how to: repaint your bike

JB's good for filling the holes - but I think I'd stop a bit short of using it as a bondo replacement... :laugh:

You didn't mention the whether the existing paint is original - has a bearing on how easy it comes off - but the thing to keep in mind is that any *commercial strength* stripper will also take a good swipe at the original ABS plastic the sidecovers are made of.

In other words, you *can* strip them - but it ain't a case of slopping it on, then going to watch a football game - put on a coat, let it work for 5 - 10 minutes tops, then rinse and sand/scrape - repeat as necessary.

Once you're down to raw plastic, bondo works just peachy for levelling out the odd depression and whatever.

A good two-part enamel primer/sealer is a good idea as well...

Ive never used bondo, but I guess I should try then eh?
the tail, tank and one of the side covers are possibly original paint, one side cover Is a different colour (ebayed it) I started to put some paint stripper on the ebayed cover, and it got a lot of paint off, but it got through to the plastic in a couple places. I caught it pretty quick, and not very much damage was done at all, but I dont really want to try the paint stripper again. both side covers have a green paint under the burgandy or maroon paint, and I think a white primer under all that

77KZ650 wrote:

Ive never used bondo, but I guess I should try then eh?

Oh yeah.

It's cheap, easy and effective.

I started to put some paint stripper on the ebayed cover, and it got a lot of paint off, but it got through to the plastic in a couple places. I caught it pretty quick, and not very much damage was done at all, but I dont really want to try the paint stripper again.

Many moons ago, I slathered a bunch of stripper-goo on a set of parts and walked off...

Big mistake. :ohmy:

I meandered back some time later to find the outer surfaces of a set of covers and ducktail converted to this viscous black jelly. :blink:

I spent the better part of 2 days scraping, sanding, bondoing, wetsanding, primering, sanding some more, primering some more and sanding some more. :huh:

Ohyeah. It was the voice of experience. :lol:

yeah, as soon as I saw the bubbles start turning black, I stuck it under some water and scrubbed it really quick to prevent more black goo from forming:laugh:
what grits of sandpaper should I be using for this? from start to finished bondo?

77KZ650 wrote:

yeah, as soon as I saw the bubbles start turning black, I stuck it under some water and scrubbed it really quick to prevent more black goo from forming:laugh:

You got off easy.

It was a set of '73 covers and tail I did the dirty deed to. Good thing they were mine. The '73 covers had a raised relief ridge right at the flat as the compound curve from the cover body fell toward the outer edges. After scraping off all the goo, I had to re-create that ridge in DuraGlass, then finish in bondo. :blush:

Oh, how I paid in buckets for that bit of knowledge. :whistle:

...what grits of sandpaper should I be using for this? from start to finished bondo?

One trouble with these paint/prep questions is that there's no way to look at the pieces in detail.

Another is that it can be like re-writing the bible to give the *best* advice.

If the paint on the tail/covers is original, and you're not into massive time spent on the job, I'd WET sand them as-is with #400, give 'em a nice medium coat of a good quality enamel primer/sealer, #400 wet that again and start slingin' paint.

For the other cover, I'd hit it with #320 wet with a block to keep the waves out of it.

Remember: anything you can FEEL with a fingertip, you're gonna SEE. There's ways to fudge that, but I'm treading into "Let there be light" territory there.

Once you've got the bondo smooth to the touch and the rest of the cover likewise, primer it and treat it like the other one - #400 wet and sling away.

Post edited by: Pterosaur, at: 2006/11/20 17:14

that was a heck of a job. good work.

after messing with rattle cans which wasnt always satisfying for me i gave up and decide to get spray gun and compressor.my first results were not best..paint dripped..insect..dust...etc.(working outddor)
now i can say it is much better but i have still problem with moisture.when i sprayed another coat of paint over the tank and side covers i could see some uneven spots even i drained the water from compresssor tank. i think that it is a water from air!!!
how to get i rid of it? i know wiredgeorge mentioned some kind of a filter...does anyone now where to install it and where to buy it? any idea? also im using rustoleum sunred oil based enamel and also rustoleum primer.are these paints good?
i still want to put some urethane clear coat if it is not going to make any mess with enamel rustoleum paint.
it is a lot of work but i enjoy it and hope my KZ will look better than with that chipped and beat up 30 years old pain.
Draho

drahotus wrote:

....how to get i rid of it? i know wiredgeorge mentioned some kind of a filter...does anyone now where to install it and where to buy it?

