Tips on how to Paint your Own Motorcycle

Tips on how to Paint your Own Motorcycle
Bike and chopper portray tutorial

PAINT AND PREP SUPPLIES 
Reducer 
Plastic Filler 
Flowable Putty 
Epoxy primer 
Epoxy Sealer 
Base color Paint 
Clear Coat
80,a hundred and twenty,four hundred,600,1500,2000 grit moist/dry sandpaper


IMPROVISED PAINT BOOTH 
In case you're like me, you do not have the posh of a down-draft spray booth in your shop. This is what I did. I cleaned out a storage room that is attached to the back of my shop. I lined the partitions with white poly, and placed a variable velocity fan within the window. I then went round with a roll of duct tape and sealed the perimeter of the fan to the encompassing poly on the walls. Now onto the lights. After the first time you try portray one thing, you will rapidly study simply how critical good lighting is. In fact with regards to lighting, the brighter your paint area the better. A buddy gave me two 4-tube florescent lighting fixtures, which I hung on opposite sides of my new spray booth. It is good to have reflective walls. Lining the partitions with white poly not only saves your partitions, but it's also quite reflective.


SAFETY 
Earlier than I continue, I want to stress safety. It is a very unhealthy I concept to paint in a room that is hooked up to your house. In truth, it will not be legal in some jurisdictions. Additionally, paint fumes will not be only super toxic, they're extremely flammable. Be sure that your fixtures are wired properly, and that your fixtures are totally encased with lens covers attached. Last however not least, make sure you have a superb high quality respirator with the correct filters for the type of paint you're using.

PAINT EQUIPMENT
For tools you will need at the very least two spray guns, a air regulator with a water lure, a compressor, and naturally some air hose. As aforementioned, you may want 2 paint guns... one for portray primer, and another for portray base and clear coats.


PREP FOR PAINT 
Make certain your gas and oil tanks are pressure tested and leak free earlier than you start. Ideally, it is good to sandblast your metallic elements, especially if they've previous paint on them. If you choose to not sandblast, be certain that to sand them really thoroughly and wipe them down with a non oil-based mostly cleaner prior to beginning the job.

The subsequent step is to apply filler to the low spots and any trouble areas. It's a matter of non-public preference, however I prefer to spray a coat of epoxy primer previous to spraying on the bottom coat. This offers a nice base for the filler to adhere to. Put together your filler in small amounts (it units up quick) and apply it smoothly and evenly onto your part.

After the filler has dried, sand it easy with eighty grit and look it over for any low spots or chips, then fill and sand again. After the mandatory rounds of filler and sanding are completed, it's time to prime.

Spray on a few coats of epoxy primer. After the primer has dried, get a twig can of black paint and really lightly spray it over your part. This is the information coat. The sunshine black coat will present any ripples, low spots or defects in your useful work. To repair the problem areas that the guide coat uncovered, you will wish to use flowable putty as an alternative of filler. Apply the putty in skinny even coats, then easy it down with eighty grit sandpaper (wrapped round a rubber sanding block). Once you get the excessive spots leveled down, smooth it down much more with one hundred twenty grit, then ending it with four hundred grit. You're now prepared for the final spherical of primer. As soon as the primer is dry, sand it totally with four hundred grit to offer it a toothy floor for the base coat to stick to. I like to spray on a coat of epoxy sealer just prior to spraying the base color coat. Along with providing a very best surface for applying the base shade, it also prevents any solvents from coming by means of and causing bubbles in your clear coat. Make sure to follow the paint producers spec sheets close to mixing instances, mixing ratios and portray temperature. Failure to following the directions will trigger you much grief...consider me.

BASE COAT/CLEAR COAT 
Now comes the colour coat. Lay down the color coats as per your paint manufacturer's spec sheet. Next comes the clear. After the first round of clear has dried, wet sand it down with 600 grit. You will discover rows of ridges seem within the clear as you sand. Hold sanding until the clear is even and the ridges are gone. When you're painting graphics on, now could be the time to place them on. After applying your graphics, cowl them with another round of clear. It might take a number of rounds of clear to fully bury the graphics. Be sure you moist sand flat with 600 grit between rounds of clear. After the final round of clear has been sprayed, sand it down flat with 600 grit like before. When it's nice and clean, finish it off with 1500 grit. If you wish to get it much more silky clean, go for a final spherical of 2000 grit.

POLISHING 
Now for the gratifying part. The final step is to polish it to a mirror finish. You may need a variable speed polisher, a buffing pad, and some sharpening compound. There are numerous totally different sorts of buffing compound available. Your local automotive supply store will have the ability to advocate a great one.