Who knows anything about preventing paint chips?

Hi ESFMs,

I don't know if any of you know much about spray painting bike frames but I have to ask here because I'm having a really frustrating time with paint chips on my DIY frame paints.

I recently finished painting my 3rd frame ever. And this time I used 2k clear coat and let it cure for close to 2 months before the final wet sanding and polishing phase.

It was during The first part of the assembly phase when I dropped my c clamp onto one of the tubes when it chipped it right down to bare metal. That set me right off! I put so much time and energy to achieve a harder finish
I only dropped it from a few centimeters while I was clamping the pivot seals into the frame.

This isn't the first time I've experienced this and I thought 2k clear coat was going to be the holy grail.

Anyway, I'm rambling. Any of you have experience with spray painting bike frames and achieving a chip/knock proof finish?

P.S: Might I add that I've been using rattle can. Rust-Oleum universal (primer and paint in 1) with spraymax's 2k gloss clear coat in a spray can.

Not gonna happen. Follow the instructions on the can for painting and clear coating. Then don’t damage it for several months. Paint does get stronger with age but it’s never very strong anyway.

I use only rustoleum 2/1 ultracover. My best advice is to use a color you don’t need to clear coat for when it gets chipped, so you can spray it again whenever.

Powdercoating is your best bet.

You need the right paint
You need to apply the paint in the proper manner
You need to not drop things on the paint job
You need to wait between coatings
You need to prep the bicycle the right way

Never going to happen. you will never get durable results out of a rattle can. it's the wrong kind of paint. Even the spray paints that say they are chip resistant are not very good.

You can get stunning, car show quality results out of a rattle can. I knew a guy who sprayed a classic MG in pale blue, spent a month polishing it to mirror Finnish, and took it to car shows. it was a beautiful car. Hitting a butterfly at 40mph would chip the paint, though.

They way I see it you have 3 options:

1) Spray it with automotive paint. Compressors can be cheap enough. I paid $45 for a used 10 gallon compressor to use at my weekend place. $25 will get you a new sprayer. I'd spend good money on a pressure regulator and an inline dryer. Those are optional, but having them gives you good results.
Then get yourself a good etching primer, and then a 2 part PPG automotive paint. Single stage, or base coat / clear coat is up to you.

2) Paint it with truck bed liner. DO NOT use the rattle can stuff, it's as bad as spray paint. they make a roll on that is very durable. Use that and have a very durable Finnish. I've use it on everything from my jeep bumpers, to my monster bike side pannels, to even my lawnmower. All the black on this 20year old freebie mower was sun bleached, rusty, and/or smashed into pieces,. I assembled with it fiberglass, sanded it, then painted with truck bed liner. here's the result:



3) Pay someone to powdercoat your frame. That runs around $100, and can be very durable but the color is often less glossy than most people want. The more gloss they add, the more it will sun fade, but if you want a nice satin finish, this is the way to go.

you ever thought of Plasti-Dip, people ad pearl and paint their cars. sounds crazy but heres some photos.

https://www.dipyourcar.com/pages/customer-dip-jobs

The best anti-theft for bicycles is how ugly does the bicycle look.

Its really that simple.

markz said:

You need the right paint
You need to apply the paint in the proper manner
You need to not drop things on the paint job
You need to wait between coatings
You need to prep the bicycle the right way

Click to expand...

Check on all the above. I agonized and Drew out the process far longer than is necessary. After stripping the entire frame and sanding it with 80, 180 and 320, then 3 coats of my base/primer, sanded that to 600, masked and sprayed my top coat 3 times (and yes I waited 15 mins between coats)....I waited a month before spraying with clear coat, I agonized with what grit to use for metallics (after lots of research and agonizing deliberation, I went with 800) I did this in the summer at night when the temperature was anywhere between 20-30 degrees Celsius.

Yet a rattle can isnt really the right product. Maybe automotive spray paint, maybe spray paint that you can bake on after applied, maybe some powder coating.


There are rental paint booths you can use, usually attached to DIY garage auto repair. I believe every major city has one.

