bad mix with paint fumes. Espacially in an enclosed space.

 

Set the can of spray paint in hot water to warm the paint.
Flows alot better.
When I say hot, use some common sense.
Hot spray paint cans can get you hurt.

 

oh ok... i guess i will have to wait until i move back home in a year, or do this in the fall sometime..

 

I have been trying duplicolour high heat clear coat and duplicolour regular clear coat (over duplicolour paint), and I can't seem to get a high gloss finish. I wet sand between all coats using 600 to 1500 grit paper.
I am up to 6 coats of clear so far.
I've tried light coats and thick coats but same result.
Any advice?
I've seen the results in this forum of guys using the same brand and pretty much the same method (obviously I'm doing something wrong), with awesome results...
Thanks

 

For the real Crowning Touch -- you'll have to Buff-out the Clear.

Stop-in at a REAL AutoBody Supply Store.
Tell the counterman to hook you up with bikers working there.
Explain to the guy they hook you up with; that you want to Buff-Out and blind people with your bike parts.

You'll get the hook-up.

The stuff you'll get is a 3M Product that's for Classic Car refinishing ... I don't know the P/N ... just be careful with it and don't Buff right through all the paint!

 

I used the duplicolour eng high heat stuff and buffed it with 1500. The weather was hot and the humidity was low. I think the paint job turned out great. But I no expert, just followed what the guy's on this forum told me to do.

 

Well, first off, get 3 coats or so before you even sand. And wet sand with 2000 grit, no less. I wouldnt suggest wet sanding untill the final coat, but that's just me. After the final coat, wet sand 2000, and then get polishing compound, and buff it. Use a mechanical buffer for this. Preferably an air buffer. Let the clear coat cure for a week before throwing the buffer to it. It needs the time to get everything set.

Instead of aiming for thin/thick coats go for in between. Also remember, that a picture makes paint look like glass. Up close, a properly sanded and buffed paint job still has orange peel. Just barely even noticeable.

Turtle wax has a good rubbing compound, but if you go to Car - Quest, you can find the proper buffing chemicals. There will probably be two different ones, put both together they bring up incredible shine. I beleive they are the buffing compound, and finishing compound. Also afterward, if you claybar it, you will see more shine come out.

I hope this helps! (what a first post)

 

Thanks for the advice guys, I'll let you know how it goes...

 

Hello Nammy,
Did you have that gloss finish after clear coating?
How thick did you lay on the clear coat?
I seem to get a dull sheen even after 6 coats of clear (1500 wet sand in between coats).
Any thoughts would be appreciated.
Thanks

 

After the last sanding, I did a light clear and than a heavy clear. I hand polished it with Scatch out. This stuff.

http://www.kitwax.com/html/kitProducts.htm

After that, I used turtle wax. It came out great.
I've since done my friends bike. Same way. I still need to wait 3 day before the scatch out and wax.

 

Oh, I used the Scratch Out Liquid..

 

Thanks Nammy,
I may be holding my rattle a little far away from the surface.
Its almost a "foggy" finish.

 

I noticed when my final coat was dry it wasn't very smooth to touch, that was because of the overspray. But after the scratch out, it was very nice and smoothed.

 

This is my friends tank after 1 coat of Clear. We let it dry for 7 days and 5 days ago I added 3 coats of clear. Friday we will do the scratch out thing.

Remember, this is with only 1 clear coat.
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love the color.

 

It's paint that changes color.
It goes from deep purple to green to gold.

 

Wow ...

We got some really, really good things happening by Members, in here.

That looks Great!

 

I've painted some strange stuff with that color shifting paint...

Try a beer bottle - as a gift/vase for a friend's 19th birthday, and a whipped cream making machine.

 

Bought an airbrush set today. Since it was my first time at a paint job it might as well be my first time at flames. So I'm going to try black gost flames on blue.

 

any updates on the flames nammy?