Rust on the old 531!

[Monsieur Remings]

Hi there

I am brand new to this forum so excuse me for any ignorance that may be exhibited on any cycling subject .

I haven't had a road bike for years and then earlier in the summer my Dad said he had an old Claud Butler in the shed. I had to get the derailleur replaced and retaped the handlebars, cleaned as much as I could, particularly the wheels, and replaced the brake pads. It's all very rideable now but...

...I've since found out that it's a 531 Reynolds frame (the CB is a 1979-80 Majestic by the way) and it needs some work on the rust. I imagine it must be a steel alloy frame? Now, I've had some good quotes for a shot-blast and then a respray but being the way I am I want to get my hands dirty and in the process save money that I haven't got. The one resource I have more of is time so...

...is there a good alternative to shot-blasting a frame? Has anyone had any luck with using chemicals to treat, strip and prepare a frame for painting and if so what are they and what is the process? Is it as good as a shot-blast and what's the time span? I'm happy to try any method that means I can do it but I'm still learning. I may well have to pay someone to put it back together again afterwards (call it lack of confidence in some of the precision areas) and that, on top of the blasting and respray with the local bike specialists, is just too much money. I'd be half-way to a new bike and beyond.

Second question, once this stage is achieved has anyone had any luck with using normal spray cans (quick dry enamel) or is this a naive step in the wrong direction? Again I could probably get it powder coated at a good price but I'm very obstinate when it doesn't involve me. I'm used to using spray cans on other projects and am not bad but also wondering on the time scale between one coat and another? So has anyone tried this?
Any alternatives? What do you all reckon?

Any answers will be most appreciated. I, in turn, appreciate that you could spend serious money on a project like this but all I want is a decent working bike that looks okay and isn't rusting. I haven't the expertise to restore to original and I'm not going to find another Suntour derailleur because that's not my thing. The bike works okay and the frame, as I'm sure you must know is a beauty, but it doesn't fulfill the second of those criteria yet and although I'm not expecting anything amazing, getting it to look alright on a shoestring is the objective here.

Cheers
Sam

 

[Hacienda71]

I stripped a late seventies steel frame using paint stripper scrapers and wire brush drill attachments it took a long time but was very satisfying in the end. I also sprayed it up with cans (don't tell anyone but autopaint from poundland) I sanded between every coat and left a few days between each coat. eventually i laquered it with a Halfords automotive laquer. I then left it for 10 days before building it up. It hasn't chipped and i now ride it regularly i think it looks great and cost a fraction of the cost of a pro job. All i would say is it won't be quite as good or as tough as an experts job but i think more satisfying. There is a before and after in my profile.

 

[Monsieur Remings]

Fantastic, like the style Hacienda (and the paint job on the bike). This sounds much more like it. Just to get it right then, you didn't use any paintstripper at all?

That just leaves the rust treatment to worry about.

 

[Hacienda71]

I started with paint stripper and a scraper then wire brushed to clean metal then to be on the safe side i used a automotive brush on antirust treatment the bike had a lot of surface rust so i needed to make sure i got rid of all of it prior to priming and painting. If you leave any active rust prior to painting it will come through again. Best tip i can give you though is take your time the results will be vastly better than a rush job however tempting it may be.

 

[accountantpete]

You could try Kurust if you can't get rid of all the rust.

You simply brush it on and then lightly paper it down once it has dried.

 

[Monsieur Remings]

Absolutely spot on, many thanks to both of you.

I have some old leftover Hammerite, which might just fit the bill if there's any left after Hacienda's process described Pete. And Hacienda, thanks again, why spend so much money when you can have the satisfaction yourself eh?

Cheers.

and

 

[hubgearfreak]

i've tried to strip the paint off a bike, and found it such a ballache that i gave up, and then sent it to sandblasting. i'd strongly recommend that you don't waste your time.
as for the painting, i've done that too. 18 coats, brushed on with 1200 wet and dry between each coat. yes it's a smooth as glass and a very deep colour, but again, it's not something i'd do again, nor would i recommend anyone else to have a go.
however, assembling the bike afterwards really is a piece of cake, and if you get stuck at all, sheldon brown already has answered every question you may have, and we'll answer the ones you can't be bothered to read on his site

in short, send it for professional paint or even powder coat, but don't pay someone else to refit it

 

[Dave5N]

15 quid to have it stripped and powdercoated.

Why would you DIY when your materials will cost 3 times that?

 

[Monsieur Remings]

15 quid to have it stripped and powdercoated.

Why would you DIY when your materials will cost 3 times that?

Where Dave? I appreciate that it's probably not going to be the same place (I'm near Bristol) but what sort of people should I be approaching for that sort of money? The powder coaters? Plus, I need the rust treatment too?

Thanks for the reply.

 

[gbb]

Ive done it both ways...
531 frame with moderately intricate lugs..thats where you get problems, getting into all the corners. I tried several coats of paint stripper, sandpaper, wire brush etc etc...gave up and sent it to my local engineering outfit. It was just too much effort (and i did put a lot of effort in).
Round here, i guess £50 for shotblast and powdercoat. The powdercoat has been brilliant...not the prettiest, its quite plain, but very hard wearing.

On the other end of the scale, i rubbed down my sons MTB, gave it several coats of Acrylic paint, lacquered it...its been fine, but not as chip resistant.

But it's horses for courses...depends how much you value the bike.
Paint, i used 3 cans @£5.00 each and a can of lacquer...maybe £5.00. It soon adds up.

 

[Watt-O]

I stripped a late seventies steel frame using paint stripper scrapers and wire brush drill attachments it took a long time but was very satisfying in the end. I also sprayed it up with cans (don't tell anyone but autopaint from poundland) I sanded between every coat and left a few days between each coat. eventually i laquered it with a Halfords automotive laquer. I then left it for 10 days before building it up. It hasn't chipped and i now ride it regularly i think it looks great and cost a fraction of the cost of a pro job. All i would say is it won't be quite as good or as tough as an experts job but i think more satisfying. There is a before and after in my profile.

That sounds familiar - I did something similar with a Youngs of Lewisham frame (531 and campag ends) , but was unhappy with the metalic blue finish. Sold to to my pal for £11 who got it re-enamelled professionally and sold it on Exchange and Mart for £35 quid! We still have a laugh about that. Those were the days!

 

[Monsieur Remings]

Been quoted £100 for a cash in hand shotblast and respray from a local mechanic on the side.

Just this morning, quoted paint stripping and an undercoat and one extra coat for standard colour (powder coating) for £125.

It's all looking Hacienda's way at the moment but thanks for all the replies - see what you mean about the lugs gbb.

 

[Monsieur Remings]

Oh and Hubgear, I'll be stripping the bike and refitting it myself now too, good advice there which I'll take you up on.

 

[Dave5N]

Where Dave? I appreciate that it's probably not going to be the same place (I'm near Bristol) but what sort of people should I be approaching for that sort of money? The powder coaters? Plus, I need the rust treatment too?

Thanks for the reply.

I'm in Birmingham. Bourne's of Digbeth. Last one I had done was £20 but I had a fancy pearlesent finish.