Calgary, AB Canada - http://www.u-wrench.ca/default.htm
Edmonton, AB - https://www.facebook.com/YEGAutoClub/
Michigan - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zVZBeAhezOY
Interesting video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SNGNP4vnOJs&pbjreload=10


I say dont paint your bike, just have it looked ugly, chipped and rusted.

ANTI-THEFT!

ClintBX said:

chipped it right down to bare metal.

Click to expand...

markz said:

You need to prep the bicycle the right way

Click to expand...

Might be a problem with primer adhesion to the metal? Its got to be clean. No touch. Your skin has oil on it. Read the instructions on the can. Buy a book on how to paint cars.

Powder coating is really nice. Took a big hydraulic jack all apart. Had all the parts sand blasted and powder coated. Powder coater guy chose the color. Soda Pop Red. It still looks great.

Nice old light fixture. Had it sand blasted and powder coated. Asked powder coater guy to make it white. Went to pick it up. It's white with black specks. Told powder coater guy I really liked the special effects of black specks on white. He told me that he didn't clean his equipment good enough and no charge for this job. Paid him anyway.

Might look into epoxy enamels. They get way harder way faster than rattle can.

Tricky shit to spray, practice on a lot of junk frames first, and get a touch up gun for the painting. Can't paint bikes too good with a big gun for cars.

I am no expert paint guy,..... but chips are normally the result of incorrect preparation of the base metal combined with the correct choice and application of the primer.
If you are really that concerned about the finish,how well it lasts, and prepared to put the time and effort into achieving it, take a tip from ALL the top custom bike and automotive custom shops....
.....LET THE PRO’S DO IT. !
It a skill learned from years of practice, and depends on having the right equipment, facilities, materials, and experience.
It like any other project...do you want it done Cheaply, Quickly, or Properly. ??
.. pick any 2,...you can never have all three at the same time.!

marty said:

ClintBX said:

chipped it right down to bare metal.

Click to expand...

markz said:

You need to prep the bicycle the right way

Click to expand...

Might be a problem with primer adhesion to the metal? Its got to be clean. No touch. Your skin has oil on it. Read the instructions on the can. Buy a book on how to paint cars.

Click to expand...

I used rubbing alcohol every step of the way and gloves.

My other suspicion is the use of this primer and paint in one. I don't think quite as good as using a dedicated primer.

Hillhater said:

.....LET THE PRO’S DO IT. !

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NEVER! Your right. It is a skill and that's the reason I started this thread. I'm learning this on my own and the only way I can refine my skills is by asking others.

So, is it really absolutely impossible to have strong knock proof finish using rattle cans?

Are spray guns really the only way to go if you want a truly durable finish?

2 in 1 paint and primer would have been a problem for your application.

ClintBX said:

Hillhater said:

.....LET THE PRO’S DO IT. !

Click to expand...

NEVER! Your right. It is a skill and that's the reason I started this thread. I'm learning this on my own and the only way I can refine my skills is by asking others.

Click to expand...

I respect your determination, i have been there also..
But not only skill you need..
.. you also need the right equipment, facilities ,materials, and experience etc.
Rattle cans in the garage doesn’t come close !
If you wanted it chromed,..would you do that yourself ?
If you wanted it powder coated (best option) .. would you attempt that also ?
Electrostatic spray ?
Hot dip galvanizing ?
As i said, you cannot expect a high quality result , from a low cost process.
However,..your basic problem seems to be base coat adhesion..
So, find out the best prep and primer for your frame material ( steel or Aluminium ?)
Then ask the paint suppliers what primer and what surface prep they recommend ( etched. Blasted, scoured , etc)
Application conditions (Temp, humidity, air dry ?, bake dry ?, cure time before color coat, etc etc)
Many, many variables to optimise.
As Someone once said...” a mans gotta know his limitations “ !

ClintBX said:

So, is it really absolutely impossible to have strong knock proof finish using rattle cans?

Are spray guns really the only way to go if you want a truly durable finish?

Click to expand...

This is correct!

You can get a decent coat of paint out of a can, but you can't apply an automotive clear out of a can.

Actually, the primer should be shot w/ an outfit too.