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This article by Bob Wark of "THE WARK SHOP"
Motorcycle Painting, Marietta, Ohio. Bob can be
reached by calling (740) 374-4250, 7:30AM - 9:00PM EST, -or- E-mail to:
bobwarkshop@charter.net.
A three part article for inquiring minds who really want to
know! Ha!
PREPARATION: The most time
consuming, labor intensive part of a good paint job.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Just in case you
were wondering, this is NOT a "how-to" series! Without
the proper equipment and know-how, this is dangerous work. Toxic,
flammable, and potentially explosive chemicals should not be
sprayed around just anywhere! I have heard too many stories of
guys painting in their garage when the hot water heater (also in
the garage) ignites the paint fumes ... BOOM! Do not take the risk of
shortening your life or your family's life from inhaling this
stuff or burning your house down! Sorry to bug you about this but
please ... for your own safety "DO NOT
TRY THIS AT HOME!"
Step # 1: Off with
the old Most parts will need to be stripped.
If the factory paint is not cracked or softened and still has
good integrity, it can be painted over. Any prior re-paint will
be grounds for stripping at least down to the factory finish and
generally all the way, Aircraft stripper is a good start for metal
parts. Care must be exercised with ABS plastic and fiberglass
parts as they can absorb the stripper. Stripper is very toxic and
will burn the eyes, skin, and lungs! Also it is not real
environmentally friendly. Proper safety gear as well as correct
disposal techniques are a must. Sandblasting is the next step to
get all the old paint off. The above cautions about stripper also
apply here. Like your Mom said about the BB gun, "You cold
put your eye out with that thing!" Metal parts, ABS, and
'glass' parts can all be worked with the blaster, but different
air pressure and blasting medium are required for each material.
Blasting can easily ruin any part so great care must always be
used.
Next, all parts are sanded to smooth out the surface, then
they are thoroughly cleaned and dried. Thank goodness we have
this step done!
"Newly
Professionally painted scooter"
STEP #2: REMOVE THE
UGLIES!
Wow! Look at all that bondo in that once nice tank! Stress
cracks in those 'glass' fenders! This damage, being under the
paint, is often unknown to the bike's owner. I expect to find a
certain amount of this and factor it in when estimating.
Excessive hidden damage is extra money.
All old filler (bondo) must be removed, then bodywork re-done.
Cracks in 'glass' must be ground and filled, either with cloth
and resin, or fiberglass filler. If this step is not correctly
done, the cracks will re-appear down the road. Sometimes cracks
are caused by improper mounting or bent mounting brackets. The
painter, of course, can not do much about that. Just be sure upon
re-assembly that nothing is under stress and that all rubber
bushings are sound. It is impossible for me to describe how I
work parts to remove flaws (dents, cracks, repairs):
Regardless of what countless how-to articles say, it is a skill
that takes lots of practice, not to mention knowledge of all the
materials involved. That is if you want it to look professional!
After paint, any repairs should be absolutely undetectable with
the finish as good or better than factory! Blah, Blah, Blah!
Don't I babble on!
Cracks in gas tanks or steel fenders are gas welded using a
small tip, then hammered to relieve stress. (The steels not mine!
Ha!) While there is a wire welder in the shop, I do not like to
use it a lot except for welding up unwanted holes. Heat control
and warpage avoidance is trickier with gas, but excellent control
of the weld penetration makes it worth the effort. Also, less
grinding is needed saving time.
STEP #3: It's primer
time, Hooray!
All parts must be clean and dry. Also the shop temperature
must be consistently warm. If the temperature is allowed to drop
to much at night, your primer will be cold... very bad! Warm
parts and cold primer do not make for good companions! Warm
parts, primer, and air are all very important, as is dryness. One
result of this is that Mr. Painter usually has a pretty hefty
natural gas bill! Just one of the costs which are unavoidable
when top quality is the goal. Only the best urethane primers
should be used. They are dramatically superior to any lacquer
products. The cost is higher but increased longevity of the job
makes it money well spent. All metal parts should have a light
coat of a 'wash' primer. Often this is a zinc chromate rich epoxy
or vinyl material.
Three or sometimes four coats of primer are sufficient for
'filling' the surface. If parts have had a lot of work done on
them, a first sanding with 280 or 320 grit wet paper should
smooth things out and maybe show some pin holes or other small
flaws. Clean, dry, then more primer. Finally finish sand with 600
wet to what should now be a flawless finish. Some parts with no
repair work won't need but one priming, then the 600.
Note: With urethane materials, it
is recommended you paint SOON after
sanding for best adhesion. Waiting too long lessens the chemical
bond.... Now why would we want to do that? Next time we will talk
about actual painting and 'buff-out'.
Go to Part 3 of this 3 part series.
Adios Amigos! Painter Bob "The Wark Shop" Carpi Diem
of
"THE WARK SHOP"
P.S. GO FOR A RIDE! TAKE THE TIME! CARPE DIEM (Seize the day)
"THE WARK SHOP" Motorcycle Painting, Marietta, Ohio.
Bob can be reached by calling (740) 374-4250, 7:30AM - 9:00PM EST,
-or- E-mail to: bobwarkshop@charter.net
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