Frame respray myself OR pro shot blast / powder coat

[ukjules]

ok ok ok ....
word of mouth and experience is not to be overlooked.

I can see that sand blasting is probably the way and
as informed it is not that expensive.
Then the option of spraying oneself can still be done easily.

When someone says they would never do it manually again
I recall the work spraying my RD and Kwak wheels.
Sounds simple but not so !!!! the work is massive to get them right.

life is prob too short for hand / and tool sanding a frame maybe.
but not for rattle can spraying after .

plan :
sand blast frame
rust treat
prime
base coat black semi gloss
(option of semi gloss clearcoat- didn't know that existed)

[Agemax]

powder coating is the only way to go in my opinion. far outlasts any spray paint.
Despite other peoples opinion, PC is easily touched up in the event of a stone chip or deep scratch.
My local powder coater showed me how. Just get a small pot and get them to fill it with the same powder they use for your parts. in the event of a chip, mix a small amount of the powder with acetone to form a reasonably thick paste. dab it on to the chipped area and leave it for a few hours for the acetone to evaporate. then flame it gently with a butane/propane torch, waving it over from a distance until the powder melts and it will blend into the affected area with almost no visible signs of a repair.

[pete]

Ah that's an awesome tip! I'm storing that away especially for the Kat as I was wondering how I'd deal with the inevitable stone chips on that bright red frame.

[salty_monk]

powder coating is the only way to go in my opinion. far outlasts any spray paint.
Despite other peoples opinion, PC is easily touched up in the event of a stone chip or deep scratch.
My local powder coater showed me how. Just get a small pot and get them to fill it with the same powder they use for your parts. in the event of a chip, mix a small amount of the powder with acetone to form a reasonably thick paste. dab it on to the chipped area and leave it for a few hours for the acetone to evaporate. then flame it gently with a butane/propane torch, waving it over from a distance until the powder melts and it will blend into the affected area with almost no visible signs of a repair.

Nice tip, I guess that's something we never attempted commercially so makes sense. To be honest on a frame you could probably get away with a paint touch up over the powder if necessary. Not that visible..

Getting a frame ready for paint is a lot of work for sure..... I might also be tempted to go powder if it's cheap enough

[GregT]

powder coating is the only way to go in my opinion. far outlasts any spray paint.
Despite other peoples opinion, PC is easily touched up in the event of a stone chip or deep scratch.
My local powder coater showed me how. Just get a small pot and get them to fill it with the same powder they use for your parts. in the event of a chip, mix a small amount of the powder with acetone to form a reasonably thick paste. dab it on to the chipped area and leave it for a few hours for the acetone to evaporate. then flame it gently with a butane/propane torch, waving it over from a distance until the powder melts and it will blend into the affected area with almost no visible signs of a repair.

Interesting. In my experience with powdercoated frames, the problems start when water can get underneath the coating. Once that's started it's impossible to stop it spreading. repairs as suggested would certainly help - if the scratch is seen in time.

Personally, I won't now powdercoat a frame. I have available locally both gritblasting companies and industrial painters who will do baked enamel at very reasonable cost. Most of my stuff is racebike - for which you want easy paint removal for frame repair and an easy touchup process.
The frames I make, alter or restore, once ready for paint, go to a gritblaster who also primes the freshly blasted frame. Then across town to the guy doing the baked enamel.

Until the early 2000's I had access to cheap powdercoating - my brother owned a company doing it. He was working to the standard required for defence force contracts so they knew what they were doing....I showed him some examples of why I wouldn't continue to use him but he couldn't come up with anything better.

[Agemax]

Nice tip, I guess that's something we never attempted commercially so makes sense. To be honest on a frame you could probably get away with a paint touch up over the powder if necessary. Not that visible..

Before i was told how to use this method i always used to touch up powder coated parts with model making enamel paint. dries really hard and nearly always a perfect colour match as you can get it in so many different colours.

[salty_monk]

Here’s another brand that would be Nice to have here/ Bilt hamber. (I’ll post a pic of their UK ad when not on my phone).

https://www.bilthamber.com

[ukjules]

Reading all this, if one is pretty short
of cash and has 4 motorbikes to feed.
For a frame respray that is gonna stand up
and be cost conscious:

sand blast it
rust treat ( I would use my usual phosphoric acid treatment)
baked enamel locally or rattle can.

I reckon with rattle cans it would cost
50£ minimum.

[red1100]

I’ve always used spray can epoxy from the local grocery store. Might cost 12 to 20 to do a frame. Unless your frame is heavily chipped or rusted you can scotchbrite scuff it and shoot it. Let it dry in the sun and you’ll see great results. Smaller parts that are not dimensional or have a machined area you can dip in a can of gloss black rustoleum. I hang my parts over the can to drip dry. As a long time restorer of high level Mopars I found that little things like this can save a lot of money with acceptable results.

[ukjules]

Can I ask with your method of spraying
did you prime first ?
(the usual 3 coats of primer )

someone told me epoxy spray paint does not
need it .
q) it may not need it but is it
truly better un primed or primed or
no difference or worse?

[red1100]

Never had any issues with spraying over the old finish as long as it’s clean and scuffed.Ive used the epoxy paint over bare and primed with good results.

[ukjules]

I did actually do just that on my gsx250 swinging arm
and as you say , cleaned , rust treated and using that
epoxy stuff still as new , that 3 years ago.

just wanted to see others views on frame.

useful to have all the info when broke and owning too
many bikes !