Painting - How many of you do your own painting?

[L J VFR]

Price the chromalusion by Dupont, that stuff is expensive!!    I've been fortunate to have friends who paint for a living.

[roboto65]

Greg and I have talked about painting something!!    I would like to do my Valk I always get stuck on supplies and what I will need like a list of stuff you will need I hate not having something and having to stop because of it.   So how about that?  What about a list and maybe how much paint you would need to paint an Interstate ????   Heres a place I always look prices seem Ok to me

http://www.eastwood.com/

[lragan]

I have been looking on the 'net for automotive paints.  Prices and brands are all over the map.  I have no data with which to make an informed decision. 

I don't want to overpay, and I don't want to waste my time on a paint that I will only have to strip off and do over. 

The painting I have done so far is with expensive PPG paint.  I found a local shop that would match what was already on the bike, and I paid the price.  Now that I am starting over on bike 2, I would like to make a more informed choice.

I use a HVLP rig from Harbor Freight that is not expensive.  You don't need a large one for a motorcycle, as all the various parts are small.  I have not used a booth in the past, but an considering building one with a HEPA filter (from Lowe's or Home Depot), a box fan (have several accumulated over the years) and a cardboard or maybe even twin wall plastic box.  so far, I have had to paint outside and wait for a calm day.  Twice I had to sand off and start again to get rid of dust particles that settled on the paint.  I use a fast dry paint, so the period of vulnerability is pretty short.

I will try to put together a list.  I am sure Charles will have a better one.

[roboto65]

Thanks it has been on my list would like to start getting supplies together so I can head to Gregs and spend the time prepping and painting and ride home with a new bike !!!!

[Charles S Otwell]

I use Nason paint, and have been pleased. I will check prices at my local paint dealer today and post them, I can make a list of what I use for a complete paint job on my bikes for comparison. There are several choices when deciding, Acrylic enamal, Acrylic enamal with a catylist, basecoat/clearcoat (with or without pearl added to the clear) and probably the most expensive (other than Mirage) is the three stage system. I'm sure there are probably more options, and there are several different grades of paint, these are just the ones I'm kinda familiar with. I'm anxious to see what the rest of you use!

[lragan]

Well, so far, the paint is an Acrylic enamel, I believe.  They sell a thinner for it.  I tried thinning it with Acetone, which works, but is entirely too volatile -- the paint dries before it hits the fender/tank/whatever, so I have to use their expensive thinner.   I use a clearcoat that is 4:1 coating:catalyst.  In warm temperatures, it sets pretty quickly.  When thinned enough (before you add the catalyst), if you are painting multiple pieces, by the time you have coated a second piece, the first one is hard enough to take another coat.  I put on maybe eight or ten thin coats this way, then buff it out in five stages of abrasives.

The clerk at the paint store gave me a tiny bit of metal flake paint in a clear carrier.  To do the ghost flames, I add just a bit of this to the base coat, and spray it with an airbrush.  Doesn't take more than a couple of thimblefuls to get the effect I want.  The airbrush lets me taper/shade the metallic loaded paint. 

The ghost flames are a great lot of work.  I am considering just a total pearl or metallic for bike #2.  Easiest mask for flames is to spray the metal in the base coat, then mask off what will be flame and paint over the metallic paint with base on the balance.  This does not allow the shading I like, however.  I have yet to figure out how to build a mask that will cover a tank or side panel and leave flames exposed.

[Charles S Otwell]

How much paint are y'all using to paint your Magnas?

[tmds3]

O.K/ for those pf you who have done your own painting, I am wanting to get as small a compressor as possible to be able to do my own bike,  but space is of a minimum in my garage so I need one with a small footprint but that would still do the job. I plan on getting one of the small touch-up guns since all if the parts on the bike are small, I think something like what Iragan mentioned

[lragan]

Have a look at wherever you are going to buy your paint gun.  It should specify XX cfm @ YY psi.  Just make sure the compressor you buy has at least that much volume at the stated pressure.  For the small HVLP guns, it won't take much of a compressor. 

But, you should be forewarned that once you own a compressor, all sorts of uses will present themselves.  Many of them will require more than your minimalist unit.    I bought a used Sears unit back in 1967, which I still have but don't use much.  It is good for 6 cfm at 40 psi.  This will not power most air powered tools.  Then about three years ago, Costco cleared out their large tank 5 hp 220v units, and I bought one.  Installed it under a cover outside the shop, and plumbed the shop and carport.  I love it.  Use it often for all sorts of stuff.  Have four filtered and regulated outlets.  I still keep the Sears unit, on wheels, for those painting or tire inflating jobs out of reach of the hoses from the shop/carport.

The "pancake" compressors seem popular with contractors, who use them for painting and for powering nail guns.  I have no idea how much they cost.

[Charles S Otwell]

I use a HVLP gravity feed gun (less spitting and dripping) from Harbor freight, $15.00. The touch up guns are too small to hold enough paint do the complete job. They are great for just what they say touch up, the touch up guns don't last as well either. As far a compressor size, match the CFM  to the tools you'll want to use with it, most spray guns and air tools will tell you how many cfm's it will take to operate them. Moisture is a problem and the best solution I've found is the in-line throw away paper cartrage also found at Harbor freight about $4.00, screw it right on to the gun.

I painted this tank


with this $15.00 gun


 

[roboto65]

Ahhhhh  the Valk tank LOL well I figure most of mine will be take down and assembly almost like a car on my Interstate with all the body work!!!

[Capt. Howard]

I use a HVLP gravity feed gun (less spitting and dripping) from Harbor freight, $15.00. The touch up guns are too small to hold enough paint do the complete job. They are great for just what they say touch up, the touch up guns don't last as well either. As far a compressor size, match the CFM  to the tools you'll want to use with it, most spray guns and air tools will tell you how many cfm's it will take to operate them. Moisture is a problem and the best solution I've found is the in-line throw away paper cartrage also found at Harbor freight about $4.00, screw it right on to the gun.

I painted this tank


with this $15.00 gun


 

Looks just like mine Charles...I didn't want to say it but Harbor Freight is my favorite store...

[Charles S Otwell]

I figure most of mine will be take down and assembly almost like a car on my Interstate with all the body work!!!

Yeah, with all that extra stuff, it's going to take a little extra paint. Are you repainting the whole bike single color or two tone, or just doing some touch up ?

Looks just like mine Charles...I didn't want to say it but Harbor Freight is my favorite store

Some of their stuff is junk, but some of Craftsman's stuff is junk too and I'll put my cheapy spray gun up against a binks or devilbiss when it comes to getting your money's worth, and a good paint job

[roboto65]

Two Tone I hope almost like what is on the bike just a different color 

[L J VFR]

http://www.sata.com/index.php?id=1109&L=1

Tim, the guy that paints all my stuff said this is the gun he uses on motorcycle parts.  Said he likes it alot.