How to paint a motorcycle without a compressor & spray gun

[eisenfaust]

Red scotchbrite, got it. I've already been degreasing like a mofo. Its a prepainted motor, so no bare metal anywhere. I've gone over lots of it with a wire wheel brush, getting out all the icky stuff. Sounds like I should be good to go

 

[Double J]

To wetsand or not to wetsand

Hi Joe,

My fairings are cracked and scuffed and I plan to fix and repaint. I will definitely be using your write up for the process, so Thanks for taking the time to do that!

Also I had one question. I've read a number of other articles on painting and the majority of them say to wetsand the clear before buffing. Yours is one of the few that didn't mention anything about wetsanding the clear coat. Is this something that needs to be done, or should I not worry about it?

Thanks

 

[reckon]

Hi Joe,

My fairings are cracked and scuffed and I plan to fix and repaint. I will definitely be using your write up for the process, so Thanks for taking the time to do that!

Also I had one question. I've read a number of other articles on painting and the majority of them say to wetsand the clear before buffing. Yours is one of the few that didn't mention anything about wetsanding the clear coat. Is this something that needs to be done, or should I not worry about it?

Thanks

the QUICKEST way for a new painter to completely screw up a brand new paint job, is to try and wetsand and polish it, which is why I left out the other 4,500 word write up on wetsanding and polishing

there is lots of info on wetsanding and polishing on teh internetz, and probably several you tube step by step how to's as well, if you do a couple of searches.

generally you try and shoot so the last coat of clear is the "finish coat", and try to get it as wet and glossy as possible, but some people don't feel the need to practice, and they feel they can just sand out all the defects after and polish it, where as I lean toward the "if you shoot it right, you wont need to wetsand and polish" school, which is why I kept harping on that practice panel in the above write up over and over and over, as I really feel this is what separates the noob, from the advanced intermediate, and professional)
if you DO get peel (rare with these paints), or a run, I ALWAYS would suggest that you sand out the defects with 600 grit wet, then scuff the rest of the panel with a GREY scotchbrite pad and then re-shoot just the clear on that panel, rather than try and sand the run or peel down and then polish, it's just less work, you get a nicer end result, and no chances of burning through the clear with the buffer (INCREDIBLY easy on a motorcycle)

so I would suggest ONLY spot wetsanding any specks(called "nibs")or tiny runs or sags with 1200, then 1500, then 2000, and then polish JUST the tiny 1" (or less) sanded areas using a rotary buffer and a 3" foam buffing pad (available at any finishmaster store) and some "micro-finishing compound" which is like rubbing compound, but much finer grit, that dissolves in about 2 minutes of buffing, so you pretty much CANNOT over buff and get swirl marks.
it is RIDICULOUSLY tedious to try and hand buff a sanded finish, I know it can be done, because I've seen it, but we are talking about 10-15 minutes wetsanding, and 5 minutes with the rotary buffer (no a random orbital will NOT work) compared to about 4 to 10 hours of hand rubbing with compound using "power by armstrong" :thumbdown

these paints cure out faster than the cheaper spray bomb stuff, so with aero-max clear you can sand and polish out defects the next day, and with the U-Pol you wait about a week.

last thing, never ever ever WAX (silicone, or carnuba) a fresh paint job for at least 45 days to give all the trapped solvent gasses a chance to escape before you seal it all up with a wax.
for something to use as "wax" while you wait the 45 days, use a "HAND GLAZE", which is essentially a silicone and carnuba free polish which will need to be re-applied every other week or so, until the 45 days elapses.

ok so, try and shoot it right, practice more (or at least SOME), and google or you tube for more detailed info on wetsanding and polishing (also known as "color sanding" or "cut & buff").

:ride

 

[MtnRacer]

Just wanted to say thanks for the fanastic write up. I'm in the middle of collecting fairings for a track set, and I will DEFINITELY be using this thread for when I attempt to paint them. :toothless Thank you!

Steve

 

[jorbar1551]

I'm in the middle/end part of painting my fiberglass track fairings. All I have left is clear coat and an extra 40 hp worth of stickers. my question is: Is there something that I should spray/use on the inside of the fairings to protect the paint from the heat?

I'm using the dupli color paint from kragen

 

[reckon]

I'm in the middle/end part of painting my fiberglass track fairings. All I have left is clear coat and an extra 40 hp worth of stickers. my question is: Is there something that I should spray/use on the inside of the fairings to protect the paint from the heat?

I'm using the dupli color paint from kragen

you can coat the insides of the fairings with flat black paint, or "trim black" (it's a semi gloss) or my personal favorite: truck bed liner (dupli-color's stuff works very well here)
if additional heat protection is needed look into heat shielding for hot rods and imports (there was a thread here titled "ducati asses of fire" that listed several types)

 

[freeside]

Wow. I don't know what got into you when you decided to share this information, but I sure do appreciate it. It's not often that experienced guys want to share their inside brands and tips. Super cool.

I read the entire thing straight thru and will be copying and pasting into a file, printing out and following to the letter on my test tank.

