| Motorcycle and chopper painting tutorial | | | | |
| | | | The next step is to apply filler to the low |
| PAINT AND PREP SUPPLIES | | | | spots and any trouble areas. It's a matter |
| | | | of personal preference, but I like to spray a |
| Reducer | | | | coat of epoxy primer prior to spraying on the |
| | | | base coat. This gives a nice base for the |
| Plastic Filler | | | | filler to adhere to. Prepare your filler in |
| | | | small amounts (it sets up fast) and apply it |
| Flowable Putty | | | | smoothly and evenly onto your part. |
| | | | |
| Epoxy primer | | | | After the filler has dried, sand it smooth |
| | | | with 80 grit and look it over for any low |
| Epoxy Sealer | | | | spots or chips, then fill and sand again. |
| | | | After the necessary rounds of filler and |
| Base color Paint | | | | sanding are finished, it's time to prime. |
| | | | |
| Clear Coat | | | | Spray on a couple of coats of epoxy primer. |
| | | | After the primer has dried, get a spray can |
| 80,120,400,600,1500,2000 grit wet/dry | | | | of black paint and very lightly spray it over |
| sandpaper | | | | your part. This is the guide coat. The light |
| | | | black coat will show any ripples, low spots |
| IMPROVISED PAINT BOOTH | | | | or defects in your handy work. To repair the |
| | | | problem areas that the guide coat exposed, |
| If you're like me, you don't have the luxury | | | | you'll want to use flowable putty instead of |
| of a down-draft spray booth in your shop. | | | | filler. Apply the putty in thin even coats, |
| Here's what I did. I cleaned out a storage | | | | then smooth it down with 80 grit sandpaper |
| room that's attached to the back of my shop. | | | | (wrapped around a rubber sanding block). Once |
| I lined the walls with white poly, and placed | | | | you get the high spots leveled down, smooth |
| a variable speed fan in the window. I then | | | | it down even more with 120 grit, then |
| went around with a roll of duct tape and | | | | finishing it with 400 grit. You're now ready |
| sealed the perimeter of the fan to the | | | | for the last round of primer. Once the primer |
| surrounding poly on the walls. Now onto the | | | | is dry, sand it thoroughly with 400 grit to |
| lights. After the first time you try painting | | | | give it a toothy surface for the base coat to |
| something, you'll quickly learn just how | | | | stick to. I like to spray on a coat of epoxy |
| critical good lighting is. In fact when it | | | | sealer just prior to spraying the base |
| comes to lighting, the brighter your paint | | | | colour coat. In addition to providing a ideal |
| area the better. A buddy gave me two | | | | surface for applying the base color, it also |
| four-tube florescent light fixtures, which I | | | | prevents any solvents from coming through and |
| hung on opposite sides of my new spray booth. | | | | causing bubbles in your clear coat. Make sure |
| It's good to have reflective walls. Lining | | | | to follow the paint manufacturers spec sheets |
| the walls with white poly not only saves your | | | | with regards to mixing times, mixing ratios |
| walls, but it's also quite reflective. | | | | and painting temperature. Failure to |
| | | | following the instructions will cause you |
| SAFETY | | | | much grief...believe me. |
| | | | |
| Before I continue, I want to stress safety. | | | | BASE COAT/CLEAR COAT |
| It's a very bad I idea to paint in a room | | | | |
| that's attached to your house. In fact, it | | | | Now comes the color coat. Lay down the colour |
| may not be legal in some jurisdictions. Also, | | | | coats as per your paint manufacturer's spec |
| paint fumes are not only super toxic, they're | | | | sheet. Next comes the clear. After the first |
| highly flammable. Make sure your fixtures are | | | | round of clear has dried, wet sand it down |
| wired properly, and that your fixtures are | | | | with 600 grit. You'll notice rows of ridges |
| fully encased with lens covers attached. Last | | | | appear in the clear as you sand. Keep sanding |
| but not least, make sure you have a good | | | | until the clear is even and the ridges are |
| quality respirator with the correct filters | | | | gone. If you're painting graphics on, now is |
| for the kind of paint you're using. | | | | the time to put them on. After applying your |
| | | | graphics, cover them with another round of |
| PAINT EQUIPMENT | | | | clear. It may take one or more rounds of |
| | | | clear to completely bury the graphics. Be |
| For tools you'll need at least two spray | | | | sure to wet sand flat with 600 grit between |
| guns, a air regulator with a water trap, a | | | | rounds of clear. After the last round of |
| compressor, and of course some air hose. As | | | | clear has been sprayed, sand it down flat |
| aforementioned, you'll need 2 paint guns... | | | | with 600 grit like before. When it's nice and |
| one for painting primer, and another for | | | | smooth, finish it off with 1500 grit. If you |
| painting base and clear coats. | | | | want to get it even more silky smooth, go for |
| | | | a final round of 2000 grit. |
| PREP FOR PAINT | | | | |
| | | | POLISHING |
| Be certain your fuel and oil tanks are | | | | |
| pressure tested and leak free before you | | | | Now for the gratifying part. The final step |
| start. Ideally, it's good to sandblast your | | | | is to polish it to a mirror finish. You'll |
| metal parts, especially if they have old | | | | need a variable speed polisher, a buffing |
| paint on them. If you choose not to | | | | pad, and some polishing compound. There are |
| sandblast, make sure to sand them really | | | | many different kinds of buffing compound |
| thoroughly and wipe them down with a non | | | | available. Your local automotive supply store |
| oil-based cleaner prior to starting the job. | | | | will be able to recommend a good one. |