Types of Paint for Motorcycle Helmets

[ShizSammich]

I've been researching different types of helmet paint and it's giving me a headache.

Putting aside all that nonsense about whether it damages your helmet (because I'm not retarded and I've already found out what's dangerous and what's not), I wonder if you could give me any advice on which paints are compatible with each other.

As far as I can tell, I have a couple choices for which type of paint to use. Polyurethane or urethane, acrylic... or...

Well, that's where it gets confusing. Apparently, House of Kolor paints are water based but also urethane? What's the difference between acrylic lacquer and acrylic enamel?

To be honest, I'd be happy to just find any paint that does the job for now so I can see how it feels, the end quality of the paint isn't that serious an issue yet although I'd like it to be as durable as possible (which is why I was considering urethane before I found out that apparently.. it's not a type of paint and you can get acrylic urethane. Whatever that is.)

Could I use a urethane based primer and then acrylic paints... and then a urethane clear coat? Who knows. What I'd like is to be able to go to Halfords and just select a primer, a compatible type of paint for a single colour and a clear coat to make it shiny and protect and have the helmet not bubble and melt and end up a pool of gloop, or whatever happens if you mess up.

Alright, hope you're still following!

Also, I worry that the paint will be too thick for the airbrush and I'll have to thin it. Can you thin primer and clear coats? What do you thin urethane clear coat with? Or acrylic paint with?

Ha. Okay, so let me know if you really know anything useful about this. I've been trawling Google my whole sorry Saturday but I'm simply too stupid to understand clearly.

Please don't suggest a well known paint brand from the internet, like House of Kolor or whatever. I know there are brands out there that do complete kits but I'd like to understand what I'm doing instead of just buying from one place all the time and never being able to change because I just wouldn't know what to get.

Also please don't suggest I get my helmet sprayed by a professional. I'm quite aware that the service exists, if I wanted that, I would have done it. Everyone starts somewhere, even they didn't start out understanding it all!

Thanks for your help! ^_^

[Teflon-Mike]

Last one I did, I used Tamiya model acrylics & thinners.
That was err... nearly twenty years ago.
I don't do air brush work, I'm not that good an artist...
Elsewise automotive paints from Halfords, my local motor-factors, or the very good automotive paint shop down the road.
Only time I have had crinkle reactions, has been when I haven't nibbed back all the way to 'base' whether metal or plastic, or Snowie has decided to put another coat on top of something and decided to spray over hamerite or something!
____________________
My Webby'Tef's-tQ, loads of stuff about my bikes, my Land-Rovers, and the stuff I do with them!
Current Bikes:'Honda VF1000F' ;'CB750F2N' ;'CB125TD ( 6 3 of em!)'; 'Montesa Cota 248'. Learner FAQ's:= 'U want to Ride a Motorbike! Where Do U start?'

[Rogerborg]