Thanks to a layoff (all is well), I've got a little time on my hands and I've been toying with the idea of doing my own paint job rather than paying a shop the $1,900 I was quoted. I am nervous as HELL about doing this, so I thought I'd let you all either talk me into it or out of it.

I have a brand-new flat-top fuel tank (bare metal) and will reuse my stock front and rear fenders. The bike's purple now, and I want to paint it black and lay down some old-school orange flames. I've been wrenching all my life, but I've never done body- or paint-work. IF I do this, I can either just do the black and clear and let a pro lay down the flames, or I can try and do it all myself. I live in a condo with an enclosed garage. I can wrench there, and hand-sand, but no way can I setup a spray booth there so I'd have to rent a booth and rent all the paint equipment.

Am I a fool for even thinking about this, or do I stand a chance of turning out a quality result? Am I going to save any money by doing it myself, or will the equipment rental, booth rental, and small tools purchases result in a financial wash compared to the $1,900 quote? Are there specific books you recommend that I look at for guidance on this?

I appreciate your honest feedback.

Z

 

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Would I ever do this? No way! When comes to paint and body, I suck. But if you're game, go for it.

There's a number of good books available, check with Amazon. Most of the car rags do at least one story a year on painting your car. I'm sure the same principals apply. It doesn't look that hard. But then, flying a jet looks pretty easy, too. I saw a TV show about the guy who invented the real flames painting technique. He made it look pretty easy.

Financially reasonable? It's probably a wash since you can't do it in your garage.

Seems like I remember an article not too long ago about home car painting being banned in CA by the Enviro ****'s. Better check on that before moving foreward.

 

I say GO FOR IT!! I'm not sure I would start on the tins you plan on installing though. Get some old tins from a junk yard or e-bay and practice on them first. As far as painting equipment, do yourself a favor and buy your own gun and get used to it. Every gun is a little different, even if they are made by the same manufacturer. Do us a favor and take lots of before, during and after pics. Even if you don't save a lot of money there is nothing better than doing something yourself!!! Then when people ask about your killer paint job you can just smile and say, "Yeah I did it myself!!!"

 

Z, lotsa ifs ands and buts when it comes to paint.

Somebody said -

"If ands and buts were candy and nuts,
we'd all have a very merry christmas".

You will probably save money. Maybe.

Will you be happy with the results?? Maybe.

I would probably just save up the 19, if I knew that this painter would lay on a quality job.

mud

 

If your just gonna do it to save money, i would say don't do it. Your going to have to buy the paint, primer, and all the prep stuff, then some equipment and to top it of you'll have to rent a spray booth. In the end you might save a couple hundred bucks. If I had the choice of a pro painter and pay 1900 bucks and get a pro job or do it myself, and spend maybe 1500 bucks and chance it not coming out so good i think it would be worth the extra 400 bucks, just for piece of mind. bodywork and painters have a real artistic trade, its not just bondo and laying some paint down. I seen them do it. I would love to be able to do it myself. I'm a bmw mechanic and can probably fix any bmw car but i would never attempt to paint anything myself, especially not my $14,000 bike. With repair instructions and the time and the special tools, I would attempt a 96 inch motor kit on my bike, but not the paint. Not with out lots of practice. That means spending more money for supplies, which in the end might make it the same cost as the pro painter doing it. If it's something thats a personal challenge for you, and your willing to spend the extra cash on practice, and time to practice (not to mention the confidence)before you paint your baby go for it. Just think how proud you would be in the end. Best of luck! and post lots of pics along the way!

 

I say try it. If it does not come out soo well you can easily strip it down again to re-paint. I am personally a cheap SOB and would not pay $1900 just for a paint job. A few years ago I got a powdercoating setup from Harbor Freight ($59) and made a cheapo oven and do most of my own powdercoating. Powders are cheap, non toxic, and fairly easy to apply with good results. My investment more than paid for itself with the stuff I had coated. In fact, I just got my 62 pan tank badges in so I will be stripping down my stock tank and powdercoating it black with a gloss clear on top. It costs me a total of $30 for powders. If I paid to have it done it would be over $100.

Again, paint is not a structural permanent thing so I say give it a whirl because if ya screw up it can be fixed.

 

grab a book and give it a try! i plan to atempt my own paint job next year ( going to get an old hood to practice on) i say 'GO FOR IT' there is a guy around this area who has a metric look a like that has a really,really cool paint job. when i asked him about it, he said he did it in his basement with spray cans - no crap - had pictures to prove it. flawless paint look really cool. me i just bought some paint guns and have been testing on my old car, wife's car, bowling pin, lawn mower,weed eater(weed eater now has a flame job-looks pretty good.)

 

ronster
Did the flame job make your weed eater run faster??? I heard that flames make things faster...

 

no way would i try it myself. Maybe if i had free acess to a paint booth and equipment. Also you wantto be able to bake the tims after your done.