Painting - How many of you do your own painting?

[Jamtndll]

I was wondering how many of you do your own painting.  Do you do just pieces or do you tackle the whole bike, tank, fenders, side plates, radiator, etc.  I am considering painting my magna and was wondering what equipment you use if you paint.  Or if someone would be willing to help me,  I would bring all parts prepared to paint.  Thanks for your input and help with this.

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[tmds3]

I am practicing on a guitar, refinishing it until I get a glass smooth surface. If I should mess it up just sand it down and start again. Once I get it right, then I will do the bike.
Several on here have done their own bikes with great results.

[lragan]

Jim, you saw the front fender on my bike.  It was the last part of the bike that I painted.

Of course, I now have the opportunity to paint a side panel..   I have painted two before.  (Some folks are slow learners... ) I also painted the patch over the ding in my tank, which I hope you did not notice.

I use a small HVLP rig that I bought from Harbor Freight for about $15, as I recall.  In fact, I went back and bought another to simplify painting with multiple colors, clear coat, etc.  A good polisher is required for the clear coat, and a reduced dust environment is a big help.  For pieces as small as our parts, a large cardboard box, a simple box fan, and a HEPA filter that you can buy at Home Depot will do the trick.  I paint at my place on calmer days simply by going outside.  Compressed air is also required.  I use my shop air system for this, without extra filters, which are advisable in any case and required if you use an in-line oiler, which I do not.  A small "pancake" compressor would provide plenty of air, IMO.

If you want to gather up your stuff and come to Austin, I will be happy to help you paint it.  It could be done in a day, as the paints are fast setting.

[Jamtndll]

Jim, you saw the front fender on my bike.  It was the last part of the bike that I painted.

Of course, I now have the opportunity to paint a side panel..   I have painted two before.  (Some folks are slow learners... ) I also painted the patch over the ding in my tank, which I hope you did not notice.

I use a small HVLP rig that I bought from Harbor Freight for about $15, as I recall.  In fact, I went back and bought another to simplify painting with multiple colors, clear coat, etc.  A good polisher is required for the clear coat, and a reduced dust environment is a big help.  For pieces as small as our parts, a large cardboard box, a simple box fan, and a HEPA filter that you can buy at Home Depot will do the trick.  I paint at my place on calmer days simply by going outside.  Compressed air is also required.  I use my shop air system for this, without extra filters, which are advisable in any case and required if you use an in-line oiler, which I do not.  A small "pancake" compressor would provide plenty of air, IMO.

If you want to gather up your stuff and come to Austin, I will be happy to help you paint it.  It could be done in a day, as the paints are fast setting.

What do I need to do to prepare it for painting. Do I need to take it all the way down to metal, or just clean the clear coat off and sand it.  Where do you get your paint from?  Let em know anything else I need to do.  I have a bid of $30 an hour plus paint.  They said that it would take somewhere  between 12 - 15 hours.  Thats them doing all the prep work also.  I just take it off and take it to them.

[Chad in Michigan]

Question: what size tour tank is that? I wondered what the biggest size I could go withou it looking obtrusive if I ever got one. Thanks!

[lragan]

Unless the paint you have is peeling or blistering, it should not be necessary to take it off.  The only metal is the tank -- the fenders and side panels are plastic.

I simply sand the surface with a fine (1200 grit) paper, then wipe with a clean rag and a little acetone before I start.  I buy the paint at an auto paint store in S Austin.  It is expensive if you pay them to match existing paint, but much less so if you purchase a standard color.

As for the total time, it would depend on the type paint job you want.  The ghost flame on my bike is tedious, and difficult (for me at least) to replicate -- in fact, I am still not satisfied with what I have done so far.  A simple one color paint job should not consume that much labor from a professional painter, IMO.  Something fancy might take that much or more.  The gal I bought my bike from had it painted by a guy in Marble Falls.  She told me he kept the bike for three months and charged her $850.  While happy with the result, she was definitely not happy with the time or cost!

[Jamtndll]

Question: what size tour tank is that? I wondered what the biggest size I could go withou it looking obtrusive if I ever got one. Thanks!

It holds 4.1 gallons.  It is great to have on trips.  But in the winter time when I only drive a mile to work it takes for ever to empty the tanks.  I have recently taken the auxillary tank off and stored it.  I can really use the rack to carry books and things on to school and back.  Next summer I will reinstall it for my summer trips.  It took about 30 minutes to take it off.  They have one that is a gallon smaller and one that is about 1 1/2 gallons larger. 

