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## 827286 (Aug 15, 2017)

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## s0ul_chicken (Aug 1, 2013)

Son_Rising said:


> I've been considering painting a bike. Has anybody used Spay.Bike? Or any other products? Anybody have some design projects to show and tell? Tips?


I just received my shipment from Spray.Bike and have started on my frame overhaul, but haven't gotten very far yet. I still have another coat of the Frame Builders Putty to put on the downtube to cover a set of scratches and frame nick. After that, I get to start on my colors and masking. I chose Plumsted purple, Memphis purple, Bethnal green, Blackfriars black, and Kierin purple. I am still waiting on my low-tack vinyl to be cut, but I will be able to at least start on the green in the next day or two. The putty goes on like a primer and it dries very quickly, so I expect the same of the rest of the colors I have chosen. I will post updates if you would like.















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## 827286 (Aug 15, 2017)

delete


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## s0ul_chicken (Aug 1, 2013)

Ready for color, all pieces have been given a coat of primer to finish off the can of Frame Builders Putty. The primer was very easy to work with and came out very smooth. Bethnal green is next, as that will be my outline/pinstripe color for the overall design. After that, I am at the mercy of the sign company who is cutting my low-tack logo masks. I will be painting the headbadge and logos into the frame, so there will be no decals. Stoked to say the least!!






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## thesmokingman (Jan 17, 2009)

How is the coverage on the primer? Is that after one coat?


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## s0ul_chicken (Aug 1, 2013)

thesmokingman said:


> How is the coverage on the primer? Is that after one coat?


Mostly one coat, however, I did do an initial coat on the problem spots where there were scratches on the frame and triangle pieces. Plenty of coverage with one can. The "Putty" is supposedly a partial filler for smoothing rough or scratched areas on the frame. I could have stopped there and went right to color, but I shot the entire frame just to use up the can. I figured it wouldn't hurt to do so.


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## thesmokingman (Jan 17, 2009)

s0ul_chicken said:


> Mostly one coat, however, I did do an initial coat on the problem spots where there were scratches on the frame and triangle pieces. Plenty of coverage with one can. *The "Putty" is supposedly a partial filler for smoothing rough or scratched areas on the frame.* I could have stopped there and went right to color, but I shot the entire frame just to use up the can. I figured it wouldn't hurt to do so.


Nods, very cool. Will be watching your progress, gl.


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## s0ul_chicken (Aug 1, 2013)

thesmokingman said:


> Nods, very cool. Will be watching your progress, gl.


Thanks, much appreciated! I should have stated that the primer is called Frame Builders Putty, but it just reminds me of a thicker primer. It isn't really needed unless you have blemishes you need to fill in, or stickers that need covering. Here are pictures of what I needed to smooth out:














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## s0ul_chicken (Aug 1, 2013)

After a weekend of windy weather, I was finally able to start on the main part of the frame. Bethnal green will be the pinstripe/outline color of my design, so that goes on first. I really like the way the green looks, it actually turned out better than I thought it would. I should be able to start on the rest of the frame tonight as long as the winds do not kick up like they have been. The 416 fire in Durango is playing hell with the air quality here in the Four Corners, making it tough to do anything, let alone ride my Griffin. I am hoping the incoming storms from Hurricane Bud really dump some rains like they are projecting for the weekend, helping the firefighters get the 416 under control.

After I finish up all the green, I will be at another stopping point since I haven't been given a call to say my vinyl is ready... it's always hurry up and wait.






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## s0ul_chicken (Aug 1, 2013)

Another shot of the frame, this time taken in full sun at lunch.






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## s0ul_chicken (Aug 1, 2013)

Finally, we received rain for the first time in a long time! I started masking off the design, so sometime this week I should be able to shoot the base color. I also received my low-tack vinyl, but it is the opposite of what I wanted. I wanted the positive side of the vinyl, so all I had to do was put on the logos and paint on the rest of the bike. The final step would have been to simply peel off the low-tack, and have the color green show, then all I would have to do is hit the whole bike with the final paint, the clearcoat Kierin. Since it is backwards, it would be a final step of painting on the logo, which is what I didn't want to do. Now I cannot decide on how I want to proceed.

