Tips on Applying stripes after Painting

[joshes]

Hiya,
I am new here. I'm Josh, live in Jakarta, Indonesia. Far away, I guess in comparison with others.

I need a massive favors in tips for painting.

I am about to paint my tank (and the rear cowl) on my 1977 GS750.
As known that it has stripes along the tank.

i have ordered the paint from Colorite in the US and the stripes from online reproduction decal, also from the US.

Now, getting down to the painting business. The basic paint job is not that difficult. I apply slightly silver color as the first coat then the candy red on top. Done!

But the question arrived when we were about to apply the stripes. I have looked closely to the original paint on the tank, and it shows a thin layer of varnish on top of the decals, which means that another layer of varnish is applied. My painter does not agree with this as it is difficult to apply another layer of varnish after the first varnis dried. Is this true?
I am currently in the argument with my painter and none of us know the answer.

Can anyone help please? (and any tips about applying stripes on tank would be muh apprecited!)

Thank y'all!
Josh

 

[salty_monk]

Josh,

You apply a clear coat of paint (lacquer) over the top of everything after you have applied the decals.
Make sure the clear paint you use is resistant to Petrol in case of spillage.

Dan

 

[Plooker]

If I can offer a little advice, I spent a few years as an automotive painter's assistant. In an ideal world I'd use 2-part 'epoxy' style paint. If lacquer is what you're using I'd advise to wait a few days before applying the stripes to give the solvents in the paint some time to evaporate. Leaving paint in the sun helps this process as well as shrinking the paint for a better finish. If you really want the best finish you can sand with some 1200 grit or so before applying the stripes and topcoat, this will give the strips and topcoat something to stick to as well as making the final finish that much smoother. A few more days in the sun with the topcoat on and you are looking at one fine paintjob. I believe PPG makes an additive to make solvent-based paints more fuel resistant, but you may find others. Another trick I like to use on Bike tanks is to put a small amout of 2-part clear epoxy around the lip of the gas-cap socket to protect the paint and prevent the gas from seeping under it and lifting it.

Hope this helps

 

[feelergaugephil]

Gonna post pix, NOT a GS, but same way to do the stripes........

 

[feelergaugephil]

 

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[feelergaugephil]

Plooker is RIGHT, Once you have painted up the body work, leave for at least a week, better in a warmer area, toxins come out of the paint.
Once fully cured, stripe up the areas you need then put on 2 coats of lacquer (clearcoat) the RZ in pics has 3 coats of clearcoat to give it that ultra shine.
Hope the pics help a bit for ya.

Phil.

 

[duaneage]

That looks great, I bet you left it in the kitchen for a while, makes a great visual when eating breakfast.

 

[Nessism]

How long to wait before applying clear on top of the basecoat depends on what type of paint you are using. I like to use PPG DBU/DBC basecoats and the instructions call for the base coat to be clear coated within 24 hours. Follow the directions if you want to increase your chance of success.

When painting motorcycle parts, I like to hit the base color with a couple of layers of clear before adding any graphics. As long as the base coat is sealed over with clear, you can wait as long as you want before adding the details. Let the clear dry for a week or so as the others have suggested followed by color sanding with 1000 grit wet. Apply the graphics and then hit the part with two more layers of clear. Works for me.

Photos show the tank after the clear was sanded and graphics were applied. Other photo shows after additional clear was added.

 

[feelergaugephil]

Nice job.........