[Jamtndll]

Unless the paint you have is peeling or blistering, it should not be necessary to take it off.  The only metal is the tank -- the fenders and side panels are plastic.

I simply sand the surface with a fine (1200 grit) paper, then wipe with a clean rag and a little acetone before I start.  I buy the paint at an auto paint store in S Austin.  It is expensive if you pay them to match existing paint, but much less so if you purchase a standard color.

As for the total time, it would depend on the type paint job you want.  The ghost flame on my bike is tedious, and difficult (for me at least) to replicate -- in fact, I am still not satisfied with what I have done so far.  A simple one color paint job should not consume that much labor from a professional painter, IMO.  Something fancy might take that much or more.  The gal I bought my bike from had it painted by a guy in Marble Falls.  She told me he kept the bike for three months and charged her $850.  While happy with the result, she was definitely not happy with the time or cost!

What do you do about the Magna sticker on the tank?  The back fender has the blue stripes like on the tank.  No special sanding or removing is needed for these?
Thanks for your time in this matter.

[lragan]

Jim, I haven't dealt with the decals, so I don't really know.  I will make some assumptions, which others can correct if I am wrong.

I imagine the decals are applied after the paint but before the clear coat.  If you can run your finger over the edge of the decals (and the stripes on the rear fender) and feel no "bump" or edge, then sanding lightly as I referenced above should do the trick.  If there is a ridge there, you will need to feather it with the sandpaper so it is no longer detectable by feeling with your fingertips.

I cannot imagine that the decals would be on top of the clear coat, but if they are, then they might need to be removed before proceeding -- just to make sure you get the adhesion you need with your new paint.

Charles should be able to answer this question for us...

Hello??  Charles??

[Charles S Otwell]

If the decals are clearcoated there will still be a ridge but you can't just peal the decal without sanding thru the clearcoat first. I personally sand all decals and pinstriping off, just to make sure they don't come back to bite me later, I use a DA (dual action) sander to remove the decals, then block sand the whole tank with 400 wet until all the sanding marks from the DA are gone. I coat the whole piece with a good filler primer and resand (1200 to 1500 grit wet) until there are no sanding marks or blemishes (sometimes this requires a couple of coats of primer). I use a basecoat/clearcoat system. After you spray your base coat, give it a couple hours to dry and then give it a final inspection (do not touch, sand or wipe) unless you can still see sanding marks, or you have fisheye or a lot of trash, in which case you would need to sand out those imperfections and respray your base. If your base coat looks good go ahead and clear it. Still a lot left to do but that is the basic start for me.

I still think we should have a wrenching session that covers painting, sanding and buffing.

[lragan]

I still think we should have a wrenching session that covers painting, sanding and buffing.

Sign me up -- if you are instructing!! 

I would even host, if folks would come to Austin.  Perhaps when the heat breaks in the fall...

With enough hands and tools, we could repaint Jim's bike in the process.

[roboto65]

I need a few spots on my Valk painted repair work !!! I am in if it happens when I am off the boat!!!!

[Jamtndll]

I still think we should have a wrenching session that covers painting, sanding and buffing.

Sign me up -- if you are instructing!! 

I would even host, if folks would come to Austin.  Perhaps when the heat breaks in the fall...

With enough hands and tools, we could repaint Jim's bike in the process.

Count me in.  I will gladly donate the use of my bike as the example.  Just let me know when and where.  I checked the decals.  The tank is paint that is under clearcoat(no Ridges).  The back fender is a decal that has been applied on top of the paint.  So it looks like I can get by with sanding and painting the tank, but will have to remove the decal of the fender.  Nothing on front fender or side covers.

[lragan]

Perhaps we need to call this a "spray session" or "buffer session", or something.  You cannot paint very well with a wrench, huh?  I thought about a "brush session" but we don't use a brush either...

I suppose one needs to use wrenches to remove at least some of the various parts to be painted, so maybe "wrench session" will work...

[Charles S Otwell]

 How about just calling it a meeting of the Moot . I will host it if the some of the rest of you painters will come and share your experience. My shop is small but does have A/C.
I might even be able to borrow Mike's Paint booth (I'll have to check first). I'll pick a couple of weekends and try to accommodate as many as possible. I do this for a hobby and don't claim to be a professional (yes, I know, I sound like a know it all) but I just enjoy doing it.