Tremclad Paint Job Begins...

[jmanz6]

The sanding with 800 should get rid of teh orange peel. The 1500 sanding will really level the surface for the buffing and polish. Buffing and polishing alone are not meant to get rid of teh orange peel.

[nastyjones]

I have been sanding after every 2 coats like i'm supposed to. I'm letting the 4th coat harden overnight and will start with the 800 grit in the a.m.

Cheers, Paul

[nastyjones]

ok, here's the pic after 4 coats. Looks pretty good. Another picture to follow.

[nastyjones]

Here it is after the 6 coats. I sanded every 2 coats. I had a hard time getting the right consistency of paint. It was either too thick and gave me orange peel or too thin and it ran. I am happy with the results. It was a ton more work than I thought but the effort was worth it. No one will ever mistake it for a custom paint job but I think it looks great even up close.
However, I am now done the painting, just polishing and buffing left. I will let the paint set up for a week or so and will publish the results here.

Paul

[Planecrazy]

Nice job ... look forward to seeing the finished pics after the hardening/buffing/polishing!

Regards,

[Mark M]

Progress has begun again. I have put coats #4 and 5 on the side covers and fender. No pics, they just look white like the last coats. I think the side covers will be done after this. I will sand them with 1500 wet and see what I think. The fender has a couple of rough spots (note this paint covers NOTHING and your prep must be PERFECT) that will need another coat to get coverage to my satisfaction. I have learned a bunch through the last couple of coats and my sanding technique has gotten much better, resulting in much better coats.

I have some questions at this point:

1) I am going to be adding a single stripe of red across the fender and the side covers. I see no point in polishing before I do this. I plan to just take the shine off with 1500 wet and then mask and paint the red. Correct or not?

2) Any ideas for keeping red from bleeding under the tape? In the past I have sprayed a light coat of clear along the mask line to seal the tape and prevent color from bleeding through. Since I am not spraying and have no clear involved what should I do? I have been thinking of just brushing a light coat of white along the tape line. Good idea or not?

3) I think I will need pinstriping to cover the color transition between white and red. I am stuck between black and a medium gray for the striping color. Comments?

Thanks,
Mark

[PAULYBOY]

use plastic tape like electrical tape. Paper tape leaves bleed under. Also, burnish the tape edge lightly before painting.

[Ogri]

I have some questions at this point:


2) Any ideas for keeping red from bleeding under the tape? In the past I have sprayed a light coat of clear along the mask line to seal the tape and prevent color from bleeding through. Since I am not spraying and have no clear involved what should I do? I have been thinking of just brushing a light coat of white along the tape line. Good idea or not?



Thanks,
Mark

First of all, use a good quality tape. Don't use the tape you can get at walmart. Go to a autobody supply and get good tape. After you lay down your tape, take a bondo spreader and press down the edges of the tape. You don't have to be so aggressive that you risk tearing the tape, just firmly drag the spreader along the tape to ensure it is pressed down. Do this just prior to applying your color. Do not allow your tape to sit prior to paint application. Tape it up, press it down with the bondo spreader and begin painting.

[PAULYBOY]

First of all, use a good quality tape. Don't use the tape you can get at walmart. Go to a autobody supply and get good tape. After you lay down your tape, take a bondo spreader and press down the edges of the tape. You don't have to be so aggressive that you risk tearing the tape, just firmly drag the spreader along the tape to ensure it is pressed down. Do this just prior to applying your color. Do not allow your tape to sit prior to paint application. Tape it up, press it down with the bondo spreader and begin painting.

Yeah, kinda like what I said. I used to use electric or vinyl tape for guidelines when I hand lettered signs, top and bottom, with a paint brush. Before then, I experienced a lot of bleed under regular paper type masking tape.

[Nessism]

Yeah, kinda like what I said. I used to use electric or vinyl tape for guidelines when I hand lettered signs, top and bottom, with a paint brush. Before then, I experienced a lot of bleed under regular paper type masking tape.

I concur. 3M also makes what they call "fine line tape" which works even better than vinyl tape since it's easier to make a straight line with it, yet it will curve some as well when necessary. Auto body paint stores sell it, although it's not cheap.

[Mark M]

I concur. 3M also makes what they call "fine line tape" which works even better than vinyl tape since it's easier to make a straight line with it, yet it will curve some as well when necessary. Auto body paint stores sell it, although it's not cheap.

I was planning on using the 3M fine line for this. If used with care does it eliminate bleeding?

Oh yeah, I found a couple of blemishes on the side covers, so I will be doing one more coat on them as well as the fender. If I keep at it, I should have my sanding and rolling technique perfected before 2009!

Mark

[Mark M]

Just a quick update, been busy with kids, hockey and work. I had been putzing with the fender, trying to fix a blemish that started when my prep wasn't as perfect as it should have been. It was a spot where the original paint had flaked off and was down to bare plastic. I sanded it and feathered the edges out, but not well enough. So there was a slight rough patch there that never went away and showed because I kept cutting through the paint at the high spots around the area. So, I have used a small paint brush and put two coats of unthinned white on the area in an effort to fill the spot and let the last couple of coats cover evenly. I will post results when I am done sanding the extra paint smooth. Depending on how this works, I may try it to fill a couple of scratches that I didn't get rid of on the side panels, too.

Mark

[rudy]

Can't wait to see how this turns out!

I may do my front fender with Tremclad. The plan is to paint it black, so that's easy. And then I wouldn't feel so bad if I decide to change it after. The rest of the bike's bodywork will be red and white.

[Big T]

Bump

How's everyone's paint jobs coming??

[stain]

Mine has come out EXCELLENT!!! Better than hoped!