Andy_K 

I know a bunch of people here have experience with rattle can paint jobs. I'm doing this for the Clunker 100 Challenge, so hold onto your "powder coat is cheap" recommendations. I'm looking for advice on choosing a spray paint.

Right now, I'm looking at two options "Rust-Oleum Stops Rust Gloss Protective Enamel" and "Rust-Oleum Stops Rust Metallic". According to the label, the Enamel dries in 4 hours while the Metallic dries in 30 minutes. I'm not sure what that means for durability and self-smoothing. I've used the Enamel before and been happy with the results. I'm trying to decide if I'll be happy with the Metallic. Yeah, it's for a bike that I'm going to be giving away in a few months, but it's destined to be a window display item if I can get it looking nice enough. I know, that sounds weird for a Clunker bike, but in this case it's true.

FWIW, I've taken the bike down to bare metal and will be using a proper primer. If I use the Metallic, I'll probably also add a clear top coat.

Any advice? Other recommendations?

tyler_fred

Either should be fine. I would use a light colored primer such as gray, and steer clear of the red oxide. Rustoleum seems to cover far better than Krylon.. and then there’s always Dupli Color spray paint available at automotive parts stores.

Velo Mule

I have used both the regular Rustoleum enamel and the metallic. I am sort of a Rustoleum guy. I have a garage full of various colors (except the one I need). They are both pretty good. I painted my hub caps Rustoleum silver metallic and it has been several years and they are still looking good. If you want a picture, my car is outside, I can get a picture for you.

bargainguy

I've used Rustoleum, the American Accents line. Worked well enough.

A different approach is spray.bike:

https://spraybike.us/

...which is an acrylic spray paint designed just for bikes. Not cheap and has to be ordered online, but relatively drip-free unlike regular rattle cans.

tyler_fred

Spraymax urethane clear over your base will add crazy gloss but it doesn’t fit well within the Clunker Challenge budget.

Charles Wahl

In acrylic there's also the Montana-Cans line, similar to Spray.Bike, but with more ("can" be confusing) options. This stuff was either developed for or adapted by the graffiti "industry". I haven't tried any of it, but find it interesting because the basic idea is no or little drip tendency, and working much closer to the object typically (though distance recommended varies depending on the different effects/types). Acrylic tends to be not as glossy as spray enamels, I think, and maybe softer too, but there are clear coats, glitters and so on. It's pretty amazing what one can get in a can.

randyjawa 

I have used both Rustoleum and Krylon. I do not like Krylon nearly as much as Rustoleum. Also, I much prefer to paint a bike with a paint brush. Spraying a bike frame is difficult because over spray is usually a problem (over spray occurs when you paint one stay, for example, and the over spray hits the other stay). Also, I can paint a bike, with a brush, in the kitchen with no fear of getting paint everywhere.

Painted this with Rustoleum, brushed on...




And this with rattle can Dupli Color lacquer spray (had to use lacquer and clear coat over waterslide decals - even clear coated over the chrome plated surfaces)...



Another brushed on Rustoleum paint job that I did a few years ago...


Krylon rattle can...

tendency

I highly recommend using Dupli Color. It's a laquer paint that was used for auto's back in the day. Very fogiving to use and after it has fully cured nothing beats the luster and glow of a hand rubbed laquer finish. You'll want to clear coat it with a good enamel clear (or 2K if you want to go nuts). Dupli Color makes these as well.

Also pay attention to the primer(s) that you use .. ideally stick with the same brand for primer/paint/clear.

With practice you can achieve results as good as a pro for a fraction of the cost - though it is time consuming.

Andy_K 

I've read your pages on brush painting. The sanding part scares me because I tend to be impatient. On the other hand, I had to do a fair bit of sanding with the last bike I spray painted. I've found that with spray I can get away with no sanding (after the initial surface prep) if I'm careful about distance and speed of movement. I'll probably give brush painting a try at some point. Your results are certainly beautiful.

Andy_K 

I used Dupli Color on the last bike I painted, and it left me a terrible mess to clean up. Fine yellow dust all over the garage. It also left a fairly dull finish and a good bit of orange peel texture. I should note, however, that I was using a can of Dupli Color that had been sitting in my garage for over 10 years. Does that stuff expire? I bought some Dupli Color for another project I'll be taking on later this year. Hopefully that will go better.

mrv 

Below is a another vote for DupliColor.
It's got a clear matte over the final colors. If it's a lugged frame, and your impatient, definitely rattle can.

I attempted to use Rustoleum brush on paint (not the pic below, but a touring Miyata). The primer went on fine and smooth. Then I went for a top coat of matte black, and it was just never smooth enough. I'd sand, the white primer would peek through at the lugs or some place.
Paint again. Sand. Paint. Sand.
Finally I went bonkers, said screw it, sanded the whole thing kind of smooth and got a matte black rattle can of Rustoleum. The lugs look terrible. Need to re do it.

I will probably try this paint next: https://www.montana-cans.com/ - as in next year.....
I was looking to get my scratched up RockHopper painted and contacted a local artist / frame builder / bike shop owner (I think he own the bike shop.... not sure) - anyway, he said he uses Montana spray with Eastwood epoxy clear coat.


