Spraying / painting panels

[Silver]

Any advice?

What to use, tips on how to do it best, what not to do etc? The panels in question would be these white track fairings.

Thanks

[AcIdBuRnZ]

Don't use cellulose (sp?) paints

If using black, make sure it's metallic and not flat black
____________________
Past: Honda NSR125R >> Kawasaki ER-5a2 >> Kawasaki ZZR-600e1 >> Suzuki GSXR-750Y >> Honda VTR 1000 Firestorm
"Chickity China the Chinese Chicken..."

[ginguar]

This might help and was stolen from the lovely GS500 forum:

I've had a request to do a Painting How to so here we go...

Preperation, preperation, preperation and a lot of patience. These are ESSENTIAL to a quality finnish. If you take your time, anyone can get a good result - even with rattle cans!!!

1. Sand back the item to be sprayed with 400grit - 600 grit wet and dry paper. Ensure you get rid of any rust, dirt or grease.
2. Fill any surface imperfections (dents, hollows, chips) and allow to 'go off'
3. Sand surface with 600grit Wet and dry.

You may look at the item at this point and think it is ready to paint. DONT! First, touch the surface all over with your fingers as your touch is more sensitive to fluctuations in the surface than your sight is.

Repeat steps 2 and 3 until you are happy that the surface is perfect.

4. Spray primer (etch primer if you are spraying bare metal) in an even coat. Hold the can/gun at 10-15cm away from the surface and keep a steady movement from left to right and back again. Ensure that the can/gun is moving when you hit the trigger and don't stop whilst pointing at the surface. Keep moving steadily. You find the best results come from LOTS of VERY LIGHT coats. If you spray too much onto the surface, it WILL sag or even run, making a lot of work for you in the long run - BE PATIENT!!!

5. When you have built up an even coat, allow the primer to dry for at least a day or even better, a day in the sun!!! When you sand it, you need a solid surface and the paint should not be soft at all.

6. Sand the surface with 800 grit wet and dry until smooth.

(Optionally here you can spray a light coat of black paint and sand after drying to show any imperfections but usually this is not needed.)

7. If the surface is still an even colour, move to step 8., if not, repeat steps 4,5 and 6.

8. Using the guidelines in stage 4, spray your basecoat/ solid colour. Ensure eveness and keeps it light but do many coats. Some people sand between coats, I suggest you leave it but ensure that the surface doesn't get any 'bits' on it - e.g. dust or fluff from the air.

9. When the surface has a nice even coat and is dry (at least a day again) then sand. If this is the topcoat (non- metallic colour) then use 1000grit or 1200 grit wet and dry - KEEP IT WET! and goto setp 11. If this is a metallic colour, use 800 grit and goto step 10.

10. Repeat steps 4 and 5 with topcoat (laquer). Then, when dry, sand with 1000grit or 1200 grit Wet and dry - KEEP IT WET!

For steps 8 (non-metallic) and 10 (laquer) ensure you have a good build up of paint. ( I usually have AT LEAST 6 coats) When you sand this layer, you need to ensure you do not go through it. Take it easy, keep the wet and dry very wet and if you feel the need, add a little fairy liquid to the water for lubrication.

11. When the sanding is complete (there are no dimples or ripples in the paint surface) and the item is totally dull, get a tube or tin of cutting paste (NOT T-CUT) - obtainable from HALFORDS and use a lint free cloth to 'buff the surface of your item. You will obtain a reasonably shiney surface with a few minor scratches.

12. Repeat step 11 but with a bit of water on the cloth and keep adding water to lubricate the rubbing motion.

If you wish, you can buy HAND GLAZE from companies like 3M but I rarely need to use these and cutting paste is good enough for most things. Again be careful that you do mot go through the surface and DO NOT USE A DRILL AND MOP it's too heavy, too fast and will ruin the finnish - this is all elbow grease guys and gals!!

13. Make a cup of tea and stand back to admire your masterpiece.