Paint

[bikebudy]

So I should get a regulator and not use the one on the compressor.

Yes, I have regulator & gauge at the gun. Volume of air should not be an issue but, if it is.

This is how I solved volume of air issue. Without buying a bigger compressor.

Most times you can find a tank like this for FREE as someone blew up the compressor part.

 

[bikebudy]

Found this

Touch-Up Air Spray Gun

:thumbsup:

 

[Havasu Dave]

Still wearing my pedal pushers. HOK on the various bikes, first attempt at air brushing, (Horse and knight on bottom at Daytona) (early 90's) Sail boat was my 30-footer, single stage poly U in Japan. (1995)

Bikes done with Sears 6 gallon compressor and syphon gun. Red iron head placed second at a show in Fayetteville, NC.

Scan of 88 Evo Sporty, 1991. PC stripped from frame, complete nut and bolt job, all HOK product. Ghost flame bases consisted of two shades of metallic gray with tape outs for flames with interim clear between tape outs, followed by candy green, interim clear with green flake, followed by clear. Dice on side cover hand painted. Ugly orange mistake on brakes was corrected back to black.

This was a very quick bike. 1200 EV8 cams, big valves, Super E with thunder jets, Barnet clutch.

Gawd, that's a young me in those pics.

 

[fistfullabar]

Nice bikes Dave! Ya big boy pants is always on and i always enjoy reading your post. Killer ghost flames. I like see what others have done or are into also.

 

[chipper]

Thanks Chipper. I'm kind of butt hurt here. :laugh: I've been a member for three years. Most of my posts have been aimed at helping people. Few of them have been bragging photos, or overly documented threads of bikes I've built. To see someone take something so simple and use it as a libido ladder is one of the reasons many of the serious builders and craftsman have left the building.

I didn't use Google Searches to make any points. I have been successfully painting as I described for many years, starting about 1991 when I used to build show bikes. Later on, I did custom motorcycle tanks with ghost flames and matching tins and sold them. Then I did a few cars and trucks, painted a few boats, and now mini bikes.

While there was some good advice, the advice was right off the internet, down to "MFGR's recommended PSI."

I wont make the process of painting appear technical and difficult to boost the appearance of any skill I have. It is not as difficult as has been detailed here. And some of what is here is opinion, not fact. Like 40 PSI worth of syphon-gun overspray of catalyzed paint on a frame with pearl paint, or a pressure gauge on an HVLP gun.

Most of us do not adhere to MFGR's recommendations when the results fall outside of the desired end. Most of us are aware that MFGR recommendations are set to ensure specifications are met, not to ensure optimum performance in any condition.

Like 8 PSI cap pressure in a 25% over-reduced product, because the garage is sitting in excess of 100F 10 months out of the year. The book worms would really freak if I admitted to not using a water separator on bike frames, in addition to not using that 140 PSI gauge on a 30 PSI system.

To put a finer point on it, in three years, I've never taken a photo of myself painting, or mixing paint, nor do I post here as part of a social networking plan.

Hopefully, I can now put in my big boy pants and ignore the rest of this thread. :laugh:

In honesty you have inspired me to try my hand at real painting , I'm a jack of most trades and always said if they can do it I can do it , Obviously practice and hands on learning ( doing ) is paramount ! I am lucky to have a very good friend that has had his own body shop for 40 years , now semi-retired but I can lean on him for help too , Thanks !

 

[Havasu Dave]

Nice bikes Dave! Ya big boy pants is always on and i always enjoy reading your post. Killer ghost flames. I like see what others have done or are into also.

Nah, I'm too sensitive and too anal about stuff sometimes. Thanks though. Those bikes were among the first projects I did with multi-stage paint jobs. Extremely tedious. Including sealer and primer, the green one was a total of 8 stages, and probably 13 total coats. But easy non the less.

Good deal Chipper. :thumbsup: I'm the same way- if so and so can do it, so can I. However, this has not worked out well with my MIG welding, and I lack the equipment, experience and skill to operate a lathe or mill. I can build Tecumseh's in my sleep, but that didn't stop me from paying big bucks for a long block by someone better.

I agree with Rugblaster's assessment of required equipment, but I don't need to spend that kind of money to do what I am doing now. I'm retired, and if I'm not messing with old MOPARs, or passing out in the pool, mini bikes is what I do. Something we can all agree on, is that very little surpasses the feeling we get when we massage, fabricate, weld up, sand, then paint something.

 

[minibike88]

Ok got some stuff figured out I'm going to buy that harbor freight gun and I'm going with This color

2011 dodge challenger srt8 392 inaugural edition blue

Search that in Google and the first pic. I'm also going to add and I don't know the proper name so please correct me it is like aluminum flakes or something to give it a sparkle

 

[minibike88]

Oops pressed reply anyway should give it a sparkle in the sun and look neat I'm doing a primer then 2-3 layers of the color and a clear coat. I will be using Automotive paint. I also am almost done sanding the frame still will have fenders fork shocks and top section don't know that it's called its like a swing arm.

 

[bikebudy]

Know everything about your paint..

Some paints require a base coat, like Silver, Gold, White, even black.

I'll bet this has a silver base coat, which says to me the blue is very transparent. = Hard to spray right )

 

[minibike88]

One more day of sanding

 

[minibike88]

And I think it is a silver/grey base coat.

 

[minibike88]

Eh I mean primer

 

[rugblaster]

Sorry, I got called away several days to take care of some bidness. To reiterate, as a beginner I think you ought to adhere to manufacturer's recommendations as far as paint gun and paint mixing is concerned. As you become more proficient, you may find it advantageous to alter the "rules".

 

[Stangrcr1]

Thanks for the input Dave.

I started spraying my own out of necessity. Learned some long hours of "sanding it off" lessons. I haven't messed much with the specialty paints like HOK, instead staying with simpler single stages.

What I have learned is you do not become a pro overnight, and it takes a lot of experience to know what pressure to use, reducer ratios, etc.

 

[rugblaster]

I concur, Dave obviously ain't at his first rodeo.

 

[minibike88]

I am almost done sanding, I also welded and grinded the crack. Once I get my final parts in from OldMiniBikes I will put it together one more time take it apart and get it painted