A question for frame painters?

[tuscanyswe]

If one has a frame that has some pretty extravagent work on it but one doesent really like the base color. Is it possible to sand and mask so that one can keep the extravagent pieces while applaying a new bace color. Or could one perhaps not get the desired quality this way? Its wet paint btw.

Im thinking the paint job to redo completely is in the region of a 1000 atleast (but im just guessing here) hence why i would be reluctant to do that to a frame.

[ultraman6970]

Hmm... yes you can do that but the masking you have to do needs to be close to perfection, maybe cut pieces tiny smalller than the things you want to keep might do it.

As for the base coat you want to cover well... it depends of the color, the problem with some colors is that you have to "neutralize" them using another color over the top and then use the final color you want or you have some risks of the original color to show up after a few weeks or months, maybe putting a good primer and painting over the top will do it aswell but pretty much is tricky because will depend a lot of the color you want paint over, the old and the new base color will tell you what you have to do. With some colors you can cut corners with other ones you cant.

When you are done you apply clear coat, maybe 3 or 4 coats then sand and polish or you will feel that the difference between the old and the new paint.

Hope this helps.

[tuscanyswe]

Hmm... yes you can do that but the masking you have to do needs to be close to perfection, maybe cut pieces tiny smalller than the things you want to keep might do it.

As for the base coat you want to cover well... it depends of the color, the problem with some colors is that you have to "neutralize" them using another color over the top and then use the final color you want or you have some risks of the original color to show up after a few weeks or months, maybe putting a good primer and painting over the top will do it aswell but pretty much is tricky because will depend a lot of the color you want paint over, the old and the new base color will tell you what you have to do. With some colors you can cut corners with other ones you cant.

When you are done you apply clear coat, maybe 3 or 4 coats then sand and polish or you will feel that the difference between the old and the new paint.

Hope this helps.

Thanks its a good start.

I wont be doing this myself but its always good to learn what it takes to achieve a good result and what can and cant be done.

I know very little of painting frame or painting in general.

[ultraman6970]

Do you have a picture of the frame and the new color you want to apply to it?

For example if the bike is red and you want to put white the white will be quite bright and nice but after maybe 1 or 2 years or so from far the bike will look pink because the red will start to take over again... you look close and will look white, you go far and people will swear the bike is pink and probably will ask you if thats another bike or something.

[J.Greene]

Yes it's generally doable. There are lots of precautions to take. I'd prefer to start out with a bare frame unless there are special or impossible to get decals to save etc, and depending on the job starting from scratch may not be much more work.

[tuscanyswe]

Do you have a picture of the frame and the new color you want to apply to it?

For example if the bike is red and you want to put white the white will be quite bright and nice but after maybe 1 or 2 years or so from far the bike will look pink because the red will start to take over again... you look close and will look white, you go far and people will swear the bike is pink and probably will ask you if thats another bike or something.

Cant one sand the red down before applying the white and not have this effect?
No sorry no pics but its a frame im possibly making an offer on depending on what the cost of paint would be.

[ultraman6970]

Yes you can but that means go all the way down to the primer for example, giving you this example because some times red primer is used under white, because the white will turn really bright but after a few years the red will take over, thats why somehow is better put a primer that will block the color and paint over that.

For example if you paint white and then red the red will turn bright, but white wont take over red with the years, as you can see it will depends.

[buldogge]

When you are done with the new areas you can wetsand the entire frame (assuming it's not a metallic you just sprayed) and then clear the entire frame for uniformity.

We used this method to resurrect my '85 Spectrum, and to save the decals types that Tom no longer uses/has. (but I made it difficult by using a metallic)

-Mark in St. Louis

[ultraman6970]

It depends on the metallic, if single stage metallic the sanding will go over the metallic and will look like crap even if you clear over it... if two stage metallic car paint i dont see any problem sanding and clearing.

Obviously depends on the metallic too, some stuff like keirin japanese bikes have a super extra large glitter, i would not sand that but if its regular car metallic paint or even pearls, you can sand color that w/o any problems.

[buldogge]

You don't color sand metallics before clearing. I am talking typical 2-pack, I don't rattlecan my frames.

You would need to clear the area, then sand, then clear the entire frame and sand again.

For the job, as described in the OP, I would choose a non-matallic...personally.

-Mark

It depends on the metallic, if single stage metallic the sanding will go over the metallic and will look like crap even if you clear over it... if two stage metallic car paint i dont see any problem sanding and clearing.

Obviously depends on the metallic too, some stuff like keirin japanese bikes have a super extra large glitter, i would not sand that but if its regular car metallic paint or even pearls, you can sand color that w/o any problems.

[tuscanyswe]

Thanks for info guys. Recieved workd from JB as well and hopefully a quote later one.

Cheers!

[Ahneida Ride]

Masking can be VERY time consuming and cost serious frns.

Could be be cost effective to just re-paint ?

[tuscanyswe]

Masking can be VERY time consuming and cost serious frns.

Could be be cost effective to just re-paint ?

Well it depends on what i want really. The quote was actually alot cheaper than i thought. Perhaps the masking required was pretty straight forward.

I still may end up just doing the paint from scratch, if i buy the frame that is.

[ultraman6970]

Dude post a picture, wonder what it is... just curious.