Painting my Electra...

[CalamityJane]

Hey guys,

So I want to paint my Electra because I'm not really feeling the Grey Satin colour it came with. Plus I want to make the bike my own even though it's relatively new. The paint on it now is from the factory and it is still really new, no scratches or anything, just some dust and grease from the bike shop.

What's the best advice you can give if I want to paint the whole bike? Should I just lessen the sheen on the previous paint, and paint over it, or should I try and strip the paint as completely as possible? I guess I would be using spray paint when I move to a new place with a backyard and such.

Cheers

 

[aka_locojoe]

Plus I want to make the bike my own even though it's relatively new.

Good for you.

Should I just lessen the sheen on the previous paint, and paint over it.

That's what I would do.

You might want to check in to having it powder coated. Would be a lot more durable. Where I'm at it's relatively cheap. Unless of course you are just wanting to do it yourself.

 

[CalamityJane]

Thanks for the reply. I think sandblasting + powdercoating over here is quite pricey. When I looked into having a handlebar powdercoated it would've amounted to AUD$45, so imagine if I wanted to do a frame + spokes + rims.

So if I wanted to remove the sheen, what sort of materials should I use? Sandpaper or steel wool? And just to get it right, I should clean it, sandpaper it, primer, paint, primer, 2nd coat, clear coat, etc?

Sorry for all the questions, I'm totally new to all this

 

[rick74304]

G'Day Jane! :mrgreen: Here's an article that covers just about everything you'll need to know ( I read all the way through it, just to be safe) written by a fellow from your neck of the globe.
http://www.cycling-adventurer.net/how-to/paint-01.html
You'll note the author ran into a problem while applying clear coat, his finish crackled. This usually occurs when mixing different brands of paint and clear, or if he didn't shake the clearcoat can enough.
Other than that, everything you need to know is there.
If this is your 1st attempt at using a spray can, I strongly suggest buying an extra can or 2, and practicing on cardboard, old garden implements, spare parts, whatever to get a feel for how much is too much.
Hope that helps,
Rick

 

[sensor]

_.

 

[CalamityJane]

Thanks guys! I've another question...

I had a looksee at the link rick provided, and he mentioned that painting a bike yellow has certain limitations. Now, I want to paint my bike sunshine yellow as it's my favourite colour. The paint on the rims is matte black and the frame is some sort of grey. Will I run into any problems if I just clear the sheen and use yellow? Or should I use a base of white first then pile the yellow on?

Thanks once again :mrgreen:

 

[Galtbacken]

I think I'd use a white basecoat and then paint it yellow. At least that sounds like a good way to do it to me!

 

[deorman]

I agree that yellow is much easier to get even over a consistent white base. Otherwise you can see right through it even if it's so thick that it runs.

 

[B607]

When you buy your paint, notice whether it is enamel or laquer. If you prep, prime, and use 2 coats of enamel, you really shouldn't need any clear coat. If done right, enamel is super glossy when it dries. Enamel takes forever to completely dry where I live...high humidity. With laquer, it dries way faster but usually has a bit duller of a finish. You can buff out the finish or put on your clear coat and it will shine. White base coat is a good idea as lighter colors over darkers colors can sometimes cause bleed though of the darker color. My 2-cents. Gary