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Author Topic: Painting with a brush  (Read 2171 times)

Offline steve hawkins

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Painting with a brush
« on: November 18, 2008, 03:56:22 AM »
Due to costs and limited space in my working environment.  I am starting to consider painting my R100 with a brush.   :o

Tank, front fender, cowl and side panels.

Sounds pretty mad, I know, but painting is all down to prep and finishing, as Monte's demonstrations have proved.  We are just looking at the method of applying the paint.

I have been quoted multiple hundreds of £'s for professional respray's - the sky is the limit!  But since the insurance money is somewhat limited and I also want to change the colour of the bike, I am looking for viable alternatives - which will also allow me to spend the money elsewhere on bling.

I am reluctant to spray in my garage as it is integral to the house and I will have problems with fumes.  I also do not want the whole of the garage repainted in the colour I paint the bike - spray gets everywhere.  Neither do I want to coat the Cafe Racer in a new colour!

So we are back to the old ways - in the past, cars and bikes were painted by hand with specially formulated paints and high quality brushes, that dried and settled in a way that reduced brush marks, and were then polished to a shine.

Obviously I do not want to compromise the finish too much.  But I am looking at painting a single, non metalic colour, Laverda orange.

Has anyone had any experience of this?

Steve H
« Last Edit: November 18, 2008, 03:59:12 AM by steve_hawkins »
Steve Hawkins R100 (that wants to be an R65)

Offline nhmaf

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Re: Painting with a brush
« Reply #1 on: November 18, 2008, 07:07:33 AM »
I have repainted parts of my frame using a brush and POR-15 paint, after sanding off the rusty spots.   Using their "Chassis Black" paint, it is relatively thick, and seems to flow/smooth out as it settles and slowly dries.  One has to try to resist touching it up/going over an area that doesn't look quick right while it is drying, as retouching it with a brush tends to make brush marks in the paint, that otherwise smooth out on their own if left be.   I am not sure what it is about the paint that gives it this property.    I think that it requires thinnng if one means to spray it.  I don't know about other body paints that behave similarly, but I'd expect that there must be some.
Airhead #12178 ? BMWMOA #123173 ?BMWRA #33525 ?GSBMWR #563 ?1982 BMW R65LS ?1978 BMW R100/7 1998 Kawasaki Concours

Offline Barry

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Re: Painting with a brush
« Reply #2 on: November 18, 2008, 07:11:43 AM »
Steve

I used brushing cellulose on a tank maybe 35 years ago or more. I thought it looked good then but that would have been with much younger eyes.

You have to get it on quick before it starts to dry and it took alot of flatting down with wet and dry then polishing back up again.   I've been thinking about re-painting my own bike with Quality Aerosols (rattle cans)  The thing that puts me off is the thought that the original paint is a very hard finish and whatever I do on a DIY basis will not be anything like as good in this respect.  
Barry Cheshire, England 79 R45

Offline Ed Miller

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Re: Painting with a brush
« Reply #3 on: November 18, 2008, 01:12:45 PM »
Have you guys seen the article where a guy paints his car with Rustoleum (or a Canadian equivalent) using high quality foam rollers and lots of color sanding?  It's usually called the 200 dollar paint job or something like that.  I think I saw it on an old Chevy trucks site, but it was a link to some other forum.

Just an alternative idea!

Ed Miller
'81 r65
Falls City, OR

Offline Rob Valdez 79 R65

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Re: Painting with a brush
« Reply #4 on: November 18, 2008, 04:35:18 PM »
« Last Edit: November 18, 2008, 04:35:44 PM by Rob_Valdez_79_R65 »

Offline montmil

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Re: Painting with a brush
« Reply #5 on: November 18, 2008, 06:10:19 PM »
It could be done... with a brush. Check with a sign writer's supply business as I'd definitely recommend a very soft brush. Perhaps camel or squirrel hair. It won't be cheap.

As to the paint, a reducer and retarder mixed with the color will slow down the 'set' time and permit brush strokes and bubbles to level out. A full brush and long, smooth strokes are what you need.

As a brushed on finish will likely be heavier than a sprayed on job, allow ample drying/cure time before beginning the wet color sanding. Work it down the best you can, then consider a second coat. More wet color sanding through 2000 grit, polish and wax. perfecto!

I would recommend not attempting to brush on a clear coat.

You're probably looking, at best, at a "twenty-foot finish." The bike will look great from twenty feet away. Closer and your pals will start pointing out minor imperfections. Just spit in their brew when they ain't looking.

Monte

PS: and yes, we'll all be wanting to see pics. From twenty-feet away, for sure.


