surreal

i found a thread where Randyjawa linked his awesome tutorial on brush-painting framesets.
https://www.mytenspeeds.com/My_TenSpe...troduction.htm

I want to try it out, and i have a frame with a ridiculous paintjob that would be the perfect specimen to try it out on. Before i do, i want to see if anyone else has any experience with using latex enamels or similar and paintbrushes to refinish a frame? If so, any thoughts on the topic?

Thanks
-rob

ps-can someone recommend a good brush-on clear-coat?

Veloria

Myself, I have hand-painted panels and lugs on a bike, but not an entire bike. However, I have seen many hand-painted bikes, both good and bad. My opinion: Unless you are doing embellishments or "bicycle murals" (i.e. professionally hand-painted motifs on an already painted background), handpainting is for the really crappy frames where you don't want to bother removing the old paint and are okay with the bicycle looking funky. If you are going to go through the trouble of stripping the old paint, then you might as well spraypaint - it will look much better. I have never seen a hand-painted bike where it did not look "ghetto" with visible brush strokes. So why bother stripping, when the end result would be the same if you just paint over the original paint? Just my view, of course.

rhm

I am currently painting an old 531 frame according to Randy's instructions, diverging from them as little as possible. It's the frame I've been discussing in this thread. I chose a two-color scheme based on oil-based Rustoleum 'royal blue' and 'almond' colors. In consultation with my color expert (my daughter; I don't see the nuances of color that well) I mixed about ten ounces of a turquoise color; it's mostly blue, some almond, and a little bit of yellow rustoleum. The paint mixed nicely and we liked the color. I started applying the paint about three weeks ago. With a lot of wet sanding between coats, I added several more coats before applying the last one early Tuesday morning, just before leaving for Long Island for the vacation (where I am now).

The result is going to be pretty good, I think, but I have not been very happy with the paint. It is hard to apply it smoothly. I tried thinning it various ways, which helped, but I still wasn't thrilled. But the worst problem has been with the color we mixed; it takes a distinctly different color depending how thick I put it on. A thick layer is bluish, the way we intended it; but thin layers are more greenish. Multiple thin greenish layers, adding up to the same thickness of a bluish layer, remain greenish. Layers of uneven thickness are streaky. If I put a thin layer over an uneven layer, I can get a uniformly greenish color, but if I wet sand through that in places, it goes streaky again.

If I were doing this over, I would not mix the paints, and I would consider getting more expensive paint. If I pay more, it's gotta be better paint, right? I would also consider having the right color professionally mixed.

But I'm not doing this over until I finish, build the bike, and ride it. Then, if the bike is wonderful and the paint is terrible, I will consider trying again. For now, when I get back to NJ, I expect the paint will have dried pretty thoroughly, and I will wet sand the whole thing. Then, if necessary, I am going to apply a few very thin coats to get the color uniform again, after which I expect I will have to go over everything with very fine steel wool.

As I understand Randy's method, he does not recommend sanding the final coat, or going over it with steel wool. Steel wool or sandpaper will ruin the natural high-gloss finish of the paint, but if the paint is thoroughly dry you can buff it up to a deep sheen with fine steel wool followed by a cotton cloth. That's the look I'm going to go for. After fine steel wool, I'll add decals, pin stripes, etc; followed by wax and buffing. I hope to have photos of the results within a month or so.

I considered a latex enamel, since I have a can of 'wine red' of that, but decided I didn't like the color well enough to risk it.

I don't think a brush-on clear coat is a good option, but there are various polyurethanes that fit that description.

beech333

Yay...another brush painting thread!

I plan to do a brush paint job in the Spring on this commuter. I don't want this bike to look perfect and my father has some leftover paint options that I will try. If I have to, it will simply be black. If I could pick my color options, I think that I would go kelly green with a white head tube and possibly a white panel. I just picked out the bike and I have plenty of time before I have to make the final call on color.

The group is another task for me. I have a spare Shimano tricolor group with now-working brifters, but brifters would draw thieves. I'll probably end up with Suntour Vx and other bits of similar value/quality.

zandoval 

Hey - Great link - Got a guy down the street who wants to camaflage paint his old mountain bike - This info will help - In the Navy they had this zinc chromate colored green primer - Wonder if that stuff is still around or banned by the EPA - I guarantee you some of the stuff painted with it is in fact still around with intact paint...

AZORCH

I've very successfully stripped and painted several frames using an HVLP (high-volume, low-pressure) sprayer and I've had the colors mixed for me to my specifications by a paint shop. I read Randyjawa's website some months ago and I was pretty intrigued with the idea. Not long afterwards, one of my C&V-possessed friends here in town showed me a couple of 50's-era English frames that were brush painted - what I mean is that the original finish was brush painted - and they have a really, really terrific look to them. So, I'm actively looking for a frame to brush paint this winter (the only problem being, good frame choices seem to have dried up on CL over the past month. I'll just keep waiting for one to fall in my lap, I guess.) I'm an art professor - a painter, actually - and so I'm very comfortable using a brush. Once I find a suitable victim, I'll post a thread to show the progress and to solicit suggestions.

