Bike Paint That Is Not Spray Paint ??
 

Is there a hand painting alternative to spray paint ??

My research has led me to Lacquer type auto paints, but is there a cheaper alternative ??
Or, will a clear Lacquer coat seal any paint that I choose ??

I am trying to paint different colors in multiple areas, so hand painting just works better, that's why.
Wife's nail polish seems to work a little, but could get expensive, and make her mad, when I steal her supply of it.

Thanks,
SDkid605

Some people have had good luck with using boat paint, since it's designed to resist intense sunlight, salt water, wind, rain, etc. I have not tried it myself yet, but see no reason why it would not produce excellent results. There seems to be Decent color selection too, though I'm sure you could pretty easily mix your own custom colors as well:

https://www.overtons.com/brightside-...rt-300452.html

Description: "A hard, high-gloss, one-part polyurethane topside finish. Excellent application characteristics yield that "sprayed-on" look when brush-applied in thin coats. Ideal for use anywhere above the true waterline. Fluro micro-additive for easy cleaning, resistance to staining, and added abrasion resistance. Use with thinner 333. Quart."

Pegoretti bikes are hand painted.

I've seen a few posts on here where bikes were hand painted with a thinned out rustoleum. The results were very impressive. Do a search and you should find details.

Painted a bike this spring with Rustoleum in a can. Brushed on without thinning it first. Lays nicely, but if it had been thinned first it would look much better close up. Very durable paint, much better than rattle can. Not sure if thinning it affects durability. Sells for about 9 bucks a pint. Color choice is limited, so you will need to mix to suite.

Edit: I should add this little diddy. A friend of mine went to Hobby Lobby every day for a month, sometimes twice or more in one day, and purchased Testors paint in the 1/4 oz bottles. Used the 40% off coupon each time.
Poured them into a cup to get a half pint total. A little nutty, but the color was what she needed and the quantity had to be enough to do the job. If you only need a few oz of a few colors, this may be a way to do it on the cheap.

Auto body shops buy paint by the quart or gallon and use fancy spray guns. The good paint is not cheap and you have to track down a paint store to supply it. You can buy aerosol sprayers to use with your liquid paint; they're cheaper than buying a compressor and spray equipment. Brushing it on is not likely to produce good results, unless you're painting a house.

https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon....iM5nL._AC_.jpg

You could always try tractor paint as a cheap alternative (cheap compared to automotive paint) that should hold up well. Harbor Freight sprayers are cheap too. Or, simply take your time with rattle can spray paint and wetsand as needed.

I used to paint my winter bikes with 2-part epoxy and a brush. 2 coats. End result was like a thick powder coat. The epoxy flows almost like magic part way into setting up and brush marks disappear. (Just don't even think about correcting any remaining imperfectionas at that point. You will make a huge mess of your paint job!) Made for a very durable paint. Perfect for steel frames in winter salted roads country as commuter that didn't get washed. (No outside faucets turned on and I was not welcome and the dirt that came inside with the bike was expected to leave with it.)

Ben

For steel frames there's a product called POR15 available on Amazon.com. A pint of that is more than enough. There are YouTube videos demonstrating its virtues. The frame has to be stripped of paint first and etched with phosphoric acid, aka "naval jelly". This stuff looks like it might be better than automotive two part epoxy but I haven't tried it.

There are several kinds of enamel paint you can apply with a brush. Car restorers often brush paint when they don't have spray booths. It's worth looking at Eastwood or visiting an automotive paint supplier. Sign paint is another brushable enamel.

POR15 is a great rust encapsulator and inhibitor, and tough as nails. I used it extensively when I was rehabbing an old Triumph TR6. The downside is that colors are limited (black and silver only, AFAIK) and it is UV-sensitive. The manufacturer recommends that you give it a top coat with regular paint in direct sunlight applications (A bike would qualify, I think). In which case, why not just use primer and regular paint? I used it on the undercarriage of the TR, so the UV-sensitivity wasn't an issue. POR15 is also a PITA to work with - almost impossible to get off your skin - you'll have to let it wear off eventually - kiss any paintbrush goodbye after use, and if you get any around the rime of the paint can, it'll seal the can permanently - you need to carefully decant a working amount into a disposable container

Por 15 is a good product, however if it is not done perfectly, it does not work as it is intended. I have used it successfully, and unsuccessfully. I'd rather paint it with a brush and do the touch up.

Unfortunately POR15 is not immune to UV rays. It's only intended for use on cars where it will not see daylight.