Shinkers

Hello,

I'm painting a fork with some Rustoleum spray paint, and so far it looks fantastic. I primed it yesterday, sanded today and top coated. Very happy with the results so far.

So here's my question, I wanted to do the lowers of the fork with a second (darker) color. So I sprayed the entire fork with my first color, and intended to mask off the lowers and respray them.

Now, I know I 'should' wait for at least a couple days to mask it off and spray the second color, but has anyone else been able to mask sooner then that? Like maybe after 24 hours? I'm an impatient person which doesn't mix well with a rattle can paint job.

Also, I'm assuming I should sand the area I want to add the second color to correct?

Thanks!

oddjob2

Read the can, but usually 5 days.

Shinkers

Well the can says 48 hours but I was mostly wondering if anyone had fudged that number with success.

TomCat_Ford

Unless you want to run the risk of having to repaint the whole thing, you should probably stick with the can's recommendation.

andr0id

You can try after a day. Maybe less if you stick it out in the sun to dry. Use the good 3M blue tape and stick it to something clean once before you put it on the forks to reduce some of the tackiness. ( of the tape... The tackiness of a piss can paint job cannot be reduced. )

Peel off pulling 90 degrees back from the masked edge, not straight up.

I wouldn't sand under the 2nd color. New paint is going to stick to fresh paint just fine.

markk900

Last fall I did a frame with the Canadian equivalent. With proper prep, you can get a fantastic look....but here is my advice (don't ask me how I know....)

1. Do NOT reapply paint after only 48 hours even if the can says so....I waited that long to put on a second coat and it all bubbled. Then I needed to wait a week for the ruined paint to harden so I could sand it all off again. You can do multiple coats as the can says (I think in under an hour), but once you leave it to harden wait at least a week (unless you are in a very warm climate...even then be cautious - if you can, paint something else at the same time and test your second coat on that first).

2. Rustoleum even when fully cured (I am talking now 4 months) is extremely soft and will chip if you look at it wrong. I have been trying to find a compatible clear coat, because even though the paint looks amazing (smooth, glossy, etc) it is way too soft and is frustratingly easy to mar. There are a number of folks on various car and motorcycle forums that use this paint for their vehicle and I cannot imagine it lasting in those circumstances without some kind of hard coating.

crank_addict

^I'm not in full agreement with the above. For one of the kids and vintage lightweight, did the entire bike in Rust-o rattle can 2X formula. NO PRIMER. Only 2 coats and fairly light as wanted to retain the lug details and crisp edge. Did it outside on a calm autumn day. Let in cure, forgotten over the Winter, cold storage. Decaled it in the Spring and then the top coat urethane clear. Not too bad of a looker for $12 total.

The question of durability has surpassed my expectations. This bike has been dropped already ----- twice. Its the best for budget projects.

Shinkers

Chipping doesn't bug me as much as self-inflicted damage like putting tape on and peeling half my paint off.

As good as it looks now, and listening to what others are saying, I think I'd be better off to leave it as is and get a good long dry time and not try to mess around with masking and all that. Just opening a can of worms.

Thanks everybody!

oddjob2

IMHO, Ace Hardware paint is more resistant to chips and scuffs than RustOleum.

Salamandrine 

FWIW, the Rustoleum Professional in the silver can dries pretty hard.

As to the OP, I suggest 1 week.

rjhammett

I have used Rustoleum Wheel paint on a few frames. It dries pretty hard if you let it cure. The color selection is very limited though.

markk900

I think this is key to durability.

busdriver1959

Check into the two part rattle can clear coats out there. Those seem to be very durable, even over paint that chips easily otherwise. Use a good quality dust mask for yourself. The 3M kind with individual filters on both sides of the mask. Two part urethane is supposed to be nasty stuff.

Miele Man

I painted this Tange Infinity frameset MIELE in 2001 and used RUSTOLEUM spray-paints. This picture is from 2005.

Miele Road Racing Bicycle = 27 Gears Drivetrain Side by Miele Man, on Flickr

I painted the entire frame WHITE, let the paint dry for the recommended time then added the GREEN and then the RED and then set the thing asside to cure for a wek before putting on the decals and other parts. the paint is pretty durable but you do need to be careful if loking it to a L shaped metal sign post. The paint has held up well over the 15 years since I painted it.

Cheers

Miele Man

Btw, what happens if you apply a second coat too soon after the first coat has dried but not CURED is that the two coats cure at different rates nd the top coat can crack. I remember around the mid-1980s when crackle paint jobs on factory built bicycles were common. I always thought that the crackle finish looked EXACTLY like a poorly done paint job.

Cheers

callig

This is my Rustoleum paint job it has held up pretty well rode it a lot in the Fall if i were to do it again I would paint the whole thing white to start but how I ended up doing it was painting the red first and masking off the white area then masking off the red and painting the white which turned into a nightmare but with a lot of sanding it began to look good it took me almost 2 years to complete the head tube decals went through a number of repaints with finally spraying it all white and hand painting the lugs in red and sanding it to blend with the red on the red part of the frame. I only put a couple of coats of clear over the whole frame and another coat over the decals.

rootboy 

Build a cardboard box with a lightbulb suspended in it. Make shift drying cabinet.
It works.

Miele Man

#1 rule of painting is to start with the LIGHTEST colour and move to the darkest one.

Cheers

callig

I should have known that but with some mediums white is the last colour applied

Grand Bois

It depends on whether the Rustoleum is lacquer or enamel. the car matching colors are lacquer. The wheel paints are acrylic enamel for better durability. Lacquer dries much faster.

obrentharris 

Depending on where you are in Utah (looks like it's supposed to be 80 degrees in SLC on Thursday) you can suspend the fork inside of a car and leave it in the hot sun for a few hours. It will cure just fine. Don't let any painted surface touch the interior surfaces of the car: Even though the paint feels dry to the touch it can still stick to hot upholstery.
Brent