best way to strip a bike

[vqdriver]

it's time to get off my ass and finally do the repaint on an old steel stumpy i've got here. in the past i've just picked a can of paint stripper at the home depot and let it drip down. but now that i'm older and conscious of just how noxious that chemical stuff is, i'm not too keen on this method.

the painting itself will be a rattle can job so it's not really worth the cost to have this professionally done when for <100 i can just buy a new mail order frame. so what's a good way to remove the old paint?

[rice rocket]

Aircraft stripper is really the quickest method. Just don't touch it with anything, it'll melt through any gloves you try to use, etc.

Otherwise, you can media blast it, or start sanding.

[martinrjensen]

In most places you can get a powdercoat job for uner $150.00 and they strip the bike and coat it with your choice of colors. That's pretty close to what you sad you get another frame for though I don't know where you are going to get a frame for under $100.00... Powdercoating really strong finish and will look geat. and cheap

[bike22]

there's no need to remove the current paint job- factory paint is way better than anything you can do yourself, and makes a fantastic primer.

just rough the current paint up a bit, then spray the color you want on it.

if there are any areas of rust or what have you, obviously you want to address that before any paint.

also, I would advise you not to bother with any DIY paintjob, it will never turn out very good and you will be disappointed.

[rugbysecondrow]

If you are just going to rattle can it, why strip it at all? Just paint over it. If you are going to go through the trouble of stripping it, might as well put a proper coat on it. Although maybe you are wanting a project, which negates anything I wrote. :)

Cheers

[victoryfactory]

Go to an auto body supply store for the materials mentioned below.

Just wet sand well with 400 grit. you can use body putty to fill any nicks, sand again
then prime with auto primer which will show up any imperfections, fill and sand and prime
again then spray your color. sand with the finest grit you can git
then spray another coat. Lay on your decals which will hopefully be made
of some material that won't curl up like potato chips when the clear coat
hits them
apply 2-3 coats of clear lacquer then rub with
compound until mirror smooth.
Finally, carefully remove overspray from BB threads and seat tube and head tube
bearing surfaces because you forgot to mask properly before you started*

Total cost for materials: 150.
Time: two weeks of after work and weekends

Or you can send it to a cheap powder coat guy for the same price,
preserving your lungs, family harmony and weekends.

*personal experience

[john903]

I fully agree with Victoryfactory it sounds like he did what i did. Chemical striper disposed of waste at the county recycle place. Then lots of sanding from coarse down to fine use rubbing alcohlo then first coat. Between coats i used steel wool and finished with clear coat. Yes it is time consuming, but if you have a desire to do it yourself it is kinda fun. Many people poo poo rattle can paint jobs but if you pay attention to the prep work the job will come out acceptable at least it did for me and it gave my old riding friend of many years new life as a commuter. Sadly my old friend was stolen about six months after this, but the good that came from it being stolen gave me an excuse for a new bike, my Hampsten Pro.
Have fun

[victoryfactory]

The most important thing you need to make rattle can painting
(or any spray painting) look good is the basic technique of
MOVEMENT.
I'm not talking about that classic amateur waving of the spray can like you're
putting Pam on a frying pan.


Never stop moving your arm, always start your spray BEFORE you come to
the piece you are painting and continue beyond the piece before you stop
the spray. One steady, straight swing. Don't go back, stop, slow down.
Imagine you are a robot.

Your hand should be already be moving at a slow, steady pace side to side or up and down
when the paint begins or ends.

DO NOT try to get everything with the first pass! DO NOT stop or go back over
a spot you missed! If you miss a spot, wait until your pass is complete, evaluate the best angle to get the spot and make another pass.

This will allow you to lay down an even coat with no drips. The rest is
easy if you rub out the result to a smooth finish.

VF

[Bob Ross]

Then lots of sanding from coarse down to fine use rubbing alcohlo then first coat.

Wait a minute, is that why it's called "rubbing alcohol"?!?!? All these years I thought that stuff was some sort of topical liniment!