Painting My Bodywork

DISCLAIMER:I am NOT a professional. I know NOTHING. If you don't like what I'm doing, I'm sure you know how to do it better. I want to learn and learn by doing. Therefore, I'm am trying to do it.

Whew. Now that that's out of the way...

This is my pictorial on how I'm painting my bodywork. Hoping to have it done in the next couple of days.

This is my third attempt. I learned that I didn't know how to clean my paint gun properly the first time. I learned that racing stripes are harder than they look the second time.

So now with some experience under my belt I'm hoping this will be the last time.

After cleaning the innards of my tank using Muriatic Acid, I sanded the tank using my random orbital sander with some 80 grit paper. This has been the fastest way I have found to take paint back down to the primer layer at least, if not to the metal.

My tank has a few dents in it from being tipped over when I was in my teens, and I toyed with the idea of filling them, but instead I think I'll wait until I can afford to have those professionally repaired. They look pretty uniform (they appear to be from the forks hitting the tank) and I couldn't even tell for sure that they didn't belong until I started looking closer at other tanks.

Anyways - shots of the tank after spraying the first layer of primer are below. The camera struggles to focus on the primer, I'm assuming because it's all generally the same color. You can see by the filler cap where I didn't get it completely smooth.

After the primer dried completely I wet sanded with 1000 grit paper on a block on the surface of the entire tank. I also used 1000 grit paper folded to clean up around the seams and the filler neck.

After rinsing and wiping off the tank, I sprayed a second layer of primer.

I found that two colors of primer make this job easier. Some people use a "guide" coat and that's basically what I'm doing with two colors - the one color contrasts the other making it easier to see where the body piece isn't smooth making my job easier.

Another shot of the second coat being sprayed.

For those who, like me, learn from seeing it done or doing it...here's a video of the primer being sprayed. It's pretty forgiving, really.

A quick word on wet sanding. This was something I have never done before and am still getting comfortable with, but it obviously is a necessary step having done it.

I used a bucket of clean cold tap water and my sanding block. I dip the sanding block in the bucket and start sanding lightly. I continually dip making sure that the sand paper never gets dry. All we're trying to do is smooth out the primer/paint/clear, not remove it.

Once done wet sanding, I rinse the entire piece with a wet towel and let dry before continuing.

Not too bad man. 1000 grit is not neccessary though. 600 grit is what you want to use before going to paint. Maybe 800 if you are going for a show black. If you get hung up at all I am happy to help. I own a custom paint shop and am here to help anyone I can. In return for all the help I have gotten on this site.

be carefull to let stuff dry really good after wet sanding before applying any color,primer soaks up water like a sponge and metal underneath will actually rust if you dont dry it really well.

Thanks, guys. 1000 is the lowest I had, other than 80 and 320.

Thanks for the info, Plummen. I didn't know that. I really find that I have to fight impatience doing this. I don't know how anyone can do this for a living and do it well - it seems like something you really have to labor over if you want to do it right and anymore business is about doing it as fast and cheap as possible...:dry:

I also forgot to mention I'm using all canned paint and primer. I have a two-part clear coat from Eastwood.com. I have used it twice already (see post #2) and it has held up really really well. ( www.eastwood.com/ew-urethane-clear-2-1-quart.html ) I know others (OMR, I'm bringing you into this now...) have used a Sherwin Williams Automotive Two Part Clear, but the closest SW Auto shop is an hour away and the Internet was easier (I'm lazy).

The paint will be a mix of Duplicolor Wheel Paint (Graphite which has a metal flake effect in it) and a Low Gloss Black as well as possible a Gloss White. I'm not certain yet on the paint design, but I'm working on it. I also have some red pin-striping tape if I decide I want to accent anything. It's kinda anything goes...

Stick your ground bud.... Be patient & let it cure to specifications... You're own your way....

And keep them images a coming as you progress...

cool i gotta get the you tube thing going too..sweet clip.....