Be careful what you paint or don't paint
#12
08-31-2009, 03:49 AM
Road Master
I know a couple of people who have had their bikes ground and painted. They look really good. I haven't heard of any trouble with the clear coat yet but I guess it pretty much depends on what lacquer they spray on. If people use the water based stuff they are asking for trouble because it's not very tough.
I ride my bike in all weathers so I wouldn't think of spending the money to get it ground and painted like that. I reckon you'll get rust eventually however carefully it's sprayed.
I ride my bike in all weathers so I wouldn't think of spending the money to get it ground and painted like that. I reckon you'll get rust eventually however carefully it's sprayed.
#13
08-31-2009, 04:29 AM
Ultimate HDF Member
Lacquer pretty much doesn't exist any more in automotive paints. The water based products are extremely durable. ... but neither matters since the clear coats aren't designed to go on to bare metal.
#14
08-31-2009, 06:54 AM
HD offers a clear coat paint touch up kit, maintaining that coat isnt that hard at all, what makes the process hard is the literal clear, you wont see which part is covered and not covered.
its no different than wet sanding a car panel.
but on a smaller scale.
its a 3 step process.
1. wet sand the affected area.
2. treat the affected metal, usually involving a steel wool of some sort,
3. utlize the clear coat, either brush on or spray on depending on its delivery method, allow to dry, smooth with a light sanding if need be, and your done.
no muss about blending paints etc... its clear...
its no different than wet sanding a car panel.
but on a smaller scale.
its a 3 step process.
1. wet sand the affected area.
2. treat the affected metal, usually involving a steel wool of some sort,
3. utlize the clear coat, either brush on or spray on depending on its delivery method, allow to dry, smooth with a light sanding if need be, and your done.
no muss about blending paints etc... its clear...
#15
08-31-2009, 09:07 AM
Elite HDF Member
Saw the blue version up in Woodstock, NY a few weeks ago. Looked killer but there was a small (nickle size) rust patch on the tip of the rear fender where the clear coat was compromised and the bare metal exposed. It sounds like this may be a pretty common problem, especially if you ride a lot. It does look good though!
#16
08-31-2009, 10:49 AM
Ultimate HDF Member
Unfortunately, clear doesn't adhere well to clear. New clear sprayed over already cured clear will not adhere well. The overlapped area will lack durability and most likely flake off in a short period of time. The paint companies do make clear blending products that will melt the new clear into the old clear, but, they are less than ideal.
For someone who isn't a painter, the best bet for filling rock chips in the clear coat would be to just dab a bit of clear into the chip with a touch up brush.
For someone who isn't a painter, the best bet for filling rock chips in the clear coat would be to just dab a bit of clear into the chip with a touch up brush.
#17
08-31-2009, 11:53 AM
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Yup, it's clear over bare metal. It's a cool custom paint technique, but, it's best saved for show bikes only. Clear coat isn't designed to go over bare metal. There are certainly going to be adhesion and durability issues. On a bike ridden regularly, you'd pretty much want to look it over after every ride, and touch up any chips. I'm guessing you'd be looking at major failure of the clear somewhere down the road... maybe a couple of years.
#18
09-09-2009, 08:27 AM
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paint
here's one I sprayed, and I went one step further by shooting a candy finish (brandywine) over the bare steel.
When done CORRECTLY, there's not much of a difference between this method and a standard finish. Sure, you can't shoot clear over bare steel and expect it to work good, that's not how it was designed. However, there are other methods.
I do my artwork on the metal with a DA and some 80g, and then wash everything off with lacquer thinner from a straight stream out of the spray gun. After it dries off, I shoot a coat of House of Kolor's "Adherto", followed immediately by 3 coats of clear. That all sits for a week or so to let it settle in and shrink some, then I wet sand with 600g, do my tape outs, and shoot my candy or clear. At this point it's treated like any other paint job.
I've done some adhesion testing with this method and these products not only on this "ground steel" look, but also on the "aluminum Vrod" and never had any problems.
