I found this on another forum a few years ago. I don’t recall which forum, though.

 

If you take your time, you can get a $200 looking paint job for $15; if you take your time.

 

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When painting like this, it’s a good idea to use all one brand of paint for compatibility and when choosing a brand, a $3 can really is better than a $1 can.

 

Step 1. The Prep… This is very important!

If your surface is not prepared properly, no matter how well you paint, it will not turn out looking good.

 

Sand, sand, sand… a minor blemish on the surface of your project will become a major eyesore once you get a few coats of paint on it!

After you sand and fill and sand some more, you need to wash the surface thoroughly with a mild detergent and warm water, the surface must be free of dust and any oils. This means DON’T touch it after you have washed it. Use latex gloves to prevent oils from you hand getting on the project.

 

Step 2. Primer… Primer is used to make sure the color paint will adhere to the surface. Most color paint will not bond to metal. The primer is used as a go between.

 

SHAKE the can!!!! A 12 once can of pain only holds about 4 ounces of paint, the rest is thinner… thinner and paint separate. You have no idea how long your can has been sitting in the store/warehouse… shake the can! If it says shake for two minutes, shake it for three! Three FULL minutes, not the 20 second minutes you usually do. And then you need to shake the can for one minute (full minute) every 3 or 4 minutes of painting.

 

Once the surface is completely dry, spray a thin coat of gray primer. This will highlight any defects in the surface you may have you didn’t see. You will need to fix these. Continuing to paint over them will not make them less noticeable. Respray once you have fixed them all.

 

After priming, let it dry for at least 24 hours… no, I don’t care what the can says… 24.

 

Step 3. Painting with color:

Before you start, you will need a piece of cardboard, a cup of thinner, and 4 or 5 spray caps off other cans of paint – soaking in the thinner.

Change the spray cap around every 20 sprays… this will minimize globbing.

Now, there are two types or ways of painting… most common is using gloss color paint. This may be the only way to get the color you desire. But flat paint is preferred… the clear coat will give you the shine.

 

Gloss paint is thicker than flat paint, because the gloss itself is throughout the paint at a molecular level, so more care needs to be taken in its use. Gloss paint will glob and run far easier than flat.

 

Have a piece of cardboard handy. The first spray of every set of sprays should be on the cardboard. This is because the first spray tends to spray gobs of paint.

 

Holding the can about 8 inches from the surface, spray in long horizontal strokes. Never spray vertically. Your eyes are on your head horizontally and if you spray vertically, no matter how good a job you do, you will not be able to see it.

 

Be sure that at the end of a stroke you move past the project so when you start back, you don’t have a build up at your stopping point.

12 to 15 coats are what you are going for. Not 3 to 5 like most folks do.  Mist the paint on. Let it cover the surface slowly and keep the coats thin!

 

Let this dry for at least two days, this is 70 degrees or higher with no humidity in the air… the more humid or the colder it is, the longer you need to wait. Unfortunately, there is no way to tell if the paint is ready and if it isn’t, you will ruin the whole thing. A week would be good, two would be better.

 

For the flat look… stop here, you’re all done. Now here is the hard part!!!! It takes 30 days from step 7 to fully cure… you can put your bike together (carefully) before that time is up, but don’t ride it and DON’T fill it with gas!!! Even after the 30 days, I’d still be careful with gas for at least 3 months!

 

Glossy shinny paint please go on…

 

Step 4. Your FIRST wet sanding… Use a fine sanding sponge with a LITTLE soap and water. Sand lightly, never press, the weight of your hand is enough.

 

This will make the paint look foggy and take the gloss off… don’t worry that’s normal. All we want to do is to smooth the top coat. Don’t sit in one spot, this should not take long at all. Move quickly and evenly and be careful of corners, it’s real easy to take too much off an edge.

 

Step 5. Now for the final color coat… first, clean the whole thing with paper towels and water… you’re still wearing the gloves, right? No touching the paint at any stage! Use more paper towels to thoroughly dry the whole thing… make double sure it’s dry, water will ruin it here.

 

SHAKE the can! Use a fresh tip and use the cardboard again! Now a VERY light coat, just enough to cover the surface. Make sure the can is 8 to 12 inches away, don’t get too close here! Cover the whole thing, but sparingly… you’re not done, so don’t worry about how it looks, just keep it even and light.

 

Now let it dry for three days… a week would be better.

 

Step 6. Wet sanding… With a FINE sanding sponge and a pan of dish soapy water, soak the sponge. Pour some of the sudsy water on the surface and put a dab of dish soap right on your sponge. Ok, now VERY lightly sand the whole thing keeping it wet and sudsy. Do NOT let any part of it dry! Sand the whole thing quickly, this doesn’t take much at all.

 

Rinse it with clean water and dry it lightly with paper towels. We aren’t done, it still won’t be shiney.

 

Step 7. the Clear Coat… Paint this just like you did the first color paint. Go reread step 3. Go on, I’ll wait. Ok, between coats here you need to wait between 15 and 30 minutes… not 10, not 40.

 

Let it dry for at least a week… yeah, I know it’s hard to do, but the paint needs the time to cure (it won’t shine if you don’t let it dry).

 

Step 8. Rubbing it out… use a very mild rubbing compound and a very soft cloth and follow directions on the can. This usually involves making the cloth damp.

 

Rub and polish all surfaces lightly at least 15 times. The more, the shinier. Don’t press too hard, keep the polishing even… and that’s it. You’re done! You can get this looking really good, as good as any pro job…. IF you take your time!

 

Now here is the hard part!!!! It takes 30 days from step 7 to fully cure… you can put your bike together (carefully) before that time is up, but don’t ride it and DON’T fill it with gas!!! Even after the 30 days, I’d still be careful with gas for at least 3 months!

 

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Something that looks cool is gloss over flat… like gloss flames on a flat bike (might do this myself one day).

 

The problem is, you can’t sand or buff the flat paint.  So, after the flat has cured (30 days remember?) you tape off the flames or what ever. Now you can use color, start at step 3, or the same color, start at step 7. Remember to leave the masking on until you are all done rubbing.

 

Lastly… when you take the tape off you may (probably will) see a ridge where the clear coat is taller. Unfortunately there is little you can do except cover it. You can use vinyl pin striping or you can get someone with a steady hand to go over it with pin striping paint.

 

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Some of the things you might run into when using a rattle can….

 

Orange Peel…

Cause… paint is drying before it levels itself or the paint it too cold.

Fix… you have to start over… sand it all off once it thoroughly dries.

Solution… warm the can up (NOT with a flame) warm water in the sink works well.

 

Runs…

Cause… you paint is too thick!

Fix… sand after it is thoroughly dry, then repaint.

Solutions… warm the can up (NOT with a flame), move farther away or move across the surface faster

 

Dimples in the paint…

Cause… oil on the surface. (touched it didn’t ya?)

Fix… sand after it is thoroughly dry, then repaint.

Solution… always carefully wash surfaces before painting.

 

Blobs of Paint…

Cause… dirty nozzles or you didn’t shake the can enough or old paint

Fix… sand after it is thoroughly dry, then repaint.

 

Flat looking gloss…

Cause… paint is drying too much before it hits the surface.

Fix… light wet sand after it is thoroughly dry, then repaint.

Solution… move closer

 

How was that?

 

JackK