Jicafold

I have painted a few bike frames with a spray can which always look nice but are not durable. I was considering using the Preval system with the premixed Duplicolor Paint Shop product. I have 2 repaints to do, a 1979 Raleigh Competition GS and a Cinelli Centurion, both silver. So I figure I could use the same paint for both. Has anyone used this specific paint for a frame? Happy with results?

Lemond1985

Not that specific mixture, but I have used Duplicolor spray paint before, and had terrible color matching problems from can to can, so I would highly recommend that you make sure all the paint is from the same can so as to avoid that issue. There are a million and one possible shades of silver, so watch out for that pitfall, as it could cost you weeks of work as it did to me.

Unca_Sam

When I'm looking for touchup shades, I use a free app called ColorGrab on my phone. It gives color coordinates in many values, though I generally just point the camera at a chip and see how close it gets to the measured value on the bike. I've been successful so far matching those nail polish shades to the color on the bike. The hardest part is that you're measuring color from a curved and imperfectly lit surface, introducing highlights and shadow, so I try to take lots of samples and see which color comes up most frequently, then match that. I use a piece of white paper to ensure that I'm accounting for white balance too. I'd recommend giving it a test on some clean paint, to see which shade of gray you get (it doesn't account for metallic flake, you'll have to keep that in mind) I don't doubt that you could use the coordinates in the app to match a color, if they do matching.

Or bring the bikes with you!

Jicafold

While trying to be as polite as possible... the first responder seems to have derailed this thread already...and so on it goes. I'm not interested in opinions about rattle can spray, which is completely different, or specific shades of silver, or color matching. I'm only interested in hearing specifically about personal experiences with painting a bicycle frame with the Duplicolor Paint Shop premixed paint as shown in the photo if anyone has done so. Thank you.

Lemond1985

My apologies, good luck with your thread. I was simply trying to save you a few weeks of work, potentially.

squirtdad

i have know knowledge of the duplicolor, but used the preval sprayer with auto paint (paint and reducer for color and catalyzed clear) on a frame a while back and the sprayer worked well.

Jicafold

Excellent. I haven't used a Preval yet, but it seems like a good way to paint a frame if you don't have a compressor and spray gun. Others seem to like it as well. I was just going to try the premix Duplicolor as I don't have the knowledge of mixing with reducers and such like you do. I'm trying baby steps.

squirtdad

lol i had no knowledge just read the instructions, lots of thing coats, watched the recoat time and hoped for the best heads up the pre-val get really cold when you use them....so don't be surprised

fwiw this was by coating plan

acid etch primer (spary can)
sandable primer (spray can)
auto color (preval)
auto clear (preval)

ddeand 

I found the Preval system gave more consistent results than rattle can paint jobs. I used the Preval stuff for painting guitars.

DaveSSS 

The paint is still just lacquer - no different than the spray can paint. You need to use urethane products that have a catalyst that hardens the paint. The primer needs to be epoxy or urethane too.

Jicafold

I was assuming that it would be harder and more durable than spray paint out of a can.

mrt2you

i am a certified auto body/ painter tech. i usually repair and paint at least 2 cars a week.
i have used prevail sprayers a LOT for small touch up jobs at home. they work great with old school low solids paint. they are better than a bomb because the spray tip is made a little better. they store the paint in a small jar at the bottom and are a little consistent than a bomb. also you can see mow much paint is available before your next coat so chance of getting spitting are reduced. CLEANLINESS is extremely important if you plan on re-use. with all the love i posted remember they are really just a elaborate spray bomb and you aren't re-painting large areas with it.

like davesss says the paint is just lacquer. if it were me going to all the trouble of using a prevail and proper prep to get a nice job. why not go all of the way and at least use 2K paint? it will be significantly stronger paint and look much better over the long run. low cost 2K paint products can be bought from summit racing or another source with the same product is eastwood. i THINK they even sell the prevail sprayers also.

if using small quantities of 2K paint personal protection required to use would just be a proper respirator. in all reality you should be using a respirator with 1K paint also.

Jicafold

Thank you. You are a wealth of information. This painting world is new to me. I used to have to do mechanical work at an autobody shop because they didn't do mechanical stuff and vice versa. I'm not an artist. I will certainly look into what Summit has to offer. By the way....New Berlin? I was born and raised there. Lived near 124st and Crawford. Cruised HWY 100 and all that. Lived there for 17 years until I left for college.

squirtdad

also for painting besides respirator it is important to get all the paint off.....best way is chemical stripper.

the reality is if there is a powder coater with bike experience nearby by it will almost certainly be cheaper.....doing 2 bikes will make the difference less

OT nearly fell off my chair looking at your sig line LOL you may enjoy this (my son is the creator)

Last ride 76 

[QUOTE=Jicafold;21076832]While trying to be as polite as possible... the first responder seems to have derailed this thread already...and so on it goes. I'm not interested in opinions about rattle can spray, which is completely different, or specific shades of silver, or color matching. I'm only interested in hearing specifically about personal experiences with painting a bicycle frame with the Duplicolor Paint Shop premixed paint as shown in the photo if anyone has done so. Thank you.[/QUOTE



Perhaps try adding "buy 2 bikes at noon", it might be sublime...


