Rough guess at paint job

[WD Forte]

I'm currently tarting up the old thing and while I'll happily do anything electro mechanical, I'm an utterly useless feckin numpty when it comes to spraying/ making it look nice.
Whatever I do, however long I spend, It still looks crap
I give up.

So, how much might a simple but decent paint job on a tank and 2 side panels cost?
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bikers smell of wee

[stinkwheel]

I was £450 for the paint on my Bullet. Candy finish.
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“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[Hawkeye1250FA]

Can't honestly see where you are going wrong on the spraying tbh. It's all in the prep.

400 grit wet sand paper all over where you want to spray
Spray primer lightly over the whole area (youre after coverage - not opaque yet)
10mins -brew
Spray 2nd primer coat slightly heavier (should cover most of the area now but not be perfect)
10 mins
Spray 3rd layer of primer quite heavy without creating runs.
Wait 30 mins - 3 hours depending on temps
600 grit wet sand primer to a smooth finish
800- 1200 grit wet sand to give an Uber smooth layer
Wash and dry fully
Degrease lightly
Repeat the same spray technique for the base coat (light tack layer, followed by 2 or 3 further coats, waiting up to 20 mins between costs)
Shouldn't need any sanding after the base coat.
Wait 1 hour
Wipe lightly with a tack rag to pick up any bits that have landed on it.
Spray light coat of clear coat
Wait 15 mins
Spray heavier coat of clear coat
Wait 15 mins
Spray really heavy layer of clear coat without creating runs

Wait 3 hours - overnight

Admire

I've just done 2 panels and 4 alloy wheels on my Audi - used 4 cans of 150ml base coat and 2 cans of 400ml clear coat.
Including the cost of wet and dry sandpaper and tack rags, it's cost me about 40 - 60 quid and looks almost perfect.

For a tank and 2 bike panels it's probably half that cost.
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1993 RF400R - 2002 Bandit 1200 - 2012 1250 FA

[Easy-X]

When I had a frame to paint I did all the sanding, priming and washing till I was happy with it - took me a good few days. I went with sand, fill, prime, sand again, fill again, sand... etc. basically you're going to rinse and repeat till you're happy.

Then I took it down to my local coach works to see what paint they had left over and let them do the final colour and top coat. If you do the boring bit for them they might not charge so much.
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Husqvarna Vitpilen 401, Yamaha XSR700, Honda Rebel, Yamaha DT175, Suzuki SV650 (loan) Fazer 600, Keeway Superlight 125, 50cc turd scooter

[MCN]

Oh painting is easy.

It's all in the prep.



It is a lot more to it than simply prep.

Prep is the biggest effort that's all.

Applying the paint coat requires the skills.

Practice on a board or an old car wing before committing to the bike.

Rubbing it all off again is not part of the prep.
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Disclaimer: The comments above may be predicted text and not necessarily the opinion of MCN.

[WD Forte]

"Rubbing it all off again is not part of the prep."

Just spent ages doing just that as I made right mess of it again.

Sod it, I'll do all the leccy techy stuff and fuck the paint job
for now.
I'll cover it with spent matches like an old lags baccy tin or
glue shells, beads and shit to it.

Fuck you paint !
fuck you !
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bikers smell of wee

[Hawkeye1250FA]

Wrong.

Common misconception to be fair though.

Painting with a spray can is very easy to get a professional finish. Yes you can practice, that's a good start.

The basic simple rule is to go light in your layers and leave enough time between them.
A very light dusting for the first layer, then with each additional layer go a bit heavier, after 4 coats it will be perfect.

The only way to fuck that up is using shit paint or by spraying too much on too quickly.

If anything skill wise is required, it's being good at sanding to a decent finish and attention to detail.
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1993 RF400R - 2002 Bandit 1200 - 2012 1250 FA

[kgm]

Whilst I've had s decent finish on a couple of bits that I've done, it's a tedious job and I fucking hate it so I'd also rather just pay someone. I have a local guy who did me a tank and four small fairing panels for £250 and it looks like it was done at the factory.

[MCN]

[Hawkeye1250FA]

Well therein lies your problem. If you think sanding isn't the skillful part, you very clearly don't understand the process well enough to comment. Sorry.
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1993 RF400R - 2002 Bandit 1200 - 2012 1250 FA

[Hawkeye1250FA]

[Easy-X]

Also watch out getting to the end of a rattle can. Sometimes it starts spluttering and splattering when the paint's almost done. Don't forget to to do some test squirts - first press of the button will be shitty.

Personally you either have the patience for sanding or not... to get a perfect curve with no flats, not skipping awkward corners, not getting upset when you realise it looks shit and you need to start over.
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Husqvarna Vitpilen 401, Yamaha XSR700, Honda Rebel, Yamaha DT175, Suzuki SV650 (loan) Fazer 600, Keeway Superlight 125, 50cc turd scooter

[A100man]

I can get stuff to look 'OK' with aerosols but you'd never confuse it with a pro job.
Biggest issue with fuel tanks and aerosols is how to get it petrol-proof.
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Now: A100, GT250A, XJ598, FZ750

Then: Fizz, RS200, KL250, XJ550, Laverda Alpina, XJ600, FZS600

[Hawkeye1250FA]

[MCN]

[A100man]

[MCN]

[Bhud]

Painting: easy in theory, even easier to balls it up as an amateur. The temptation to have a go often comes over me, and it's something I just have to learn to resist. I take it one day at a time... My rational mind knows I haven't got the ability to do more than matt black rat. In your garage with a set of cans and a few grades of wet and dry, you really need to know what you're doing before you could do something to rival a factory paintjob. In my case, painting is best left alone or to the pros.

[steve the grease]

My 3 hapence worth.
Don't buy shit aerosols from Half .... some car shop. Get a proper colour matched aerosol from a proper motor factors. Yes they are about 13 quid, , but I tell you what they are proper paint with real pigment that actually covers, not the translucent runny piss in cheap aerosols.

Shake fuck out of the aerosol like you are on the vinegar strokes.

Fill a bowl with really hot , but not like boiling water and immerse the aerosol in the water , keep rolling and immersing the aerosol and then taking it out and shaking it until it feels hot all over.

Now start spraying.

keep moving! ( or it will run)

Sanding in one place and painting in another is not a bad idea either. Dust gets everywhere.....

[Hawkeye1250FA]

[MCN]

[WD Forte]

Steady on now lads...
We've all had a drink

https://10000mansteps.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/barfight-bmp.jpg
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bikers smell of wee

[MCN]