I have a question:
If you want to do multiple color pieces or some kind of designs or stripes, after putting down your base color coats, can you use tape or how do you mask off for the detail work?

Thanks,
-S

 

[reckon]

Wow. I don't know what got into you when you decided to share this information, but I sure do appreciate it. It's not often that experienced guys want to share their inside brands and tips. Super cool.

I read the entire thing straight thru and will be copying and pasting into a file, printing out and following to the letter on my test tank.

I have a question:
If you want to do multiple color pieces or some kind of designs or stripes, after putting down your base color coats, can you use tape or how do you mask off for the detail work?

Thanks,
-S

thank you for the kind words, it was an effort to dispell some of the "painting myths" I was reading, and to show you really CAN paint a motorcycle with "spray cans" and get truly professional results WITHOUT using a compressor.

it also provides a "FAQ" of sorts, which I felt the subject of painting (which only comes up 27,000 times a month) needed and teh barf mods agreed and made it teh sticky.

If you want to do multiple color pieces or some kind of designs or stripes, after putting down your base color coats, can you use tape or how do you mask off for the detail work?

that's a very good question,......

when doing multiple colors, or a scheme (repsol, yamaha "bumblebee", etc,..), you start with the lightest color as the base, if you're using the above "basecoat in a can" paints, you can mask off for the next color after only an hour or so, but with traditional spraybomb paints, you will probably have to wait at LEAST a day, maybe 2 or 3.

they make special plastic low tack masking tape (3m's blue "fine-line" is my fave) in several widths, which allows you to make smooth round corners and follow contours, I like to use the 1/4" and 1/8th" widths
I also use the 3m masking hand-roller you find at home depot for ten bucks,...it can be loaded with 12", 16" or 18" paper, and automatically places a strip of standard masking tape at the edge, so things are nice and fast, PLUS you wont get "pattern transfer bleed" which happens when you use newspaper and the ink stains the urethane paint, or bleed thru's, where the paper soaks through and sticks to the (supposedly) protected surface below.



ok, lets use a number plate for example:
on the primered fairing, shoot the white over the area where the plate will go making sure you don't have any thin spots near where the edges are going to be, don't worry about masking anything off at this point, as you'll be painting over it later.
then after the white cures, you run the fine-line tape in your pattern which in this case is a number plate, one strip going around the whole outside edge.
now take the masking paper with the tape at the edge, and stick it to the blue fine-line tape making sure you don't have any areas where it could bleed thru, the fold or cut the paper hanging off, so that it approximates the shape of the plate, and do any trimming with a razor. go all the way around so the the white plate is under the masking, then shoot the next color, and again WAIT till it's cured enough to peel (basecoat=2 hours, traditional=4 days) when peeling GO SLOW, and peel the tape back over itself so it "cuts" through the paint and leaves a clean edge.

when using a razor blade to make intricate patterns, or points, make SURE you use a SHARP single edge razor, and lightly cut JUST THE TAPE, NOT THE SURFACE, and sometimes I'll stick a clear piece of thin acrylic plastic behind the tape, and make the cut ON THE PLASTIC , then pull it up and stick it to the surface so I'm sure it won't go through and cut the paint.

so light colors first, followed by darker colors, use a flexible masking tape as the outline, and to give a clean edge when you peel it, NOTE: when doing several colors, you will always have an "edge" of raised paint where one color went over another, so the TRICK is to shoot AS LITTLE AS POSSIBLE near the edge, JUST ENOUGH FOR HIDING, and then stop, or you get this big ass thick raised edge which affects how much clear you'll need to apply to cover it.
so the shooting sparsely trick is also a money saver as well as the best way to shoot several colors next to one another.

that's pretty much all ya do

 

[blackoutgsxr]

Can i paint the headers with either of these? i had these laying around...

 

[reckon]

Can i paint the headers with either of these? i had these laying around...

nope.

exhaust header average temp= 800 degrees or so.

 

[blackoutgsxr]

Ready for paint.

So i just got my paint in and i have my test panel and actual pieces primer and ready for paint.

I sanded (wet) with 400 grit. Do i wash the pieces with soap and water or just wipe off the sand dust?

 

[reckon]

So i just got my paint in and i have my test panel and actual pieces primer and ready for paint.

I sanded (wet) with 400 grit. Do i wash the pieces with soap and water or just wipe off the sand dust?

sanding dust likes to be wiped down with "PPG DX330", or you can use "3m wax and grease remover",...or just use rubbing alcohol on a lint free towel, followed by a windex (or other glass cleaner) wipe down.
I wipe the surface down with the dx330, and then a windex wipe down,...then wait a half hour and start shooting.

you realize you shoot the test panel FIRST, and maybe even several times BEFORE shooting the bike,....the idea is you "learn" on the test panel, then once you get the hang of it (you have a nice perfect shiny test panel) THEN you shoot your motorcycle,...yes?

that way if you make a mistake (and you WILL) it goes on that test piece, and NOT the bike.