Duplicolor rattle can paint is not a "completely different" product. Using "Paintshop" from the can, the durability didn't change for me. I thought it would, but it still sucks, and I let one frame "dry" for a year. I'm going to try 2k primer and if no better, I'm done. I love the painting, and finishing but am frustrated by the poor adhesion/fragility issue.

Lemond1985

I have concluded that it is exceptionally poor quality paint as well, FWIW. Knowing what I know now, I would avoid it like the plague.

Jicafold

Thank you. I did not know this. I was making an assumption...a bad one.

Last ride 76 

What really gets me steamed is that I used Duplicolor rattlecan, and then Duplicolor/Preval believing it to be a step up in terms of adhesion//durability. Not in my opinion. Anyone else see things differently? On my way to buy new 2k respirator cartridges. (They have a limited shelf life, even sealed, apparently.) Only pair of lungs I have.

mrt2you

aerosol bomb or a pre-mixed pt can. it's still the same product. actually the pt can paint probably is a little thicker due to less thinner in it.

to ever hope to get any durability with it you will have to have proper prep then a quality primer/ aka under coat. if you use a primer you have to sane before top coating. you need a primer, then sand when dry then e SEALER coat., then top coat.
if you skip the sealer step it won't adhere properly. NOTE if you use catalyzed epoxy primer thinned out 25% it becomes a direct to metal sealer, you just need to use multiple coats until you reach 2 mil thickness, usually 2 coats. also if you top coat before undercoat is dry, touch it without leaving fingerprint, you can create a mess.

Last ride 76 

Sealer coats? This year is the first time I've heard about sealer coats... And have yet to see one on a shelf.

EddyR

Let me state I did not read all the threads above but I have been using Duplicolor for years paining model aircraft and bicycles. The pre thinned quart cans are nothing like the spray can paints. The spray can paints have a much higher solids in them and they cover almost anything. The Quarts must be put over grey,white or silver base to get them to perform well. I have used grey primer for years. The paint will get hard in just a few days. I have always used some type of clear on it. I found there spray cans to get hard in one week. Be care full to use only there lacquer paint over lacquer primer. Any two part clear will go over the Duplicolor. Another good source of color is .Randolph dope from Aircraft supply. You must use a Lacquer thinner with it. T did use a compressor and small gun for all of these paint jobs.

Here is a original 7/11 repaired and repainted with Dupicolor red over white base.

mrt2you

sealers have been around almost as long as car paint moved from brushes to spray guns.
it improves adhesion and durability. it also reduces paint dye back from top coat solvents soaking into the primer.
if you use a lacquer top coat this is important. lacquer paint is about 85% solvent, 15% solids. the paint i use on cars today, clear coat because the base coat is water based, has 30% solvents and 70% solids....note thinner added to paint the color is only a small part of the solvents in the paint. paint has solvents added to it before you even get the paint.
i am not familiar with hardware store bombs so i can't comment on their availability. visit a automotive paint store and they will have more types than you think are available. unfortunately probably none will be in spray bombs. you will need at least a prevail setup or a spray gun to use them.

Moe Zhoost

I've painted 3 bikes with the Duplicolor system (primer/color/clear) using my HVLP spray gun and compressor. I found that you can achieve an excellent result, but it may take a bit of experimenting with the gun settings as well as thinning the lacquer a bit. Assuming that you have enough clear coat thickness, it polishes up nicely. The downside is that the finish is fragile. Though it "dries" quickly, it seems to take many days (weeks even) before it hardens up enough to start clamping things to it. Once it does harden, it seems to chip easily. Because it's lacquer though, it's much easier to fix than PU or enamel.

I have no experience with the Preval system, but knowing how finicky it is to set up a HVLP gun for a good result, it probably won't perform much better than a rattle can.

I have one frame now that I plan to paint soon that I'll be using a 2 part PU. It's just so aggravating to see a beautiful lacquer job get messed up so easily.

Jicafold

Is it better to completely strip the frame down to bare metal, and then apply an etching primer, or is it good enough to sand the existing paint?

02Giant 

What kind of condition is the existing paint?

What do you want it to look like when completed?