What style of painting to use?

so im in need of repainting my '80 maxim that i bought last fall. the previous owner did a terrible rattle can job!!! my question is what is the most cost effective way to get a good paint finish. just the tank and side panels.

1.)pay to have it powdercoated
2.)paint myself using air compressor and gun
3.) rattle can, then clear coat using air compressor and gun
4.) pay to have it painted
5.)water transfer through a friend

 

The best way is to pay to have it professionally done. But, you can have a great paint job with a rattle can. Follow these steps.... http://www.ehow.com/how_5600686_paint-m ... -cans.html

 

BTW...I used rustoleum 2x coverage and it is the best spray can paint I ever used!! Goes on thick, doesn't run unless you get too crazy and dries nice. I just rub it out with a wet rag when dry. After the clear coat dried, I rubbed it out and it looks almost like a pro job

 

http://www.eastwood.com/spray-max-2k-hi ... rosol.html

This is gasoline proof and very easy to use. I took the tank to bare metal, used Duplicolor black primer, then about 5 coats of top color, again duplicolor, then I finished with two coats of Spray-Max. came out great and was very much cheaper than other ways to get a gas proof, glossy finish.

hope this helps

 

It's all in the prep work.

Or at least, all things being equal. I've seen rattle can jobs that were absolutely flawless and "professional" jobs that looked like absolute shit.

Take your time, do some research, and it's hard to go wrong.

 

Cross off powder-coat for plastic side-covers.
Don't they cure that stuff at 350* ??

Make sure the tank is fuel-proof, or you are gonna be REAL unhappy in a month.

 

yeah i just thought of the side-covers being plastic a couple days ago... ill look into rattle can, and also paint i can buy myself and use out of a gun.

 

BruceB - How many cans of Spray max did you need? any pics of final results?

 

one can did two coats on the tank.

Will try and get some pics together tomorrow.

 

sorry took a day...been getting stuff ready for spring...

This is the tank, albeit dirty, but hopefully you can see the gloss. Best part is it is fuel proof. I used Duplicolor Universal Black, which has a silver metallic to it, and then 2 coats of Spray Max.

Home this helps
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Looks like you sold me on it!

 

Looks great.

 

It was remarkably easy to use. Once I had the tank painted and ready I had a closed off garage with no drafts to use the spray max material. Followed the directions on the can, applied the first coat, waited 10 minutes and applied the second coat. I also had the tank badges ready also and sprayed them off tank at the same time. After the second coat, left it sit undisturbed for 24 hours. Never buffed or polished the tank. After a week I put a light coat of Spray Turtle wax on it. It has been a year since I did it and still looks real good. I would recommend using aircraft stripper to remove the old paint and primer. Like everything else on these bikes, time hasn't been a friend to it.

Thanks Xjrider92117, the bike really looked like poo when I got it, and was red...yuck. I have a list in my gallery here of pretty much everything I have done to it.

 

I supposed you used this stuff as the clear coat?

http://www.spraymax.com/index.php?id=361&L=1

 

Yes, sorry I was not clear on that. It was applied as the final top clear coat. Due to the fact that this product can be applied over lacquers or enamels I assume that one could finish the tank with normal clear coats and then top coat with Spray-Max to achieve a gas proof glossy finish. I however chose to use the Spray-Max as the clear coat and final top coat.

 

The Spraymax 2k is a 'normal' 2 part clear in a spray can. It's like any spray-gun applied 2-part clear, as such you could apply over other clear coats, but that would be pointless. Tanks looks good, (now the perfectionist in me comes out..) but with a little more work you could have made it look phenomenal. If you had color sanded after the first two coats of clear , then added 2-3 more coats, color sanded once more and then buffed, you would have a mirror finish that would rival any paint job... stock, pro spray gun or rattle can... Good work.

 

I use SprayMax for allot of jobs in the shop. It is great for motorcycle and atv parts because it lays on flawless and there is minimal wet sanding if any at all. I have done the past couple jobs with the gun but I am going back to the spray max because clear in the gun just does not atomize like the spraymax does. I can get a very good finish with spraymax. At $25 a can it is a steal of a deal.

Make sure you wear a brand new respirator straight out the bag. You will need this becuase 2k paint has isocyanates in it and that stuff will harden your lungs. Respirator filters are only good for 24 hours from the time they are opened for chemical use.

 

SprayMax tips:

The can says the contents have to be used within 24 hours, but experience (mine and others) dictates you should use all you're going to use within 10-12 hours.
There is enough in the can to do: Front fender, tank, side covers, rear fairing (on a Seca) for the first coat, then second coat after 10 minutes, then third coat in about 8 hours. (I color sanded after 8 hours and then applied a third coat)
IMPORTANT TIP::: Plug the fuel filler hole with a rag. If you don't get this area COMPLETELY covered with the SprayMax, you will eventually fill the tank a little too full and take it home and park it. This will allow fumes to seep from the cap on a warm day, and start peeling your top coat of color. Even if you've rebuilt the cap and gaskets. Trust me.



The arrow is pointing to the one small area that the rag was touching when I sprayed the clear.

But the stuff does work and looks great.

 

What is the best type/brand spray paint and primer to use under the Spray max? Can you just use Rust-Oleum or Krylon etc?

 

I used Krylon. Duplicolor is a good paint also. I stay away from Rustoleum, just don't like the way it sprays.

That's for rattlecans. When it comes to using a gun you can never go wrong with DupliColor or DuPont, etc.

One of the reasons I like the SprayMax is that it can be used over anything. Acrylic, enamel, any brand, just doesn't matter...you can spray it over anything.