 

[blackoutgsxr]

Yes sir.

i have studied your teachings as closely as possible. but i am working with limited funds and an 11oz. of paint and 11oz. clear coat. I do have a test panel (fairing piece) similar to the one i need to shoot.

Can i use Goo Gone instead of rubbing alcohol?

Wish me luck.

Off topic. I am spraying in my garage and the smell fills the whole house. i leave the garage open and to vent but my son is still being exposed to 2nd hand High build primer, paint, clear coat aerosol.

Can this affect him?

 

[reckon]

i have studied your teachings as closely as possible. but i am working with limited funds and an 11oz. of paint and 11oz. clear coat. I do have a test panel (fairing piece) similar to the one i need to shoot.

Wish me luck.

Off topic. I am spraying in my garage and the smell fills the whole house. i leave the garage open and to vent but my son is still being exposed to 2nd hand High build primer, paint, clear coat aerosol.

Can this affect him?

paint OUTSIDE,..then move the painted pieces INTO the closed up garage. (it mentions this in the above post)

and yes, you shouldn't be exposing anyone to fumes, especially someone who's brain is still growing.

do it while he's away, or at school or something, or shoot somewhere else.

 

[blackoutgsxr]

Can i use Goo Gone instead of rubbing alcohol?

 

[reckon]

Can i use Goo Gone instead of rubbing alcohol?

no. goo gone will screw up the way the paint sticks, REMEMBER this is a PORUS SURFACE (the primer) so it'll soak up ANYTHING that touches it, which is WHY you use solvents that evaporate quickly, and leave NO residue.

rubbing alcohol=.79 cents at walgreens and you probably already HAVE window cleaner.

if you fuck up this critical step, you'll get fisheyes EVERYWHERE,...so take some time and get all the sanding dust, fingerprint oils, and just airborne contaminates OFF of the surface before you try and paint over it.

 

[blackoutgsxr]

So i sprayed two coats of Base coat. See pic update here But no matter what i do little lint find it's way onto my paint.

Some blow off some stay.

Next step spray clear right over?

 

[reckon]

So i sprayed two coats of Base coat. See pic update here But no matter what i do little lint find it's way onto my paint.

Some blow off some stay.

Next step spray clear right over?

from the pics thats pretty good, you still have some texture (orange peel) but don't sweat it, you got good gloss and coverage, not bad for only having 11 oz of color coat.
okay, the clear step should be done AFTER that black base has cured, so you need to wait a few days (a week is better) before shooting the clear.

the reason is the black paint has solvents still trapped in the layers, and it takes some time for them to completely evaporate, the better basecoats in a can (as in above post) can be painted over in only a few hours, but that is because they have a special super fast evaporating solvent called "reducer", which is a blend of many solvents and stabilizers.

so wait a week, then shoot the clear, and then you'll need to wait a week before installing it and riding it, remembering the upper forward facing fairing will take a BEATING from bugs, rocks, bolts etc,... so the longer you wait before installing and riding, the better it will be for the total longevity of your paint job.

as far as lint goes, remember that 90% of the lint in a paint job comes from YOU, not the surrounding area, this is one of the best reasons to wear a disposable paint suit (.99 at any hardware store) when you paint, because it not only keeps the paint off of YOU, it also keeps YOU off of the paint.
also note that I have worked in paint booths that had a half a million dollar "downdraft particle abatement systems++" in them, and STILL you'd get a few specks(called "NIBS") in the job, so not much you can do except wear a suit, and a hat(head sock is better), paint mid morning, OUTSIDE, with the ground wetted down, and then move the parts INSIDE to a closed up garage. you'll get less nibs that way than any other way, save a 25,000cfm downdraft booth

good work so far.

(++this is basically a "river" of running water under the open floor grates, and the air is drawn down over the car onto the "river")

 

[blackoutgsxr]

from the pics thats pretty good, you still have some texture (orange peel) but don't sweat it, you got good gloss and coverage, not bad for only having 11 oz of color coat.
okay, the clear step should be done AFTER that black base has cured, so you need to wait a few days (a week is better) before shooting the clear.

the reason is the black paint has solvents still trapped in the layers, and it takes some time for them to completely evaporate, the better basecoats in a can (as in above post) can be painted over in only a few hours, but that is because they have a special super fast evaporating solvent called "reducer", which is a blend of many solvents and stabilizers.

I did use Color Rite OEM paint. I went to Lowes paint but they said the minimum for a color match would be a pint. And that was too much money and paint.

Even though i used Color Rite. i have to wait a week?

Thanks for your help.

 

[reckon]

I did use Color Rite OEM paint. I went to Lowes paint but they said the minimum for a color match would be a pint. And that was too much money and paint.

Even though i used Color Rite. i have to wait a week?

Thanks for your help.

yup

ESPECIALLY with the colder weather and the high humidity.

a GOOD painter is JUST like a GOOD photographer, they are CONSTANTLY aware of the surrounding conditions: temp, humidity, type of paint, etc,....

so yes, with the high humidity, short day length, and the low ambient temps, I would wait at least a week before top coating with clear, because NOTHING bad will happen if you wait, but LOTS of bad things COULD happen if you don't.