In the meantime, I started to mask off my project, a classic frame pattern. I started practicing with a tape I am not fond of, some orange fineline that stretches too easily. Once I got the pattern down, I can switch to the good stuff, 3M 1/16th inch for the outline. Once the pattern is set, I can paint up the black, then mask over the flames to finish with the purple. More to come, as usual! Have a good week everyone!






















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## Mr Pig (Jun 25, 2008)

Just signing in to see how this turns out.


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## Rockadile (Jun 27, 2005)

Lookin' good. :thumbsup:


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## VTSession (Aug 18, 2005)

Wow I am glad I stumbled across this thread. I was considering paying hundreds for a sandblast and powder coat but a can of the "putty" and paint seems like a more economical route. Thanks for the input!


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## bachman1961 (Oct 9, 2013)

Nice going.
Not all of us have the knack. 

I once painted a Dodge Club Cab pick-up and my wife filled me in on the synopsis. I either painted it with a six pack of beer or during the consumption of a six pack of beer. 

It looked quite menacing .... Stephen King-ish.


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## s0ul_chicken (Aug 1, 2013)

Nice!! After the mix-up of my vinyl, I went with another company in town to cut what I needed. They got me and the project hooked up, and it didn't even take 24 hours to get my order done in the correct layout and sizing. Finally, I can lay down the vinyl and start on the next color. The project should move along quickly now that I can finally move forward. With all the fineline down, I just need to hit it quick with the green to make sure I have clean lines. Any paint bleeds should be addressed by that step. I will more than likely shoot the black next, I don't think I will have as much area to mask off for the purple. More to come, I should have more pictures in the next day or two.


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## Nubster (May 15, 2009)

Looking good. I don't think I'd be able to do more than just a single color...I'd completely eff up any attempt to do graphics. I got a quote to have my frame stripped and powder coated...$150...seems like not a bad deal to save the headache of painting myself.


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## s0ul_chicken (Aug 1, 2013)

Nubster said:


> Looking good. I don't think I'd be able to do more than just a single color...I'd completely eff up any attempt to do graphics. I got a quote to have my frame stripped and powder coated...$150...seems like not a bad deal to save the headache of painting myself.


About a decade ago I stopped painting, I used to paint RC car bodies for people around here but fell out of doing it once the local hobby shop closed up. I will admit, doing something like this is a bit nerve-wracking for me since I have always painted in reverse (you paint the inside of the lexan car body shells). I about used a whole roll of the orange tape just trying to get my mojo back outlining flames. At one point, I almost gave up on the flame design, but the Mrs. took me to see Solo and when I got back to the house, I was able to do the whole frame in one quick session - that made me feel a lot better about the design. I am really looking forward to the next few steps, I think it will turn out very well!


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## Nubster (May 15, 2009)

Yeah...painting RC's in reverse is definitely an art. I've seen some crazy ones that took a truck load of talent to paint.


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## s0ul_chicken (Aug 1, 2013)

Lot's of content to drop today, it has been a very productive weekend to say the least! Friday night I was able to complete all the fineline work and get the Airborne masks put onto the frame. Next step is to simply hit all the masking and fineline with the same green, to avoid any paint bleeds. Up until this point, it has been slow going, but now that everything is on the frame, it will really start to go by quickly. 
































​After shooting the green and waiting about an hour, it is time to get the Blackfriars black and get that on the frame so I can start to mask off the flames. This part takes a bit of time as I have to cut each piece over the fineline being careful not to cut too deep as that will cause a paint bleed right in the center of the pinstripe. 






















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All the masking is finally complete, and looking really good. I was even able to mask in a negative space flame, so I am really anxious to see how it all turns out! Lots more content to come today.


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## Mr Pig (Jun 25, 2008)

Not working naked are you?


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## s0ul_chicken (Aug 1, 2013)

Mr Pig said:


> Not working naked are you?


