Any suggestions on prepping frame for paint? Probably using rattlecans.

#1
My frame seems to be pretty pourus so I’m looking to fill in the pours to get a smoother finish. I’m thinking of doing a heavy metalflake rattle can paint job (like the old kids carnival ride bikes) lol! Only way I know how to describe it. But need to fill in some very unsmooth metal frame? Any suggestions?
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#3
Sand and prime, shadow coat, sand and prime, repeat as needed till you have filled in the divots. The shadow coat, is nothing more than a light application of rattle can black over your primer. When you sand any low spots will remain black, keep repeating till no more black is left.

Not sure about that type of finish with rattle cans. You'll need to find a base coat to give you your color, mid coat of clear/flake, as that's a heavy flake unlike candy colors. Then follow up with lots of coats of clear.

Where your problem may be is in finding that large of flakes in a rattle can. Honestly that's more of something done with a spray gun.
Also your technique will affect it, in this case heavy wet coats of the flake, this allows the flake to lay flat as it's carrier flashes off. Too dry a coat and the flake will stand up and completely change the effect/color.

And one last side note, I helped with a paint job like this on a Mustang, we destroyed 3 paint guns shooting this large of flake through them. The flake actually erroided the needle and caps on them.
 
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capguncowboy

Well-Known Member
#5
you can bondo the frame and sand it smooth to save on the price of primer.

The key to a good paint job is proper prep work. Take your time and you'll save a lot of money and headache (and probably time) in the long run. Once you've got the pits filled and sanded, and you've got it primed (and wetsanded some more), you're ready to paint.

For that metallic flake look you posted above, you'll need a base/flake/clear. House of Color makes a good rattle can flake but there are a lot of other brands out there as well.

Good luck and I hope it works out for you. Patience will persevere!
 
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T-Town Mini

Well-Known Member
#9
I've been interested in using Roth Flake and have looked at their website videos etc. before. Please let us know how it turns out if you do indeed paint your bike with it and, update this thread to show the final results.

When I built my DB30 I used this: https://www.duplicolor.com/product/metal-specks-automotive-paint



It was very thin paint as I suspect Roth and the other metallic rattlecan examples are. Whatever brand you use it will require a base coat (like silver to seal the primer) and, then a clear coat on top of the Flake to achieve the look you're after.

As far as prepping the frame, just sand it down to the metal with a course grit and, you'll get most of the imperfections out of it. Prime and sand until you like how it looks/feels and go from there.
 
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