Paint please

So i need a frame painted.

Was looking at Vaz and Armourtex, any others worth checking?

I have about £60 for the job.

Problem is whether to go for enamel or powdercoat?

The forks and stays are chrome and apparently the temperature needed to bake powdercoat will fuck up the chrome, is this true?

any help would be great.

I have already done a forum search.

Also need to decide on the colour... hmm.

Thanks!

armourtex: £60 will cover frame, forks, cutlery, children, and anything else that you need painting. and they're very quick to do it too.

vaz: with vaz you get what you pay for. £60 will get you a finish that won't last long.

colour: blue.

hang on, why is armourtex good value whilst Vaz is just plain cheapo? what do you mean? is it because Vaz is doing enamel or what?

thanks for ze input.

blue? hmm i was gonna be boring and get either black or white...

not blue!

yes but what about this chrome bollocks? if i go the powdercoat route will it wreck the nice shiny bits???

what about battle ship grey?!

if you ask me again in a week i will tell you every thing you need to know about powdercotieng, but i dont start doing it untill then.

battle ship grey would be wikid

You can't have done a forum search! There is so much on this - was looking yesterday.

http://www.londonfgss.com/discussion/2858/

If it is a bike to be used and not hung on the wall then powder wins hands down every time. If you want the best, shiny showroom look with endless choice of colour blends, lining and fancy finishes it has to be wet paint (Argos). But for a far more durable, everday good value finish it has to be powder.
Any decent local coater should be able to do a frame for around £30 - £40 and the finish will be super durable compared to wet paint.

Spoke to Armourtex this week they are super-helpful. £45 for a f&f stripped and coated. That's without a clear coat which is not really necessary (thats's the extra £15 to make £60).

Pick one!

http://www.indfinspec.demon.co.uk/ral_colour_chart.htm

nice work Max.

my search work was perhaps a little thin on the ground.

Any idea about chrome? i'd prefer to keep the stays and fork as they are...

ta.

Superprecise hang on, why is armourtex good value whilst Vaz is just plain cheapo? what do you mean? is it because Vaz is doing enamel or what?

£60 @ Armourtex = powerdercoated frame = bullet proof + won't fade or 'yellow' with time + no drying time/rapid turn around (24 Hr)

£60 @ Vaz = wet sprayed frame = more colour range.

Don't know about the chrome but give them a ring - nice guys.

http://armourtex.tripod.com/powder%20coating.html

Armourtex don't specialize in bike frames, so anything more fancy than a single colour is probably pushing it! They might be able to avoid the chrome though. best thing to do is give them a call.

By the way, they charge £45 for a colour - not a frame. You can get more than just your frame and forks for that £45, so if you want a matching stem/seatpost/handlebars/brake etc it won't cost you any more! :)

When you take your frame into Armourtex what prep do you need to do? Do you have to mask anything off?

ads When you take your frame into Armourtex what prep do you need to do? Do you have to mask anything off?

i say purple : )

i had my frame painted with armourtex and they did every thing. nice job to.

So they make sure it doesn't get into threads etc?

They do it all.
I spent hours painstakingly stripping and prepping my frame only to be told that they do it at no extra cost.

Still, it has increased the bond between frame and I.

Picked up my frame from Armourtex this week, I got a small paint seepage into the first couple of BB threads, but apart from that every other area is/was masked off fine.

To be honest I could not fault them.

As for Vaz, I left 2 messages with him at the end of November both saying exactly what I was after and when could I drop the frame off, and he didn't even bother getting back to me. I'd rather give my money to someone who actually wants it.

[size=7]edited for spelling

Armourtex do seem good and as people have said, the cost is per colour.... does this mean you could take multiple frames in for the same cost?

yes

Blimey - anyone up for a group spray in Ral 2003?

Can only recommend RAL 2003!!

anyone been there recently? prices still the same?

Recent info:http://www.londonfgss.com/thread17439.html

cheers dude