It's too damned hot, man!


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## s0ul_chicken (Aug 1, 2013)

As promised, more content to pass along. Now that the flames are masked off, it is time to start on the purple. I went with the Plumsted instead of the Memphis, it seemed a bit too lavender for my taste level, but the Plumsted should look sweet next to the green pinstripe.














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It is hard to believe I am almost finished with the frame! Time to shoot the purple and let it set for a bit before I move on.














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Now that I have the purple all sprayed, it will be time to start taking off the masking. The only masking I will have left on there will be the green, as I want to keep that matte with no Kierin treatment.






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Flames unmasked with the pinstripe and Airborne logos still on the frame, time to hit the rear triangle and frame with the Kierin Purple Sunlight. This stuff is essentially clear coat with purple glass particles in solution. A word about their clears/Kierins - this stuff comes out of the can 5x faster than their regular paints. If you aren't careful, this stuff will collect and run very quickly. Coverage is excellent, and pictures do not give the effect any justice. I covered both the black and the purple with the Kierin purple, and it is sweet in the sunlight, slightly changing the Plumsted color. After 30 minutes, I polished up the frame and started to remove the final masking, exposing the green. More to come today!!


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## s0ul_chicken (Aug 1, 2013)

Almost there! Time to start removing the pinstripe and vinyl to finish out the paint job. The final reveal will be in a few days once I get the bike put back together, they recommend waiting at least two days to assemble the bike. All three frame pieces and cranks are now outside baking in the desert sun awaiting assembly. Man, that green really makes the flames pop!! I will be posting up more pictures once I get the bike put back together. I had a blast making this happen, and it really turned out nice!






































































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## Mr Pig (Jun 25, 2008)

Great job! I don't like the colours but I do admire the skill ;0)


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## cmg (Mar 13, 2012)

Mr Pig said:


> Great job! I don't like the colours but I do admire the skill ;0)


+1
Good skills man.


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## s0ul_chicken (Aug 1, 2013)

Thanks for the compliments - I appreciate it! I started putting the frame back together to get my mind off other things, so far it is looking rather nice (even if you aren't a fan of the color scheme)!














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## Nubster (May 15, 2009)

I like the colors. I think it I were doing it though...I'd maybe swap green and purple.


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## Ottoreni (Jan 27, 2004)

WoW! Looks super sweet!

I want to paint a frame, but I think I am sticking to one color....that amount of skill requires a kind of patience I am unable to employ.


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## s0ul_chicken (Aug 1, 2013)

Ottoreni said:


> WoW! Looks super sweet!
> 
> I want to paint a frame, but I think I am sticking to one color....that amount of skill requires a kind of patience I am unable to employ.


Thanks! I had a blast doing it, but it does take some time and patience.


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## redrook (May 16, 2008)

Bumping an old thread! 

This looks like it turned out really good! My concern with painting my Nukeproof Mega is that the "nukeproof" writing is a decal under a clear coat which you can feel with your fingers. All other decals/text are flat. Would the putty do a good job of smoothing that out do you think? It probably doesn't stick out as much as a sticker, for reference, but would be noticeable with just paint on top I think.


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## GeneralGee (Mar 18, 2017)

Son_Rising said:


> I've been considering painting a bike. Has anybody used Spay.Bike? Or any other products? Anybody have some design projects to show and tell? Tips?


There's a YouTube channel, oldshovel, the guy uses it all the time on his restoration projects. He loves it. An option to see it 'in use' anyway...


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## VERT1 (Mar 1, 2006)

I recently taught myself how to paint a bike. I already had a compressor so just had to learn about guns, paint and mixing, prep and how to paint. Crazy how many factors are involved with doing a good job, nothing like using a spray can like I have done in the past.

I have painted 2 frames, both carbon so prep was all hand standing and hard work. I made a couple mistakes with painting and had to sand some back. My paint mixing was generally good but humidity and temperatures made painting difficult at times.

These are my end results and I'm super happy with how good the jobs look. I used multiple metallic colours and some masking for logos.