When done CORRECTLY, there's not much of a difference between this method and a standard finish. Sure, you can't shoot clear over bare steel and expect it to work good, that's not how it was designed. However, there are other methods.
I do my artwork on the metal with a DA and some 80g, and then wash everything off with lacquer thinner from a straight stream out of the spray gun. After it dries off, I shoot a coat of House of Kolor's "Adherto", followed immediately by 3 coats of clear. That all sits for a week or so to let it settle in and shrink some, then I wet sand with 600g, do my tape outs, and shoot my candy or clear. At this point it's treated like any other paint job.
I've done some adhesion testing with this method and these products not only on this "ground steel" look, but also on the "aluminum Vrod" and never had any problems.
#19
09-09-2009, 08:37 AM
Elite HDF Member
That paint job looks killer!
here's one I sprayed, and I went one step further by shooting a candy finish (brandywine) over the bare steel.
When done CORRECTLY, there's not much of a difference between this method and a standard finish. Sure, you can't shoot clear over bare steel and expect it to work good, that's not how it was designed. However, there are other methods.
I do my artwork on the metal with a DA and some 80g, and then wash everything off with lacquer thinner from a straight stream out of the spray gun. After it dries off, I shoot a coat of House of Kolor's "Adherto", followed immediately by 3 coats of clear. That all sits for a week or so to let it settle in and shrink some, then I wet sand with 600g, do my tape outs, and shoot my candy or clear. At this point it's treated like any other paint job.
I've done some adhesion testing with this method and these products not only on this "ground steel" look, but also on the "aluminum Vrod" and never had any problems.
When done CORRECTLY, there's not much of a difference between this method and a standard finish. Sure, you can't shoot clear over bare steel and expect it to work good, that's not how it was designed. However, there are other methods.
I do my artwork on the metal with a DA and some 80g, and then wash everything off with lacquer thinner from a straight stream out of the spray gun. After it dries off, I shoot a coat of House of Kolor's "Adherto", followed immediately by 3 coats of clear. That all sits for a week or so to let it settle in and shrink some, then I wet sand with 600g, do my tape outs, and shoot my candy or clear. At this point it's treated like any other paint job.
I've done some adhesion testing with this method and these products not only on this "ground steel" look, but also on the "aluminum Vrod" and never had any problems.
#20
09-09-2009, 10:01 AM
Club Member
WOW... That looks friggin awesome.... Do you do this professionally? Got any pics of it out in the sun?
here's one I sprayed, and I went one step further by shooting a candy finish (brandywine) over the bare steel.
When done CORRECTLY, there's not much of a difference between this method and a standard finish. Sure, you can't shoot clear over bare steel and expect it to work good, that's not how it was designed. However, there are other methods.
I do my artwork on the metal with a DA and some 80g, and then wash everything off with lacquer thinner from a straight stream out of the spray gun. After it dries off, I shoot a coat of House of Kolor's "Adherto", followed immediately by 3 coats of clear. That all sits for a week or so to let it settle in and shrink some, then I wet sand with 600g, do my tape outs, and shoot my candy or clear. At this point it's treated like any other paint job.
I've done some adhesion testing with this method and these products not only on this "ground steel" look, but also on the "aluminum Vrod" and never had any problems.
When done CORRECTLY, there's not much of a difference between this method and a standard finish. Sure, you can't shoot clear over bare steel and expect it to work good, that's not how it was designed. However, there are other methods.
I do my artwork on the metal with a DA and some 80g, and then wash everything off with lacquer thinner from a straight stream out of the spray gun. After it dries off, I shoot a coat of House of Kolor's "Adherto", followed immediately by 3 coats of clear. That all sits for a week or so to let it settle in and shrink some, then I wet sand with 600g, do my tape outs, and shoot my candy or clear. At this point it's treated like any other paint job.
I've done some adhesion testing with this method and these products not only on this "ground steel" look, but also on the "aluminum Vrod" and never had any problems.