Paint/Powder Coat

[Aikman666]

As you folks that have a look in the 'Show and tell' and the Scottish section will already know, im rebuilding a CBR400. Anyhow, thats besides the point ive got 2 questions i need to ask:

1. I want to use 2 pack paint, i have a good compresser and air brush, however ive heard this stuff is REALLY bad for your health. I want to know if i could rent breathing equipment etc. or if i would just be better off just supplying the panels and the paint to a place that does it and have them do it for me (its a simple one colour paint job, vinyls to be added later). And does anyone know how much it would cost to have it done externally?

2. I would like the subframe done in Gold. I checked the powdercoaters and i was quoted approximately £80 for it, i was also told that golds and silvers were best avoided because they chip and scrape easily. I also checked anodising but it turns out you can only anodise alloy, and i dont think the subframe is alloy. Does anyone know any alternative? Can i get powdercoat any cheaper? Or has anyone got anything to say to that?

Cheers guys, Karma for everyone who gives good advice
- Aikman
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My Design Blog

[Cillit-BANG]

2-Pack is also harmfull to surrounding neighbours, animals, countryside. Leave it to the professionals. You would normally require a fresh air-fed respirator, an average joe compressor hasn't the power to run spray gun and air feed at the same time.

£80 to powder coat the frame is about right. Powdercoat needs quite a bit of pre-treatment before application, it isn't the same as just spraying, chances are it will be shot-blasted first.

Seriously, I would reconsider gold, if only for the reason it will look chuffing horrible.

[Aikman666]

Right so i should probably leave the spraying to the proffesionals. Any idea on the sort of price im looking at for a job like this? And since the bike is going to be mainly black i think the gold subframe will offset it nicely (i have qualifications in graphic comm. including colour theory ). Besides i did consider buying a CBR250RR that had the subframe done in gold and it looked pretty nice, besides there not alot of it you can acctually see.
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Will work for petrol
My Design Blog

[Cillit-BANG]

Depends on where you go. Dream Machine for example who specialise in bike jobs, you'll be looking at £400+, around £700 gets you a race-rep IIRC.

A local body repair shop will quite easily manage a single colour spray and shouldn't cost much more than £150 if you get it all prepped for them. It may also be worth asking them about spraying up the main frame. 2-pack metalic is a very tough paint, and you get a better deal if you take it all to one place.

My local place just charges me by the hour plus the paint, and I would expect a full fairing job to be about £80, but then I put a lot of vehicle servicing work their way. It's also not a very sophisticated and is thus an inexpesive type workshop.

FFIW, I also have a BA Hons degree in design

[Aikman666]

The frame is polished, the swingarm is in pretty good condition but the subframe has been painted (badly i might add) with silver paint somewhere along the line which is now beggining to peel and has left certain bits open to rust. I suppose i could just get this sprayed too? What level of prep am i looking at getting the fairings to before handing them over to the bodyshop? Just sanding down plastic welds and removing old decals, stick residue and making sure its clean basically? Ive priced 2 litres of the colour i want plus laquer and thinner at just under £50. The colour is just going to be one tone as i said before. And im not trying to act smart (because im not) was just trying to justify the colour choice . Maybe i could strip the subframe of the paint and see what kind of surface ive got to work with underneath, if it looks ok i'll just get it clean and stick a clear laquer ontop of it, that should preserve it shouldent it?
____________________
Will work for petrol
My Design Blog

[Cillit-BANG]

If you've got rust appearing on the subframe, you'd be much better off sending this off the the powder coater too. By the time you've messed around with paint stripper, rust removal gel, and clear primer, your well on the way to having it shot blasted and powder coated with the main frame, for little extra expense. Or get the frame shot blasted and sprayed up with the panels.

If the subframe is steel you'll be better off having this powder coated, as once it's been shot blasted it is advised to get paint on it asap as the fresh steel finish will ruin very quickly.

Laqcuer from rattle cans is never going to be a durable coating, and subframes can often get quite a bit of neglect and general road crap.

Prep for the panels is as you say yep. Just take your time and get them super smooth with fine wet and dry sandpaper.

Oh, and I was just messing with you regards qualifications, my degree is in product design and I'm now a joiner Gold and black would have a nice 'JPS' feel to it.