The 1st bike is a Specialized Stumpjumper HT29 and the 2nd is a Trek Top Fuel 9.7

I never used a putty on these frames, just sanded the original paint back until it was smooth with a fine grit. Then applied a primer and left to harden for a week then base coats. Leaving plenty of time to harden in between coats.










Sent from my EML-L09 using Tapatalk


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## Lone Rager (Dec 13, 2013)

They look great in the pix. Years ago I did a fair amount of painting using automotive base-coat/clear-coat paint systems. You can do a lot of complex stuff pretty quickly and easily with the color coats. The clear coat was where the finesse came in. The first time I clear coated I got over-spray on everything in the garage and it took a lot of work with a detailing clay to get it off everything (motos, helmets, etc.). I made paint booth for the next time.


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## VegasSingleSpeed (May 5, 2005)

How durable is this paint?

I'm looking into 2K paints to get a harder finish than what I've gotten from non-catalyzed rattle-cans (and I can't take my frame out of commission long enough to get it powder-coated). Is the spray.bike paints any more durable than the usual rattle-cans finish, or is their major appeal the system from prep-to-clear coat and color/finish selection?


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## Sir.Pinkie (Mar 9, 2020)

Heard it's good for a can job, but still nothing compared to a spray gun.


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## Cleared2land (Aug 31, 2012)

*Paint a bike with spray paint and spray cans*


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## Cleared2land (Aug 31, 2012)




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## NYrr496 (Sep 10, 2008)

The last few bikes Ive done color changes on have been powder coated but many years ago, I painted my Cannondale with spray cans. I stripped it to bare aluminum and got it spotless with scotchbrite. I primed and painted the frame with Rustoleum Hard hat. Once I had a few good coats of black on it, I sanded it with like 1000 grit paper and then cleared it. No one believed I did it with cans. I rode that bike for a LONG time, like 15 years. The frame is still in my garage and still looks decent.


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## SkyManatee (Jul 28, 2019)

VegasSingleSpeed said:


> How durable is this paint?
> 
> I'm looking into 2K paints to get a harder finish than what I've gotten from non-catalyzed rattle-cans (and I can't take my frame out of commission long enough to get it powder-coated). Is the spray.bike paints any more durable than the usual rattle-cans finish, or is their major appeal the system from prep-to-clear coat and color/finish selection?


I don't know about Spray.Bike in comparison with other cans but I would assume its half decent. Oldshovel (the aforementioned YouTube channel) typically uses Spray.Bike and those projects turn out very well whereas I have seen him use some other paints that turnout worse (e.g. edges along paint lines rip/tear). He rides one or two of his own builds I think and I think he stays fairly close to his channel so I'm sure if you post a question on a recent video you might bet a reply.


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## sissypants (Sep 7, 2016)

VERT1 said:


> I recently taught myself how to paint a bike. I already had a compressor so just had to learn about guns, paint and mixing, prep and how to paint. Crazy how many factors are involved with doing a good job, nothing like using a spray can like I have done in the past.
> 
> I have painted 2 frames, both carbon so prep was all hand standing and hard work. I made a couple mistakes with painting and had to sand some back. My paint mixing was generally good but humidity and temperatures made painting difficult at times.
> 
> ...


Really beautiful! It looks like you used a gloss clearcoat. Did you use the clearcoat from spray.bike? I used their paints to do my frame, and then did a few layers of clearcoat but it is still not very glossy and my can is gone  Also, I'm worried about this job not being very scratch-resistant, a tap with a screwdriver is all it takes.

Does anyone have recommendations for a scratch-proof clearcoat glossy rattle can paint, or is spray.bike the best bet? I feel like it should be cheaper than $16 + shipping.


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## Master Slater (Aug 2, 2012)

Getting close to painting a carbon full suspension frame. 

Can anyone with actual experience with bike.spray products weigh in on their general durability on a mountain bike that actually gets tossed around and crashed on?

Also, anyone throw any frame protection on over their bike.spray job? I assume some of the vinyl protection kits would help.


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