Nu_ Schwinn

I've got two frames I would like to get painted (higher quality than diy). Any recommendations of shops that can paint and if possible chemically strip? Anybody in NC/SC preferably that can do this? I've been quoted $700+S/H to paint, which seems a bit high for a frame. Worst case, I do the stripping and have someone paint.

Also open to ideas on powder coating and spray.bike paint.

Thanks

merziac

Good luck, seems to be a dying art. I am in Portland Oregon and we have been building some of the best custom frames since the early 70's and still do. We do have Black Magic which is one of the best in the business but is also spendy and the only one I have found here for the most part that will take on a job in off the street. There are a few to check with, Yellow Jersey, Chester cycles and Franklin frame. Any of these may be less than the quotes you have.

And of course there's always powdercoat, make very sure they know bike frames and guarantee their work, it's way cheaper for a reason.

Nessism

What is your expectation? Replication of original finish including graphics or a simple powdercoat job?

Nu_ Schwinn

Really looking for just simple single color high quality finish. I could probably find the decals if I decided to go that route to bring to original.

mstateglfr 

the builder that taught my frame building class has a paint booth and does full restorations in addition to new builds.
he does anything from 1 color to block colors to fades and anything between.

I am a fan of spray.bike and have used it a couple times now with plans to use it again in the next year or so once I get around to a trashed Schwinn Premis frame. Results are entirely baaed on your planning and technique.
powdercoating is better than spray.bike, especially if you want just 1 color.

Nu_ Schwinn

Thanks for the info! Can you PM me your builder's contact info? Worth a shot.

bargainguy

Sometimes auto body shops will paint a bicycle frame as fill-in between other jobs, especially during off times of the year. Never hurts to ask, and it could be a fraction of $700. The one caveat is to confirm the shop understands bicycle-specific concerns, masking threads and the like.

mstateglfr 

His ph# is in the Facebook link.
plus a lot of great frame pics too!

haha, sorry! I just saw I didn't provide the link. That's kinda crucial.
https://m.facebook.com/JeffreyBockCustomCycles/
haha, apologies.

rccardr 

Jeff Wills

I had my green Superior painted by Black Magic. It's really, really, really nice. The pictures don't do it justice.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/ohpv/a...57642470085394
When I brought it to them I told them to "go nuts". It's over-restored, just like I expected. I paid for it, too, but I had some extra cash thanks to some time spent as a lab rat.

AngryFrankie

I just had a frame powdered by Miller Powder Coating in Lawrenceville, GA. Just a frame and no fork was $100. I never imagined it would look as good as it does. The media blasting leaves the frame basically like it was new at the factory. The powder coating is unbelievably durable. I had to sand a little bit out of the headtube where the masking I guess didn't stop a bit from getting in (there was very little powder coating where there shouldn't have been) and found it to be very diffucult to sand away the powder coating.
If it's for a frame that's just going to be a regular rider, you just want to get it painted so you can move on to building it and riding it, and not a restoration, probably the way to go.

merziac

Jeff does great work all the way around as you well know. He's been to PDX a couple of times, I love his Raleigh vibe.

Nu_ Schwinn

Awesome, I'll start reaching out to get an idea on pricing. Good to know about powder coating. I grew up in automotive where I had a sandblaster, full machine shop, repair shop, body shop, all the tools and space. Wish I had all those things again.

Thanks guys, also still open to more recommendations on paint shops if any good ones where missed.

Cheers

Giacomo 1 

Has anyone ever heard of American Beauty Cycling, which might also be known as ABC?

I believe they might be, or were, a paint shop in the Wisconsin-Minnesota area. My Basso is a very nice re-paint and it has there stickers on the frame.

Slightspeed

I took my Raleigh to Evan at The Bicycle Stand in Long Beach, CA. I did my own stripping, but they did a couple of braze repairs, paint, and decals. I wanted a custom color, so I chose Toyota Spruce Mica. They also did the gold lug outlines. I considered powder coat, but was afraid it might obscure the lug detail. Probably not justified, having seen other PC frames since. I'm very happy how it turned out, though rock chips have started to appear.


Before.


After.

Nu_ Schwinn

So that is what I am struggling with it's a higher end Reynolds frame. Do I strip and paint myself and make sure it's perfect, or do I need to have it professionally done to keep the value? I would hate to pay $400+ only to have chips etc; and if I sell it then I lose money. See my dilemma/struggle?

Open to thoughts.

nesteel 

If it's a keeper, spend the money and do it correctly. If you're already worried about resale value, you're done; do not invest that much into a flipper.

Lemond1985

Maybe have the frame bead blasted first, and look it over to confirm that there's no rust or small dents you want to fill in. The last thing you want is rust under there, that will destroy a steel frame in no time, and you won't know until it's too late.