  
Monte Miller
Denton, TEXAS
1978 BMW R100S
1981 BMW R65
1983 BMW R65
1995 Triumph Trophy
1986 VW Cabriolet

Offline Ed Miller

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Re: Painting with a brush
« Reply #6 on: November 18, 2008, 06:56:28 PM »
Rob found it, and that guy had a link to the Mopar forum post that started it all:

http://board.moparts.org/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=0&Number=2331682&page=0&fpart=1&vc=1

That has to be the longest thread I've ever seen.  That guy really caught a lot of flak, if I remember right.  I may try that with my old Chevy pickup some day, though I think I would like to use POR-15's line of Hard Nose paint, 'cause my truck gets some abuse.  And those are pretty nasty to spray but pretty safe to brush or roll.  I don't know if they can be thinned to the consistency that works with rollers.  
Ed Miller
'81 r65
Falls City, OR

Offline Rob Valdez 79 R65

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Re: Painting with a brush
« Reply #7 on: November 18, 2008, 08:20:26 PM »
Yeah, some pretty nice pictures in that Moparts thread - if you like cars.... and orange! ;D





Offline steve hawkins

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Re: Painting with a brush
« Reply #8 on: November 19, 2008, 03:40:00 AM »
Cheers Rob for posting those pictures.

I have stumbled across them during my invest yesterday.  I also stumbled across a local (re UK based) VW thread, where they have started to use it on bugs and campers.  But these are not show vehicles - these are vehicles that are being made presentable for day to day use.  And they are using hi density rollers.  All threads seem to be very long with a lot of discussion.  

It all boils down to what you deem to be an acceptable finish.

I will try to get the Rustoleum, if I can, and I hope to get it down to a 1ft finish, rather than a 20 ft finish - Monte ;).  But we will see.

I am struggling to find a local supplier or someone who will post it at reasonable cost.

Also the company are a bit cagey.  I spoke to a rep earlier today and he is aware of the articles on the web about VWs and the article mentioned above.  It was not what the paint was designed for and he did say that he could not guarrantee the effects of a petrol spillage.

Also, not everyone has had the great results reported on the interweb.  

1982 R100 - "too orangy for you crows"  

(An old Kiora advert for an orange drink)

Cheers
« Last Edit: November 19, 2008, 07:10:22 AM by steve_hawkins »
Steve Hawkins R100 (that wants to be an R65)

Offline Rob Valdez 79 R65

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Re: Painting with a brush
« Reply #9 on: November 19, 2008, 06:08:12 PM »
Thanks Steve - the Charger was always one of my favorite cars of the 70's.

I love bugs, too!  The older, the better, it seems, but I have never owned one (or the other!)

airhead would have liked that VW pic, I'm sure.  He used to have some.  :)

Offline montmil

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Re: Painting with a brush
« Reply #10 on: November 19, 2008, 06:10:46 PM »
Quote
Rob found it, and that guy had a link to the Mopar forum post that started it all:  

Couple of my hot rod magazines even picked up on this and tried it. Photo articles and all. California...

Monte
Monte Miller
Denton, TEXAS
1978 BMW R100S
1981 BMW R65
1983 BMW R65
1995 Triumph Trophy
1986 VW Cabriolet

MPKaier

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Re: Painting with a brush
« Reply #11 on: November 19, 2008, 07:11:46 PM »
I have been in the sign business and owned a a sign company for over 30 years.  A good quality foam roller and a paint called Sign Painter's One Shot can give you a finish that is as smooth as a gun.  Practice, Practice, Practice.  The foam roller will make bubbles,  that you must go over with a lighter and lighter touch on the roller while the paint is still wet.  This will give you a smooth as glass finish.  

Be cautious, Sign Painter's One Shot has a lot of lead in it, thus the smooth finish.  It also will not cure to a hard finish for about a month.  A fresh can will give you a finish that does not need clear coat and is very long lasting.   It's enamel so if you do want to clear coat it you can only use a urathane.   You will probably have to find a sign supplier to get One Shot and in some states it requires a license.

Done correctly, you can get a finish that will rival an air gun.  Now if you want a really good finish put the One Shot in a gun, you will get a deep luster that will blow you away.

Good Luck,

Mike
79 R65
58 triumph tiger cub

Offline montmil

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Re: Painting with a brush
« Reply #12 on: November 19, 2008, 08:12:32 PM »
Quote
I have been in the sign business and owned a a sign company for over 30 years...

Ah! A "Brother of the Brush".

I always added a bit of retarder to the paint before rolling out large panels as it allowed the unavoidable bubbles to break and flow out after "tipping off" with the foamie.

OneShot has added some new and way cool colors lately. I'd better limber up my quills.

Monte "Don't call me for vinyl" Miller
Monte Miller
Denton, TEXAS
1978 BMW R100S
1981 BMW R65
1983 BMW R65
1995 Triumph Trophy
1986 VW Cabriolet

Offline steve hawkins

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Re: Painting with a brush
« Reply #13 on: November 20, 2008, 02:52:30 AM »
I have ordered a tin of Rustoleum.

I will give it a try on a bit of scrap in the Garage before commiting to the bike.

I have plenty of stuff to be getting on with.  The welder chappie turned last night so I now have my right hand ear welded back on.

Just contemplating welding the subframne on to stiffen things up further.

Cheers
Steve Hawkins R100 (that wants to be an R65)