Let's talk about HVLP mini spray guns and paints to use

[TattooedHead]

I've grown completely tired of rattle can paint jobs. It seems as though they take forever, and no matter what, never seem to last as well, or look as good as quality paint job done at a "shop".

So I recently purchased an HVLP sprayer. It's a Finex FX1000 mini HVLP sprayer, not the cheapest, but certainly not the most expensive, like a SATA.

I'm new to the spray gun game however, and was hoping that some of you might have some tips on things like:

• Tip Sizes - What's best for primers, bases, colors and clears
• Paint sources - House of Kolor, etc...
• Prep - surface prep, (media blast or strippers etc...)
• Painting (techniques, #of coats, etc...)
• Finish - sanding and buffing

What I know sup far is limited to a lot of research online, and a couple of books published in 1984. Which means, not much, especially these days with paint technology changing as much as it has.

I know that after taking the frame back to raw, that a primer/sealer should be applied to prevent rust. Allowing that to dry completely, you then sand out any imperfections so your basecoat had the best chance to lay flat. I know that wet sanding orange peel in the color is important as well. But that's about where my experience stops.

I'm not saying I NEED a show quality paint job, but my perfectionism and OCD sure would like it to look better than any paint job I've managed to do with a rattle can. I'm hoping that there's some experienced painters here that can give me some help.

I know experience and technique is 75% of the job, and that practice makes perfect, but a little background knowledge and pointers probably won't hurt either.

 

[Henry Sanchez]

from painting my bike frame I realized it's best with a detail gun and small cup that doesn't get in the way. I use a 4 ounce cup and it works perfect to get into tight spaces. You'll have to learn how to keep your clear edges(edge of fan) wet. This means if you spray one area of the tube the orange peely area on the adjacent side needs to be hit fast before it sets up. This is how you keep the bike wet and glossy. Most detail guns or mini guns will have a tip ready for base and clear. Primer guns require a bigger tip. I use a 1.8 tip. If the frame is chrome just get it blasted. Too many crevices. I prepped mine really well and the primer didn't stick well so I had it blasted for $50 and re primed. Get a DTM primer. I use Valspar Urethane/epoxy hybrid high build and it works great to bare metal and provides some build. In a nut shell, go over your frame with 80 grit then 180 grit to prime, hand sand any crevice and then go over it with a red scotch bright pad. Let it set for a week to cure before sanding. Then spray guide coat on it(flat black rattle can will work just speckled on from a distance). This will tell you where you need to sand. Sand with 320-400 dry for solid colors and 400-600 wet for metallics. With metallic you have to have a find scratch so the flakes don't rest in the scratches and look funky. Everything needs a flash time so solvents can escape. I always let it flash on the long side. They say 15 minute flash I'll flash it for 20-25 minutes. I then let it sit 1 hour before clear coating. When clear coating a first coat that's a little peely is fine if it's sprayed wet and not dry. This will hold up the subsequent coat(s) well with a long 20-30 minute flash. On your last coat spray it a little wetter but don't double coat, but the difficulty is keeping those round bars wet cause it seems like double coating but the primary fan/material is actually on different angles when keeping it wet and so it will hold up with a good gun that atomizes well. make sure your air line is clean/filtered and you use grease and wax remover before priming and then use it on your primer, use a tack rag LIGHTLY on your base coats but not on your clear. There's A LOT to learn to be able to do a good job but it's not very difficult once you get the hang of your gun and how to spray in different temps. 74 is perfect weather to spray and weather dictates flash times but if you're always on the long side you don't have to worry. Don't forget to get an air regulator right before the air gets into the gun. I keep mine slightly higher than spec cause I find it sprays a little better but very important to get that dialed in before painting.

 

[TattooedHead]

Great tips, thank you! I have a few junk frames I'm going to get some practice on before I actually start getting after some real bikes, and I'll definitely apply all these little tid bits to my painting.

 

[Henry Sanchez]

there's probably a lot more but those are the main things. It's worth it look into some on line tutorials on the basics. There's a lot of stuff to consider but it's pretty simple once you get the hang of it. The hard part about being a painter is not about spraying it's color matching, matching 3 stage paint/pearls.

 

[Mr. Kool]

As a painter I can tell you that bike's frame is one of the most boring stuff to paint... Well at least for me.

Practice, practice and practice.

Maybe as a beginner you can use slow thinner or slow hardener depending on the paint you use. Il will allow you more time to come and go on the frame without creating overspray.

 

[Henry Sanchez]

I hear that about the reducer. I don't like using it in ideal weather for cars cause it dulls the clear a little bit but I've only painted one frame and it was a challenge to keep it wet without feeling I double coated. Came out real glossy but felt if I just added a little reducer it would have been a lot smoother. That's a good tip for sure but with that also comes runs. Always good to use less reducer than the full 10%, unless it's hot and needs it.