xiaoman1 

Hello To All
I hope some members will find this information useful.
Many have been asking about various rattle can paints for inexpensive restoration/s on their bikes and lamenting the fact that the color range is quite limited from the typical go to's for spray paint.
While looking for a better alternative to the much more expensive, color matching at the automotive paint stores or bicycle "spray" systems currently on the market. A while ago I found the paints at art stores to be an asset, offering a wider range of colors along with great durability.....apply a compatible clear top-coat and good to go.
I thought that I would share them those not opting for powdered coating, custom painting or the usual Krylon and Rustoleum options.
The following images were posted in another thread...but posting them here as well.
Best, Ben



Something for the Bianchi or GIOS?

Best, Ben

mobilemail

I've used car touch-up paint in a rattle can before, but it's a pain to work with. It will run or crackle in a heartbeat...at least it did for me. I've pretty much sworn off doing a complete strip and repaint w/ new decals unless it's a particularly special frame. I have gotten better at buffing and blending touch-up spots.

obrentharris 

I used the Montana brand spray paint sold in art supply stores to repaint a bike a dozen years ago. It was easily chipped and scratched. The labelling was different from those pictured above, so maybe the formulation of the paint itself has also changed for the better.
Brent

xiaoman1 

Brent,
Correct, unlike "Hardcore" paint, if not cleared with a "good" topcoat after the color is applied, the paint can chip.....The preparation of the frame before paining is also key to good adhesion.
Best, Ben

Chuck M 

^^^^

There is a recent post in the what have you been wrenching on thread using Montana Gold. It looked pretty good. After I googled Montana paint it appears it comes in different formulations. I have several weeks before I will have time or temperatures to paint so I’m watching these paint threads closely.

squirtdad

With limited experience, 2 painted frames, one rattle can, one Auto paint. I am of the strong opinion that unless you are fully set for painting, it is better to a) powder coat if the frame is not super super special b) get a pro to do it if it is super super special or c) live with the patina, clean and polish... maybe clear coat

Rattle can look perfect, but it is not durable for anything ridden on a regular basis

to get a good job it is a lot of work, and more cost that you think

get a good mask if you don't have one is first step 40-60 buck minimum
strip frame completely of all old paint
only touch frame with gloves from here on
acid etch primer
sandable primer, sand, possible repeat
3 color coats, following re spray times and temps
2 clear coat, following re spray times and temps

YMMV

repechage

If one lives is Southern California, actually almost the entire state now, finding decent durable paint is very difficult.
There is paint via the auto paint supply stores, and a Preval paint spray cannister, actually propellant and a screw on glass beaker below where one mixes up the reduced paint, that work pretty well.

Chuck M 

That is the funny thing. All that work is part of the reason I want to do this myself.

While I consider material costs, the value of my time I don’t give a lot of thought to. My bikes are keepers not flips so I’m cool with the time I spend on them. But I don’t want to spend the time if it fades quickly, chips or scratches, or turns out looking like a drunken feces throwing gibbon did it.

3alarmer

...there are, indeed, two different formulations offered by this company in spray cans. Here, my store that carries them is Dick Blick. They do offer a wonderful range of color variations, but there are some unique problems associated with using the Montana Gold labeled acrylic sprays, then clear coating them with 2 part urethane. Which is the only way I've tried to use them. Also, they come out of the nozzle differently, so your painting technique for application needs to be modified.

That said, you can get acceptable results using them. I can't speak for durability, as I just painted this one last summer. But so far it's holding up well. It was more difficult getting a smooth surface using the acrylic paint, and it goes on sort of flat, with little gloss.

3alarmer

^^^the OP paint appears to be the other stuff, not the acrylic formulation, which I might try in the future. I probably would not repeat the acrylic "Montana Gold" experiment.^^^

Chuck M 

That is what I took away from reading about it.

Sort of flat is what I would have been happy getting to if someone hadn’t scrubbed the paint off of this trying to get it to move in the junk store I found it in. The seat tube was the only painted surface unmolested.

Wilbur76

Came here to say the same. Although the Montana Gold line has a decent range of colors and the low pressure spray mechanic seems confidence-inspiring for beginners like me, I found mixed results between some colors and the clear coat. Gold metallic color came out powdery like what I hear Spray.bike is like, while solid regular colors applied more wet and predictable. The MG clearcoat was also more wet but required a very long cure time. In fact, two weeks after completing the job and letting it cure untouched, the clearcoat “melted” in some spots. So it seems the clearcoat needs to cure in a more temperature-controlled environment, not the 90+ F degree garage it sat in. Retouched but required even more cure time.

So overall I’m reluctant to spend money (about $120) and time (whole prep and paint process took 7 weeks) on DIY spray jobs. Maybe a 2k hardener clearcoat is the better route if I get the itch to try again.

fishboat

I stripped and painted a frame last fall (my first experience painting a bike) and will be doing another once the weather improves by the same process. I found automotive-grade paints the easiest & best I've ever worked with. Be sure to use proper PPE. The results mimic gloss and durability that you experience with your autos.

A bike frame & fork will need 1 can of 2-K primer($25), 2 cans of basecoat($25/ea, filled by a local auto-parts & paint supplier. They have the equipment to fill rattle cans with any of thousands of basecoat colors, metallic and non-metallic.), and 2 cans of 2-K high gloss clear($25/ea). All in..with various other supplies about $150ish for a beautiful paint job. Want two colors? Add $25.

The pic below is the base paint before the 2k Clear Glamour topcoats.