Any decent auto parts store will have 'em. NAPA, CarQuest, you name it. They look something like an onion, often orange, with an inlet and outlet. Standard threads. Screws into the base of your paint gun. Cheap, generally no more than 10 bucks for a 2 pack, often cheaper.

Just belly up to the counter and ask for an "inline moisture filter" for a paint gun, and they should fix you right up.

...any idea? also im using rustoleum sunred oil based enamel and also rustoleum primer.are these paints good?i still want to put some urethane clear coat if it is not going to make any mess with enamel rustoleum paint.
Draho

Urethane clears are pretty inert stuff as it goes, so I wouldn't worry anout that.

BUT.

Excuse my opinionated nature, but I wouldn't paint LAWN FURNITURE with Rustoleum, much less anything I really cared about.

While I have nothing personal against Mr. Rustoleum, if that's his name, his paint leaves a LOT to be desired. Chief among those knocks is that their paint has a tendency to remain soft - even after it has set.

That can have severe consequences to both the longevity and looks of your paint job. I could go on, but let's just leave it at that.

Rather, while you're at NAPA, or CarQuest, or wherever, take along a sample of the color you want to paint.

If they do their own mixing - most do - and carry DuPont or PPG or Martin Seynor or any of the better quality mixed paints, you'll be waaaaaaaaay ahead of the game to let them match up the color and mix a pint or quart of whatever you need.

thank you for all these iformation..im just trying to learn something new...:woohoo:

This is a great, well written guide, im going to be following it through for my gas tank repaint.

Question: I wasnt able to find any surface prep at the autozone i went to when purchasing my primer. I decided to skip the surface prep and just sand my tank down and start out with the sandable primer.

The tank is primed, but im getting paranoid that having not used the surface prep my paint job might end up crappy sooner than I want it to. Should I sand off the primer and start over making sure to surface prep before priming?

Air ?
Water separaters are a dime a dozen, from anywhere Wal Mart, tool guys, and auto parts stores, and AUTO paint stores/suppilers. Remember the dime ones are NOT as good as the dollar ones.
Install it as far away from the compressor as possible. TEE into your line and put about a 12" drop pipe with pipe plug or a valve in the bottom of the 12" pipe before the separter. As the air comes in the heavier water will drop into the down pipe BEFORE the separter so you can drain it off.
Remember what causes water in your air line is the compressor, compressed air is HOT, as it travels [being used ] it cools off enough to make moisture. And if there is nothing there to separate it , of course it comes out with the paint/air. Takes a long time to clear all the air lines of moisture even after you have installed a working separater as well as drop tube. If your compressor is too small for the job, it constantly runs. NOT a good thing! Means that for all intenents and purposes all the air you are useing is hot and full of moisture.
Painting outside?
I worked for a place located close to a truck stop. We were having BIG problems with what is called 'fish eye'. [ separation of paint] Anyway it got so bad we called the DuPont representative. He came out and did a few tests. In about 1 hour he showed us on his air meter that we were spraying threw what was deisel fumes. TOO many fumes in the air from the tractors and trucks we suspected. The paint would come out of the gun, travel threw the air, and hit the article being painted. Somewhere after it left the gun and BEFORE it hit the article it was gathering contamination fumes from the tractors. Causeing the paint to seperate and fish eye. And we were painting inside, with doors closed about 1/8 mile away from said truck stop. BUT NO PAINT BOOTH.
All I can suggest is that a home made paint job can sometimes be something to be proud of. BUT often NOT!
Simply need to have it done by professionals with the right equipment. And I personally do NOT understand some of the EXTREME prices I have heard.
Just my thoughts

awesome tips!! i will definitely be using this info soon. i plan on rattle canning my kz900. again, thanks for taking the time to school some of us paint job novices...