Professional paint job at home - how do I do it?

[fLaThEaD FreD]

Its the old saying you get what you pay for .

But i'd pay a painter to blow the finish coat on as most of the cost is in the preparation.
Just use the right bases to match the finish so you dont get any boilups in the finish.

[The Pastor]

just thought i'd hi jack this thread as its relevant.

Im doing my first ever "pro looking" paint job at home.

Ive shot the nose cone but had massive orange peel. So ive sanded this down with 800 grit and will try to adjust my gun as not to give orange peel.

Painting it gloss black.

[lemining]

just thought i'd hi jack this thread as its relevant.

Im doing my first ever "pro looking" paint job at home.

Ive shot the nose cone but had massive orange peel. So ive sanded this down with 800 grit and will try to adjust my gun as not to give orange peel.

Painting it gloss black.

post pics!

[The Pastor]

post pics!

why? Its not looking very good

[Owl]

If you're using a crap gun or the set up is too large you'll struggle with peel. Try using more pressure, thin the paint more or both!

[slimjim]

If you're using a crap gun or the set up is too large you'll struggle with peel. Try using more pressure, thin the paint more or both!

nope.. nope...nope...
none of this .....

[firefighter]

I want to do a professional-looking paint job on my bike but don't want to pay a professional.

I just want one colour (black), with the rest of the look done with stickers.

How hard can it be? So there's a bit of sanding, primer and top coats to apply right?

How much paint would I need, and how much does quality, long-lasting paint cost?

The bike has abs plastic fairings and a plastic tank.

dude theres not that much work to do really to remove your fairings etc and prep them yourself,then have a pro paint it for you, if you do this the paint job will cost you fuck all, and it will look better, in the end that will be cheaper as the professional already has the tools for the job, AND black is a common colour, so if all the painter has to do is paint it for you it will be cheap as cheap- especially if you get him to do it when he already has another bike lined up for that colour (which won't take long if your patient.)

[The Pastor]

nope.. Nope...nope...
none of this .....

care to explain a little bit?

[The Pastor]

if you're using a crap gun or the set up is too large you'll struggle with peel. Try using more pressure, thin the paint more or both!

i have a $140 gun, its pretty darn good. Gravity fed.

[Hoon]

But is the gun set up properly?? Search the web on guides for setting up HVLP guns.
I write all my gun settings and thinner ratios that I learned the hard way on the box. Saves a bit of arsing around next time I use it (once every few months for me).

Maybe you just aint spraying it on thick enough. I like to spray it on thick enough so that it runs together but doesn't run if you get my drift.

[Owl]

nope.. nope...nope...
none of this .....

Well with 50,000 hours auto-refinish experience up my sleeve, I say yes yes yes.

i have a $140 gun, its pretty darn good. Gravity fed.

Good guns range from $500-$1100+ but there are cheaper guns that are more than capable.
Is the gun you have an HVLP or conventional gravity feed? What size is the set-up i.e. 1.2 -1.5 - 3.0? What type of paint are you using i.e. basecoat, 2K clearcoat, lacquer?
These are relevant questions and give a better idea of what problems you could be looking at.

[The Pastor]

i dont know......

i think it might be conventional - how do u tell?

i think the nozel is 1.3mm i'll check this when i get home.

im using just standard gloss black lacquer and a clear coat lacquer

on top of a sanding primer.

[Subike]

Ive just finnished (nearly) refurbishing my XS.
I did the frame, motor, small bits myself.
Tank, sidecovers, rear fender, wheels all went to a painter.
For the cost of $300 all up, and no worries about how it would look, I'm a happy fella.
I recomend you do as much preperation work as you can yourself, but if you have minimal experiance with painting, dont.
If you are going to do your frame, get it done professionally, usually this is cheaper than buying all the things you need to do it yourself.
Its more enjoyable and less mess to get the bits done, then you do the assembly.
The biggest cost is in the labour reassembling everthing.

Here is mine three days ago.

http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/at...2&d=1222121856

All I am waiting on now is the seat!,

[Owl]

They normally have HVLP stamped on them. Nothing wrong with an HVLP, but I wouldn't recommend one to anybody starting out or working at home, as they require large volumes of air and a very different spraying technique. The 1.3 set-up should be fine for what you're doing! The best advice I can give you for using lacquer, is to use high quality (expensive) thinner. Don't get sucked into using cheap 2-way thinner! Those 2 products will show different results with gloss directly off the gun and even more so a month down the track.
Don't be afraid to thin the paint if you are getting peel and don't be afraid to use more pressure (though don't get silly). Play about with test panels using different settings and get used to it.
Most important to get things clean and dust free. This is where lacquer is great as it's nearly fool proof.

Let us know how you get on.

[Padmei]

Man theres a lot of negativity about

Painting my bike at the mo with a black spray can (cheap from repco) - not much prep, done in a hurry, & have to say I'm really pleased with result except... Did the front mudguard & looked stunning so sprayed with clear to give it the extra gloss blah blah blah but it crackled.

So I sanded it back & sprayed black again but it may have been too wet(?) & crackled slightly again so left it for a couple of days & sanded it back & sprayed it black again (not going to worry about a clear coat anymore). This time it came out ok but not as good as initially but a patch dulled (like breathing on a mirror kind of...) Any basic ideas?

I will keep going sanding & spraying as it only takes 5mins to sand & 2x 30seconds to spray, has cost me $20 & most of all I am really enjoying having a go myself (anyone remember that feeling?)