DIY respray

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screenman

Legendary Member
The matt black one looks good, I would say the paint a tad fragile if it is a single pack. People keep mentioning etching primer, not something I have used other than on alloy wheels as I have never had problems with none etch ( in fact I think it may be snake oil) My preffered now primer is water based, even more so over old paint.

Although I have everything here including a wb mixing scheme I would not do a bike frame as it is not something I would enjoy doing.
 
My latest was my old (1984) Peugeot I did last year in a satin black black finish.

Because of the relatively small areas involved rubbing down doesn't take too long. Price wise, it is worth every penny due to the satisfaction of doing the job. Paint wise, rattle cans are fine but make sure you use an etch primer as the base coat and build up from there.

On my Pug I used - etch primer - matt black base coat - clear satin laquer. And very pleased I was too with the result.

I can well recall your truly awesome refurbishment which I followed throughout, you are without fear of contradiction a right royal stickler for quality.
 

Colin_P

Guru
If you're after a tidy but workmanlike finish, Rustoleum hammered paints are like Hammerite, but they dry rock hard like powdercoat.

They used to until the blimmin EU made paint makers take the stuff out of their paint(s) that actually made them good.

These days you have to go (mail order from Demon Tweaks here in the UK) to the USA and get some POR15 if you want a proper tough paint...... like Hammerite used to be before the EU messed things up!
 
They used to until the blimmin EU made paint makers take the stuff out of their paint(s) that actually made them good.

These days you have to go (mail order from Demon Tweaks here in the UK) to the USA and get some POR15 if you want a proper tough paint...... like Hammerite used to be before the EU messed things up!

Well said that man, like so many other things, paint has been totally ruined by the bunny huggers!
 

screenman

Legendary Member
Well said that man, like so many other things, paint has been totally ruined by the bunny huggers!

Not sure that making something more environmentally friendly is ruined. I actually prefer using wb paints.
 

SkipdiverJohn

Deplorable Brexiteer
Location
London
Well said that man, like so many other things, paint has been totally ruined by the bunny huggers!

Avoid all that eco-friendly water-based crap brought to you by the EU - and use proper solvent-based paint.
If you're painting in a non-metallic finish, a slow-drying brushing enamel can give very good results if the preparation has been done and a good quality brush is used. It's not necessary to use spray painting.
 
OP
OP
MilkRace

MilkRace

Active Member
Thanks for all the tips, tricks and advice.

I've taken everything on board, and watched a few videos on DIY resprays and after careful consideration (OK, so not really careful as I had made up my mind pretty quickly) I have decided to go for the powdercoat.

I know there would be a great deal of satisfaction to be had in doing a nice respray job myself, but I'm also conscious of the fact that there's every chance I'd be left with a bike I would only ever ride after dark, so I think I'll leave it to those that know what they're doing.

It was a good idea at the time but I think I know my patience levels and it seems the financial difference isn't (hopefully) going to be that great so why not?

I should add that I give a big "hats off" to all those that have done resprays, and judging from what I've seen you've done fantastic jobs, but I'm guessing you start from a skill base somewhat higher that yours truly.

The only major problem I seem to have is finding someone here in Sydney (Aus) that can/will do the job and doesn't intend using it as a means of retirement, but I'm working on it.

The frame in question is also a Peugeot and I want it taken back to plain white, and I can source the decal here in Oz pretty cheaply.

Again, many thanks for all your comments and if by some miracle I change my mind and do give it a go I'll be sure to post the photos.......doubtless they'll be under a new thread entitled "Epic Failures".

Cheers
 

tyred

Legendary Member
Location
Ireland
I hate anything to do with painting and tend to leave my bikes "as found" but can do it perfectly well if I need to. Preparation is everything and cannot be rushed. I'd also recommend waiting for some of the mythical hot summer days as it is best done outside on warm, dry days unless you have a very good dry, warm, garage.

It depends on what you want to achieve with regards to what paints to use and how to apply them. Rattle cans can give a very good finish but I've found it can chip easily, as can car paints sprayed on. It will look great for a special occasion bike and you can lacquer over the transfers.

For an everyday practical bike, I'd brush paint it in quality enamel, with patience it will look really good and once it finally cures will be very durable. The most recent one I done was a Royal Mail Pashley which came to me FOC but in terrible condition. I'm very happy with the outcome but I put an awful lot of work into taking it back to bare metal (complicated by the fact that it appeared to have dozens of coats of paint applied over the years so it took a lot of time to strip it. Nitromers didn't help much, I used a wire brush in the drill (wear a mask). A blowtorch and scraper can be good too.
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Paintwork was in really poor condition and it needed re-painted simply to preserve the frame, otherwise I'd have left it alone (but I'm lazy!)
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I feel it turned out fine but it took a lot of work. Bare metal re-paint - I did my very best to get rid of all the rust but still treated it with Hammerite Kurust, then two coats of red oxide primer and and two top coats of a red enamel which I felt looked a reasonable match for RM red. It also takes ages for these types of paints to dry enough for the next coat. Where people go wrong I feel is applying the second coat too quickly and the brush marks the base coat and leaves deep brush marks.
 

screenman

Legendary Member
Avoid all that eco-friendly water-based crap brought to you by the EU - and use proper solvent-based paint.
If you're painting in a non-metallic finish, a slow-drying brushing enamel can give very good results if the preparation has been done and a good quality brush is used. It's not necessary to use spray painting.

WB is brilliant paint, why do you think most cars you see are done using it.
 
WB is brilliant paint, why do you think most cars you see are done using it.

I once bought a brand new, bright red VW Golf, it was manufactured approx. a year after VAG had started to use water based paints.
Within a week and only 150 miles of very careful and slow back road miles the body was peppered with in excess of 400 chips in the paint, not only to the leading edges of the front end, but in quite obscure places such as the rear end and in door shut lines. The chips were so very obvious as the base coat colour was white!

I immediately brought this matter to the attention of the service manager of the supplying garage, he immediately dismissed the matter as being stone chips! On hearing this I insisted on the VW service rep. inspecting the car and he too said it wasn't a matter of concern to VW as they were stone chips, so at my expense I then arranged for a paint expert engineer to undertake tests and his totally damning report was presented to both the garage and VW, their response was totally dismissive!

To cut a long story short, I took the matter to court and after 3 long years, during which time my credit rating was damned as I had opted to take my legal right of cancelling the finance package. In the end I was up against the very large garage franchise group, VAG UK Ltd. and the finance company in the County Court. If I had lost my case it was estimated that their combined legal costs would have been in excess of £150,000 which I would have had to pay, but I didn't I won!

A few years later I bought a new Land Rover Discovery, it had beautiful (water based) dark green metallic paint, very shortly after buying it, I noticed to my horror that the paint was very prone to stone chipping! So I brought the problem to the attention of the garages service manager, he immediately dismissed the matter as stone chips and as such not covered by the guarantee.
On hearing this, I asked him to walk with me to the front of their premises in Doncaster and pointed up the road to the nearby Jaguar dealership/franchise which so happened to be owned by the same large motor group as had owned the VW dealership. I suggested he went up to this dealership to ask them about their organisations legal battle with me about paint. The effect was immediate, without any more ado, he agreed their was a distinct problem with the paint and made immediate arrangements for another brand new Discovery to be supplied to me ASAP!

Very fortunately, these days, most companies now know how to apply water based paints!!
 
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