to spray... or not to spray....paint?

I'm new, so I don't know about your crash (glad you're here to write about it), but I'm curious if you dented the tank at all. If you did, did you fix it somehow before painting? I've lived w/ a dent in my tank since I've had it (it fell over once in the prev. owner's garage). Just wodnering if there's a way to fix it - not too drift too far off-topic (after all, if I fix the dent, I'll obviously need the painting tips herein ).

 

hi and welcome! Im not much newer than you are and it seems like there are a lot of helpful people in this forum.I hope any of us can help out.
To answer your question... if you have a dent or ding(depending on severity) the easiest way to hide it is with spot/glazing puddy which you can buy by the tube or can at your local auto store.First you clean the area your working on and make sure its clean! Then with some 300-400 grit sand paper, sand in and around dented area.It doesnt hve to be down to bare metal,but make sure its scuffed down real good. Clean area again making sure you have all the dust you made off. you will need a plastic spreader(also found at auto supply store). Put some of that glazing puddy on the spreader and apply to dented area working from one side of the dent to the other, overlapping each pass.Once youve made it across the dent let it dry for a few hours and sand smooth with 400-600 grit paper and repeat the process until the dent is filled smoothly.If your dent is deep or you have creeses you may want to use bondo first to build it up,then use the glazing puddy.Just remember not to rush and not to apply thick layers at one time.Hope this helps a bit

 

It is going to be black. The tank will stay the same. All of the plastics will be black. After I save up some money, I am going to take me wheels in to have them powder coated red, so that the tank isn't the only thing with red on it lol. I will post some before the accident pics, and then I will post some of it now, and more as I get the paint closer to finished.

My accident wasn't that bad. It was caused by a severe head shake while I was coming to a stop at a stop sign. I had never experianced a head shake before and I tensed up, which in turn caused me to lock up the front brake. You can see the trend lol... My tank was not damaged (thank goodness). And as far as the post regarding how to fix a dent or ding, that is exactly what I would have suggested.

 

What is a headshake?

 

That is what it was called in the accident report. It was my front end, shaking back and forth violently.


P.S. I uploaded some pics of the bike, before the repair work started. You can see what the paint looked like before the crash, and still looks like on the tank. The rest is now Black. I will take some pictures and uplaod them (if my wife will ever get her pictures off the dang camera lol)

 

that last picture posted looks just like my tank except my emblem is broken, just sent it to the body shop for somr custom paint and have the broken stuff taken off and filled in. the spray can tank looks awsome.. that came out great.

 

Hey guys you have to check this out this web page. What this guy does to his bike with spray paint is sick

http://kzbobber.grumpersgarage.com/

 

awesome link sommers, very inspiring.Wish I had time, for an in depth project like that! Hopefully someday.....

 

The way I read it, he scrapped spray paint for powdercoating: "The new method is powder coating the tank to provide a solid base coat."

A cool project at any rate.

 

Nice work, I never thought of powder coat as a base for spray paint though. Outside the box on that one. With the strength powder coating offers, why not just get the frame done the color you ultimately wanted in the first place??? Good job to him all the same, he worked hard to make what he wanted. Can't argue about his devotion. Good link CT.

 

i wonder if he did the real "Powder Coating" using an oven or used the spray cans thet simulate powder coating?

 

How could you simulate powder coating? The finish looks exactly the same as paint. Not too challenging I would think. Durability is another matter, no simulating that.

 

powder coating in a can. Have you ever seen it at the automotive store?

 

You pulling my leg? No, can't say that I have. Have you? I'd be very interested to see it.

 

yeah, I ive seen it at advance auto part stores, and at VIP. It is basicly a powder coat simulation that comes out of a can. Unlike real powder coating, it doesnt need to be electrostaticly, or heat induced. I'm just wondering which route he took?

 

You might ask CT where he stumbled across his link. I didn't see any link info other than the guys site but I'm sure with his talent, he has something out there as well as his pictures. Powder coat in a can, sounds fishy. You first, I'm not convinced.

 

Oh I found the link at http://www.armbell.com/forum/viewtopic. ... orum=kz400 I was all set on buying a 1982 Kawasaki 305LTD for $100 a few days ago and was reading up on it but I think the guy who’s bike that is Member name arai59 at the Kawasaki twin forum.
Hope this helps.

 

woops! Im sorry for that miss information I gave. I was getting powder coating confused with anodizing. Those cans of paint I mentioned above were to simulate the anodized look.I know, I know... BIG difference.Sorry Bout that folks

 

Ah, yes there is a very large difference between the two. I have seen the "anodized" appearance kits from Eastwood. They look good but for all the work, you may as well get it anodized to begin with. About 4 or 5 years back, Hot Rod, CarCraft and a few other of the car rags ran articles (near simultainiously) on anodizing at home. Good deal, just takes a little sulfuric acid, a 2 amp battery charger, copper wire, aluminum wire, a large bucket, food coloring, and a big pot of boiling water. I'll try to find the articles, I bought all of them and have them somewhere. Gotta try it some day soon, I'll keep you posted.

 

I finally sold the xj1100 fuel tank. It's on it's way north of the border, and I didn't have to paint it. Glad of that.