Pontiac Blue - not just for muscle cars......

tendency

Most spray paint is guaranteed by manufacturers for a year or so after fill date so yeah, 10 year old probably not good to use

FWIW I've never had that issue with new Dupli Color and I've used it for many projects.

3alarmer 

...I have pretty much come to the conclusion that what you use as a color coat doesn't matter much, if you prime well and do a final clear coat with urethane. However, after much experimentation with a lot of different metallic and non metallic paints, some of the metallics do have a tendency to go on a little rough, and don't surface level to smooth out. Partly this is related to whatever they use as the flake (reflective element) in the paint. The Mylar flake metallics seem to go on smoother than the ones that use something else.

So given your parameters I'd choose a nice, saturated color in a Rustoleum spray enamel. And I would try very hard to saturate the painted surface just short of running, which will help the paint go on with a high gloss surface. Sometimes those instructions to go with a bunch of lighter coats don't allow for this aspect of painting with enamel.

I think I know the kind of Rustoleum metallic you are talking about (the quick dry stuff), and it goes on and dries pretty rough. I used it once to do golden stars on a gaspipe DBS 3 speed I ride as an errand bike sometimes.

zandoval 

I have had allot of luck using Rust-Oleum Engine Block Paint. After preping the frame I use a light even spray of Rust-Oleum Grey Primer then after drying sufficiently use the Rust-Oleum Engine Block paint. Its not that I am pushing Rust-Oleum, but it's the only one I have used.

There are a limited choice of colours on the engine block paint and the engine block paint takes more than a few days to dry. So after painting my frame I will let it dry for a few days then hang it in the attic for a few days to harden (Texas Heat).

The durability of this Rattle Can method is about as good as you can get.

Still... Powder Coat Rules.

zandoval 

Man... That's a real skill... Nice Bikes!

Andy_K 

That's a lot more metallic flake than I'm looking for. The sample images I've seen of the Rust Oleum Cobalt Blue Metallic had me questioning whether it even had flake versus some kind of shiny sheen.

I'm trying to roughly recreate the original look of the bike I'm painting. There weren't many spots left where the sheen wasn't "faded patina milky matte" but looking under the clamps I thought I could see some metallic hints. Looking at the steerer (which inexplicably has a full gloss finish) I'm not so sure it isn't just a deep gloss that fooled me into thinking it was metallic. If I can find the new Rust-Oleum Cobalt Blue Enamel that's what I'll go with.

Thanks to everyone who has taken the time to reply!

Mr. 66

The RustOleum metalics are very easy to use and dry vary flat in leveling and finish. The thing I remember is that they rub off very easily but with a simple clear coat handles that. If you double your price for primer you could go epoxy that would greatly increase the durability with the clear. I know it's pushing that clunker budget, but given your starting price you could just fit under.

obuckler

I was happy with duplicolor perfect match paint and clear on my just finished Lygie.

randyjawa , can you or anyone share the pluses and or minuses of clearing over chrome frame bits?

Pompiere

I used Rustoleum Metallic on my Fuji. It looked dull until I sprayed the clear coat. I'm pretty happy with the final result.


Rustoleum Cobalt Blue Metallic before clear

Rustoleum Cobalt Blue Metallic with clear

Andy_K 

Yeah, that looks great. That may be exactly the look I'm after. Now I just need to see if I have room in the Clunker 100 budget for clear coat.

Rooney 

I haven't ever found a metallic spray paint that has ever felt convincing. I'm sure they're out there, and there are ways to achieve a good finish, but I avoid them. I've used Rustoleum Enamel spray paint on some vintage Billy Curry-designed Laurel Lamps. Cast aluminum base with a metal tube stem. I used some metal-primer I didn't particularly like (very runny, I forget its name), but the enamel went on well. I think I sanded lightly between coats and got very smooth coverage. I never clear coated. I should probably get on that. I still have one left to do.

3alarmer 

...any time you paint over highly polished chrome (without roughing it first), there is an increased chance you'll run into adhesion issues.
You don't want to rough the stuff like chrome legs and socks, because then it will be less shiny (even clear coated).

If chrome is already starting to fail (pitting and corrosion, flaking in places), I have no problem roughing, priming, and painting it.
I don't paint over chrome lugs or socks, because I'm afraid it will eventually start to fail in spots. I mask those, then polish and wax after the paint job is done.

randyjawa 

The plus is that it slows or even prevents the return of oxidation. Put another way, rust is less likely to become a problem.

The negative, as mentioned by others, is adhesion. Smooth surfaces do not lend them selves well to paint sticking. But it does stick and careful use will leave it stuck for a long time. If adhesion does fail on the chrome plated surface, big deal. Just remove it and removing paint that does not adhere is easy. I have done it many times on bikes that came with the clear coating in place right from the factory. And you know what? The chrome underneath is darn near perfect.

So, for me, I want to protect the chrome plated surfaces. I would never sand unless pitting had actually occurred. These fenders, for example, are a sand and paint over situation. Only rechroming would solve the problem so, I painted over them with Rustoleum, a product that is recommended for use without primer...

Pompiere

I think it was $6.99 and I used one can.

obuckler

Deleted message. Question was already answered !!