Frame painting... (or frame wrapping?)

[EsPeGe]

So I've just painted a bike. I'm waiting on some parts to finish the rebuild and will bang up some pics but there here is a teaser. It's a lot of work but very rewarding. I am about to do another bike and need some info on compressors but I won't hijack this thread. I might do a thread on the painting process and the stuff I learned along the way. If you do decide to paint you can't half arse it. It takes time and patience to get even a half decent result. I'm pretty happy with mine but I will say it's a looooong way from what I was hoping for.

 

[hellmansam]

Unless you rreeeeeeally need to satisfy some DIY cravings, pay to get it done by somebody who has all the right gear. I’ve had frames powder coated and rebuilt a few customer bikes after a powder coat makeover. Powder coating is great for aluminum or steel frames that don’t have fancy lugs, and if you don’t mind the extra thickness vs paint. I think it costs about $200 ish these days. Another way to tackle it would be to get the old paint taken off with soda blasting or whatever the latest version of that is, get the shittiest part of the job done to perfection by someone else, then prime and paint it yourself.

 

[EsPeGe]

Powder coating is great for aluminum or steel frames that don’t have fancy lugs, and if you don’t mind the extra thickness vs paint. I think it costs about $200 ish these days.

I had an aluminium bike powder coated a while back. Finish was outstanding and very durable. It was a while back but I think it was a fair bit more than $200.

Another way to tackle it would be to get the old paint taken off with soda blasting or whatever the latest version of that is, get the shittiest part of the job done to perfection by someone else, then prime and paint it yourself.

Thats what I did on the bike above. It's a carbon bike and there are a few pitfalls with soda blasting a carbon frame. Metal, fill your boots, Carbon, well I'm going sand the next one.