MrEss

If you're wet-sanding between coats, the unevenness and brush strokes should all sand out. I believe the advantage of spray is that the enhanced evenness means less sanding and fewer coats. Especially if you're using an old-fashioned paint that can be buffed to gloss, as opposed to requiring a clearcoat, I bet you'll have a great time brush-painting a frame.

Now you've got me wanting to try it too!

repechage

Paint designed for brush application lives on in paint for tractors and machinery. it is not low VOC, so in some parts of the country it is not for sale.
I do not consider it a good Winter project, these paints need warmth. Not for enclosed rooms, unless you will live in a respirator. They take a long time to dry, unless heat forced to cure. These paints are next of kin to paint designed for dip painting, think of how Henry Ford had the Model T painted.

nlerner

I tried it with my Velo Cheapo bike last winter, mostly because I could paint a frame that way in a cold basement in the New England winter. Unfortunately, the result was awful. I never could get the brush strokes out, but I'm sure my technique left a lot to be desired.

Neal

big chainring 

Yes, I have brush painted a few frames with much success.

I use Gloss oil based enamel. Benjamin Moore Gloss Impervo has yielded the best results. I use a 3/4" flat nylon art brush to apply the paint. Basicly I give the frame a sanding and dont remove the existing paint. Wipe it down with some sort of deglosser or cleaner and start painting.

Oil paints flow beautifully. Two to three coats is usually all that is needed. Sand in between coats to get any runs or rough spots out. Gloss enamel dries pretty hard over night and I have found the darker the color the more difficult to make it look good. Every imperfection shows on a gloss black bike. Lighter colors are much more forgiving.

After the final coat I rub it down with a light rubbing compound. Then wax it with a few coats of quality wax.

I painted a Gitane two years ago with a brush and it looks great. No peeling, flaking whatsoever. And on that bike I barely did any prep on the frame, even painted over some dirt around the bottom bracket and dropouts. You really have to examine the bike to tell that it was painted with a brush. The bike was assembled and ridden once the paint was dry, no cure time at all.Gloss oils will dry hard in 48 hours.

sailorbenjamin

I'm doing a chainguard in black rustoleum right now. I tried the latex and it wouldn't flow out flat and it wouldn't sand or buff very well, as it dries to a rubbery consistancy.
The enamel is pretty nice to work with. It doesn't flow perfectly either but I've been sanding it down to 1200 grit and buffing with Kit Scratch Out. There are other compounds that are better at the car store but they come in car sized bottles and I've never felt like buying that much bulk (except for the last time I painted a car).
I'm pretty picky about finishes, my varnish jobs have won some boat shows. I think I can make this work. I'm still burning through in a couple of spots so I need to do some build coats.
On boats we mix paint with a product called Penetrol that flows out really nice. It tends to come in large amounts, too, but I think I've seen it in quarts or pints somewhere.
My technique relies on post application elbow grease rather than application technique and might be a PITA on a complicated lug or something like that. But if you get enough coats on, it's reliable, one run or orange peel patch doesn't wreck the whole coat.
I tried to take a picture but my idiot proof camera can't decide which end of the chainguard to focus on.

4Rings6Stars

I'm currently in the process of brush painting a frame for my girlfriend. I sanded between coats but not after my final coat and there are some serious visible brush strokes. I actually like the look of them though on this frame. If I do another I think I will wet sand + buff and wax after the final coat.

Check THIS THREAD out for my painting experience. I'll update/check back in once I have some proper finished product pictures.

Here is a crumby photo after the first clear coat.

randyjawa 

Nice to see others trying out this way of prettying up an old bicycle. The method, which can produce very acceptable results, is not for everyone.

After reading through this thread, one thing I have never had to do was thin the paint. As sold, its consistency is perfect for paint brush application.

Brush strokes - yup, but there will be fewer and fewer, with each coat of paint and yes, I do not sand the last coat. I allow the natural gloss of the paint to prevail and that, in my opinion, adds to the vintage appeal, for some reason. You will have to witness the results and decide for yourself.

Also, the lighter the color, the better you must become to lay the paint on well. Dark colors are easier to work with. And as for temperature...

You must work in a warm area, such as my wife's kitchen. Cold or cool temperatures will ****** drying and leave the surface with a blush. But there is a simple and inexpensive solution. Ya'll wanna bake your paint and do so safely? Here is how I used to do it with motorcycle frames and parts...

Get some wood. Build a box that your frame set will fit into, leaving a few inches of clearance all around the frame. Ensure that the front of the box has a big door on it, to allow for easy insertion of the frame set, or components. Ensure that you can hang stuff inside. Install a couple of 100 to 150 watt light bulbs. Feed the spark, to them, through a thermostat set at about 100 - 130 degrees Fahrenheit and close the door. Check back from time to time to see how things are going. I used to leave a part in there for about 24 hours.

You will be amazed how hot it will get in there. Your paint will dry way faster and much harder. This set-up works just great.

PS: Let the frame set cool before beginning sanding or re-coating.