Then mask off the parts you need protected. From there, it would be difficult for even the most incompetent powdercoater to screw up, I would think. And if you're not happy, have them re-blast and re-coat the frame.

In my area, they charge around $120 for a frame and fork. That is WAY cheaper than a professional paint job, though you'd have to do the decals yourself.

ollo_ollo

If you do it yourself, it won't be perfect. Before powder coating, install a pair of correct thread, sacrificial dropout axle adjuster screws in place to protect those small threads. These holes are frequently not protected by the powder coater.

Bianchigirll 

Like mentioned this a dying craft like shoe repair, gunsmithing and reupholstery. Good paint has never been cheap and with fewer people doing it it stands to reason it would get more expensive. I had a line or the guys who paint for Bishop buy lost the info. I have really considered Franklin a few times but never bothered getting anything painted.
Repainting

I've considered repainting my Proto a few times and looking real quick it seems like $375 for single color, clearcoat, add bottle bosses and pumpeg, and apply decals. Plus shipping.

Paletti

I have used Allen a couple times and he is very reasonable and does great work. He can also make repairs.

Wanta Frames

Doug Fattic 

I might have an option for some people that would like to be involved with the process. Mostly I teach framebuilding classes but sometimes I teach frame painting classes as well. I've been doing this since the middle 70's. One of my best friends is Jeff Bock in Iowa already mentioned. Because my schedule is full teaching these classes and painting their frames after they finish, I don't really have much time left over to paint for the general public. However sometimes if someone wants to help with process and do the grunt work like sanding the primers and clears in between coats I can squeeze that in between classes.

Just to be clear if someone wants to learn how to paint and be taught how to use the spray gun to get good results, there is a tuition fee and a class usually lasts a week (depending on how many frames they bring and how complicated the paint jobs are). A lot of information has to presented like what equipment to use (like what nozzle sizes are best) and how to hold the frame. And there are methods I use that a student can do so they aren't wasting valuable paint or getting massive runs that have to be corrected. However if I do all the spraying and the customer does all the sanding and masking then I charge in a different and cheaper way.

The actual cost of the paint itself is surprisingly expensive. I estimate it to be around $150 per each frame and that is not counting shop overhead.

I don't go out of my way to make myself known. Most of my painting students were professional frame builders who wanted to expand their range and obviously knew who I was. I'm set up for people to stay in the house next door for my framebuilding classes. NIles Michigan where I am located is just above Notre Dame University in South Bend, Indiana just off of I-80 and about 90 miles east of Chicago.

TiHabanero

Frame builder Doug Fattic will help you out. You can find him in the Framebuilders forum.

squirtdad

imo/ime
is it a rare, uniique and special frame? then no matter what you do refinishing will reduce that

What do you want out of the refinish? beauty, multiple colors, perfection or simply protection

Painting yourself is doable, but takes a lot of patience and attentions to detail, and will cost more than you would think

• get a good mask, maybe even positive air
• chemical strip frame completely
• wipe paint down with pre paint cleaner
• don't touch frame with bare skin again
• aciid etch primer
• sandable primer
• sand to smooth, maybe another coat of primer (some people put down 2 coats in different colors and sand down the top using the color to tell them when to stop sanding)
• tack wipe
• multiple thin color coats (all painting pay close attention to recoat times...easier to recoat as soon as you can and avoid more sanding)
• multiple coats clear

Rattle can can do really nice looking job, but it is simply not as durable as using automotive paint, it is really a shame to spend all the time you need to spend to get a less than durable job

If it were a daily rider even as a nice frame I would go powder coat. A thought here: Do any good coaters accept frames from bike flights and ship back? seems like it would be a good business plan

all depends on your goals and pocket book

63rickert

Yellow Jersey in Arlington, Wisconsin is still doing single color paint for $300 and that includes removal of old finish. Which is done with chemicals, no blasting. One of the good things about working with Andy is he knows vintage backwards and forwards and is ready to take care of everything else the frame might need. An old one is almost always ready for alignment. If it is simple alignment he sometimes just does it. Don't be surprised if your frame needs repairs and torchwork. He does all that at low prices. Frame will almost invariably have multiple dents and dings. Too small to see when the frame is rough, when the frame is shiny they are there. Andy pulls the big dents, fills the small ones with silver, brass, or lead. Why three options I don't know but he takes care of it and the cost is low. In past he pushed hard to keep it simple one color, he's expanding that a lot, but check with him first. Also he's quick. Right now he is backed up more than usual, the frame I have there now is still expected complete in six weeks, including lots of extras. And he is going to talk to you, send you emails with clear photos every step of process. Unless you send him something so simple there is nothing to talk about. Which never happens.

Best painter in world right now is Robert Schmidt at velociao.com in Berlin. All staff speaks English. Prices are way lower than you think. If you need complex work, chrome, decals recreated they do everything.