Custom Paint - Workshop specials.

just patience.

Ahh. Something I truly need to practice!

Thanks both @PhilDAS, good words of advice.

EDIT: How fine are we talking, 1000 grit? I was planning to go to 600 and stop tbf as I didnt want it too polished.

Stop when you're happy.

The trick is to make sure all the scratches are the same before you move on to the next grade/grit.

I personally wouldn't go past 600 grit before introducing a scotchbrite pad.

Stripped these and then used a green abrasive pad to get the brushed finish. Can’t help you n sanding technique tho, other than to keep the same direction throughout.

3 Attachments

Excellent demonstration of the effect.

Great thing about Paul gear is how well it's made... Makes this sort of thing a breeze.

If you have a less expensive bit of kit, stripping it won't always yeild a good base so you'll have to get some elbow grease involved.

I once stripped an aluminium frame only to find that from factory, it was loaded with filler.

Yes I saw these recently..

Thanks for the information all, I have enough now to go do an okay job on this!

When I did my old trek I used something like this https://metalpolishingsupplies.co.uk/products/pro-max-aluminium-alloy-brass-metal-polishing-kit-10pc? and polished with compound until it was just off chrome like and then used 00 wire wool as scotch pads didn’t form to the tubes around the joints well enough to knock it back. This was pre smartphone’s so no pics sorry.

The scotchbrite saved the day after the 600 grit.

Turned out well and the finish is exactly how I wanted it to be.

Thank you all for the advice

1 Attachment

Looks really clean!

I am looking into getting an old steel frame wet painted. I want to supply my own decals in the process. I know my way around adobe illustrator and the likes and I kinda now what I want. So that area is covered.
What I am trying to understand is the interplay of decals and spray paint. I currently have to two leads.
A buddy who could use a plotter to cut any single colour (vinyl?) foil according to my design or someone from the Internet who can produce multicoloured decals. These multicoloured decals use solvent based paint so apparently they can only be used with water based spray paint.
Is water based spray paint a thing?
Is there water based clear coat to go over the decals?
If I were to use vinyl foil can I use whatever or will it also be damaged by solvent based paint?

I tried to wet sand/polish out a scratch and removed a small area of clear coat (maybe half the size of a 5p coin) on a carbon frame.

I have some clearcoat touch up (similar brush size to nail polish) - is it worth attempting to reapply clear coat or just leave it? Paint is in tact and it's not in an obvious place - the chainstay. I might actually cover the area with helitape instead as I'm pretty sure the damage was from chain suck.

Ask your painter if they can paint the graphics in place rather than use a sticker/transfer/decal of any kind. It'll be better.

If you use any type of sticker/vinyl/foil, it will act as a barrier between the base coat and clear coat products so the bond will be poor in that area. Whilst you'll feel like you're protecting the stickers, you'll just be putting a weak spot in the finish.

The painter should know their stuff. They'll choose the right products for what you need.

Leave it.
Don't leave it.
It doesn't really matter in terms of protecting the substrate.
If it were steel, you'd want to cover it to prevent rust but with carbon, that's not an issue.

Who’s who of frame painting in the UK currently?

I had this frame repaired with inevitable consequences to the paint on the seat lug. I know what colour I need to match it but I’m fairly clueless as to how best to apply it. It doesn’t need to be perfect but avoiding a jarring clash would be good. Any advice gratefully received.

1 Attachment

Some before and after pictures of my rather scratched and tired Talbot after a respray here in Vietnam.

Amazing talent from OK Paint. Much better than OK as their name would suggest.

Still to have clearcoat applied.

4 Attachments

I'd ask them to remove paint from the contact surfaces of the dropouts before it's finished. You want a good metal to metal contact to prevent slipping and it'll also get chewed up and chip which could spread.

Yep. Already done.

Just awaiting final polish of clearcoat.

1 Attachment

Looks like the matte clear has failed under some tape. Indicative of its lifetime coming to an end?
Who should I look at to either spot repair or a whole new job? Sprayers seem to have been decimated…

1 Attachment

Nah, clearcoats can be badly adhered especially matt ones. I've seen some come off when the protective packaging is peeled off a brand new bike. Most important is to protect the carbon from UV so either put tape back on or give it a spray from a rattle can or some other touch up paint for now.

And finished.

10 Attachments

Sexyy

Next up at the paint shop is my TOEI touring frameset.

Really just to tidy up some localised bad damage around the BB / crankset and the bottom of the chainstays.

These are before photos of the paint. General idea is to replicate colors. But do a better job on logos. Some small mistakes in font thickness.

3 Attachments

There was an example of this sort of paint job a page or so back, so I thought I’d give it a go on an old frame I had. Very pleased with how it came out.

Used white primer and white pearl base from Kustom Canz, Pebeo acrylic pearl paints applied with sea sponge for the colours, then a 2k clear from Kustom Canz to finish.

3 Attachments

Super nice!

https://www.instagram.com/p/C662W1lPNhO/?igsh=OTZqZGp1NjFnYXc3