Rattle can paint jobs!

[xwhatsit]

Honda Cub on the way looks like arse. Wouldn't mind painting it like the completely badass original (attached).

I saw this article: http://diybum.com/paintlikeapro.htm . Wouldn't mind having a crack at it, as there's no way in hell I can afford a proper paint job. Sounds like a lot of work, but once exams are over, I've got more time than money anyway.

Anybody manage to get a good result with a spray can? Tell me how you did it.

[avgas]

Anybody manage to get a good result with a spray can? Tell me how you did it.

Yep - bike is currently "Klown", previously was "Steved" and before that mine.
If you look back through my attachments should be some of me old blue zxr.
It takes a lot of work and you have to be patient, but finish is ok for the money. I'm about to go though the whole process again with the current bike.
What would you like to know? or do you want the whole thing?

[xwhatsit]

That turned out very nicely! I'd be very happy if I got a finish like that. It's going to be a commuter after all.

How'd you do it? Lots of light coats? Excessive wet sanding? Clear-coat?

How many cans did you use and how much did they cost?

[skelstar]

Got an ok finish on my Aprilia with spray cans... I started a thread about it somewhere. Didn't try too hard with the prep and some of it was matte black (and satin black).

[FilthyLuka]

You need a way to stop petrol eating the paintwork too

[xwhatsit]

You need a way to stop petrol eating the paintwork too

Why? Never had a problem with pouring fuel on the paintwork yet, and this thing has the tank under your arse, so it should be even easier.

Isn't that what the clear coat is for?

Got an ok finish on my Aprilia with spray cans... I started a thread about it somewhere. Didn't try too hard with the prep and some of it was matte black (and satin black).

Found the thread, shit, that looked alright from the piss-arse effort you put in I suppose you had a nice smooth surface to begin with.

[skelstar]

Found the thread, shit, that looked alright from the piss-arse effort you put in I suppose you had a nice smooth surface to begin with.

Yeah, nice smooth finish. To be honest it eventually cracked a little, and the gloss black looked more like a satin black... but I was mainly interested in the matte black anyway. Looks good on Italian bikes eh.

[Crisis management]

You can get a very good result from cans but like all painting the top coat reflects the surface below.
Get quality paint ie; the stuff from Colorworks? (Gt sth rd, penrose, by the SE motorway link to pakuranga) @ $30 a can.
You need a good clean workspace as well and in the current climate watch out for the paint "blooming" in the cold, you will need to heat the workspace.
Don't expect it to last as well as a professional job as the paint is never as hard as lacquer but done properly it's good for 5 years.
Budget $200 for materials and about 40 hours to do it properly.

See, piece of piss really. I expect to be able to see the sanding dust rising over Mangere mountain shortly then....rushes outside to look

[avgas]

1) How'd you do it? 2) Lots of light coats? 3) Excessive wet sanding? 4) Clear-coat? 5)How many cans did you use and how much did they cost?

1) Took about 2 weeks doing about 2-4 hours each evening, YOU NEED A GARAGE TOO - IMPOSSIBLE TO DO OUTSIDE (i threw 8 hours work trying that)
2) 4 light undercoats/primers, 2-3 light top coats (depending on thickness)
3) Yes, dry sand then wet sand on each primer, presand with 300 grit, then with 400, prime1, dry 600, wet 600, prime2, dry/wet 800, prime3, dry/wet 1000, prime4 dry/wet 1200, top1, rubbing compound, top2. Sanding took the most time.
4) 2 top coats or 1 big thick one
5) whole bike was less than 20 cans, Dulux Spraykote enamel range $10-15 (i had M10 staff discount so i did whole thing for less than $200). I used 1 can of acrylic sanding primer for a thing precoat after the presand too.
However i got slack towards the end and that why the tail got weak.

[vifferman]

After my Piss-poor effort a few years ago on the XBR500RS Mutant (looked great when I'd finished, but paint crackled over time), I'd say lotsa Ps is required:
Planning - Plan it well: where you're gunna do it, when, how, materials needed, etc.
Preparation - Like the previous P, except this refers to before you actually start spraying stuff around. Lotsa elbow grease cleaning (of paint victim plus environment), lotsa sanding, setting up paint 'booth' etc.
Paint - Buy good quality paint, and make sure primer and top coats are compatible.
Patience - take it slow. Stick too much paint on too fast, and it leads to a crap finish.
Polish - just because it starts with a P and is a good thing to finish with, allowing you to lovingly caress your beautiful paintjob.
Photos - take lots as you go, so we can variously laugh at you, encourage you, mock you, praise you, whatever.
Piss - unless you're doing a half-arse job (or maybe even if you are), lotsa beers are required. Maybe in keeping with my P theme, you should choose appropriate beers like pilseners, pale ales, porters, etc.

[imdying]

Yes, you definitely can. I've become quite adept at it, as I use rattle cans to prepare parts for taking moulds off of, which has given me plenty of practise (they need a 1500+ grit finish).

Vifferman has it covered

Do not neglect to buy a decent can of paint, I prefer Duplicolor from Repco, or even better is the cans that a paint store like Spray Store mixes up. They're hideously expensive, but very good quality imho.

/edit: It's worth noting that the prep required (time and number of products) is the same as any paint job, so might be worth doing all that time consuming (read expensive) stuff yourself, and having the local panel beater blow the final coats on. If you're going to go down that route, you need to decide that at the start, as that'll change the products you use along the way (sealers and primers specifically).