Total, all custom-mixed/loaded automotive rattle can-Spray Max (PPG) paint schedule: 2K epoxy primer, 3 coats blue basecoat where needed, 3 coats white basecoat where needed, 3+ coats Glamour Clear-gloss. Paints applied at 68-70 degrees, 50-60% humidity. 20 minutes between paint coats, 5-7 minutes between clear coats. One hour wait after final basecoat application before I taped it up with regular(house painting) green painters tape for spacing & reference marks and vinyl automotive tape for final masking (to yield crisp paint lines). Masked(blue) areas-lines had the (vinyl) tape pulled off about 10 minutes after the final white basecoat application. Respirators aside..working with automotive-grade paints is a pleasure. Very fast setup to tack-free and the fresh paint held up perfectly to tape without pulling off.

(The three lines on the top tube are vertical..must be a camera distortion that makes them look angled)



There's been a number of paint threads lately. This one was from a while back..useful read..

https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-v...-question.html

xiaoman1 

To All,
I personally like doing painting myself......some powder coat is put on too thick and professional painters are a little pricey.
There have been questions about color/color matching and why I posted the pictures. I have used all of the paints listed and find Hardcore the best for my purposes. I have paint guns and use them when I need to.....Painted my Chevy Nomad a few years ago!
As I mentioned RC paint jobs are not as durable as a factory paint finish because of the process catalyzed paint is IMO is better but there is a a higher cost that goes along with it. I have one bike that I purchased that was painted by a well known painter and it to suffers in a similar way from minor chips and scrapes.
The colors are plentiful and more so if one desires to mix their own.....TCP Global also has some really nice house of color paints if anyone wants to go that route, they also have some nice mid range spray guns...link below:

https://tcpglobal.com/pages/automoti...YaApKJEALw_wcB
To each their own in terms of how best to approach their projects.....I never overly restore any of my bikes because I ride them and to me it seems "rolling " out a small non-structural dent only to then have it filled with lead or Bondo by a professional. In my mind its much, easier to tap it down and apply the filler myself.
All of the above does take a certain amount of skill which is often gained from RW experience OR advice of others...it's great to have everyone share their trials and tribulations, in this way it can help folks make up their minds about the direction that is best for them etc..
Results will vary depending on skill level, product used and prep.
All the best, Ben

Kabuki12

I do not like spray painting myself. The time it takes and the marginal results have me to a point of two options. Here in Ventura I have a powder paint guy who does industrial as well as recreational coating. He matched my Motobecane’s original color very well and after assembling the bike , it looks great. The decals were about $40 because I went outlaw on this one(non original) , the powder coat was $100 for the frame and $25 for the fork. That included media blast , special primer , and custom color paint. After he scanned the color he found that he had to order the color. The masking of the threads and even the tiny holes for the drop out screws were plugged or masked. The only fault I found was the fork where the lower headset race goes had to be filed to get the coating off. The other option fo me is Jack at Franklin Frame( there are others) where I sent my Colnago and that ….PERFECT! The latter is quite a bit more $$ after factoring in shipping but for that special bike, I highly recommend a pro paint job figure about $700 or so after shipping.Patina is fine as long as the metal itself is not starting to erode.

Kabuki12

1982 Motobecane Grand Sprint powder painted


1975 Colnago painted by Franklin Frame
Jack at Franklin even had a NOS Silca pump and I sent the Campy head along.I’m happy with both bikes, they were both in need of fresh paint , the rest of my bikes are ok for now.

con50582

I have used MTN paint and was happy with the results. MTN 94, Electric Blue.

randyjawa 

Did this 1958 Rabeneick 120d with rattle cans acrylic lacquer from Canadian Tire. One can of primer, two of blue, one of gold and two of clear...

Dylansbob 

I'm playing with Montana Gold low pressure paint, commonly found at craft shops. Allegedly, it's about the same as spray.bike. I'm not typically very good with spray cans, but it appears to be very hard to get it to run. We'll see how durability is without a clearcoat....

Wilbur76

Just wrote about my Montana Gold experience today. Clearcoat is absolutely necessary unless you don’t care about chips and scratches. Also look into 2k hardener clearcoat instead of MG’s.

unworthy1

I have had good-ish results and durability with plain Rustoleum and especially with the "Epoxy" appliance version (but VERY limited colors).
It's absolutely essential to give it a long cure time with low but constant heat (a home-made "hotbox" is great for this).

Even so regular Rusto never is as hard as most "factory paint". Don't know why but I find Krylon totally unacceptable compared to Rusto (yet formulations both seem pretty similar).

The graffiti artist rattlecan paints (like Montana. Molotow, Belton) is way too soft tho it comes in SOooo many colors plus several spray-cap options. Just doesn't hold up, IMO, even with a "hard" clear coat and long cure doesn't help it last.
Last advice: if you use ANY of the "two-pac" paints (polyurethane with an added catalyst) even the ones in a single mix-n-spray can, be sure to use a REAL respiration mask designed for such stuff. It's a far more serious health risk than breathing in some Rustoleum mist

look566 rider

Good day,

Sorta relevent to thread. Art Supply stores are great resource for paint and other needs. Bought Angelus Leather paint at Blick Art. This paint also works on vinyl Original shoe look on top.

Shoes are 3 seasons old and were looking a little tired but function great. I really like hi-vis colors. These were brush painted with decent brush. Two coats of color with semi-gloss seal cost. Knew the original gray would show through which was OK with me as it adds color variety to scheme.

Kabuki12

if I could do work like that I would. I have seen your bikes and you certainly have great skills and patience. BTW I absolutely love those GB stems, I have them on a couple of my Raleigh’s.

randyjawa 

@Kabuki12...

I also like the GB stem but my favorite is the Carnelli..,

Kabuki12

^^^ that is a nice stem!