Prepped and painted, finally!

Well, after all the test rides, and bodywork, anddisassembly/reassembly...today I prepped and painted the front fender, and tailpiece. To review, I've posted photos if intermediate stages of completion, but the paint in my pics and the gallery was just enough paint to be on the road and park without embarrassment. Yhe weather and my garage aren't going to cooperate long enough to use the black urethane I wanted to shoot...until spring, maybe. Still, today's results will be fine once sanded and buffed, and will suit me fine until then. I do ride all winter, so I won't be tearing into the cosmetics...just maintenance and repairs, if any.

I also wanted to show the backyar painters a situation we deal with that can make this pretty tough, but not impossible. Today is pretty breezy, and I did this out back. You get a very uneven spray pattern in conditions like this, so it's important to put light coats on until you can use the gloss of a wet coat to determine your coverage. After that, each new wet coat shows clearly where you've been and where you haven't..the challenge is getting those coats on without getting too close and causing runs! It takes patience and a quick hand, but it can be done...although I can't begin to teach you how!

You'll note a slight orange peel that will sand out, and I'm very happy with it, considering the wind conditions! Making do with what I have available at the moment...




I'll get some pics of the pan in a little while.

Looks great Ron. I've been following your progress with interest. I haven't been on as much as I usually am. Will have to go back and see how the seat turned out.
Ride safe,
Les

Thanks, Les! I still have to officially sew the cover, but i have a really good idea of how to do it now. It shouldn't take long. I'm going to wait until tomorrow to sand and buff those pieces. maybe tonight I can make the cover. the cushion is finished, and the seatpan is ready. Next weekend, the exhaust repaint. :laugh:

Okay, I couldn't wait til tomorrow..here's the fender, sanded and buffed, ready to go back on.


Post edited by: ronboskz650sr, at: 2005/10/29 20:56

Nice!

Thanks, Ben. The bike is back together for church and riding tomorrow. I didn't sand or buff the tail, but the fender looks awesome on there. The tail is pretty good, but will get better. This is the first I've seen my whole concept together...the fender mod was a late addition to the project...just kindof did it. I'll get some pics in natural light tomorrow.

Way to go.....and you WILL post shots of the whole thing when yer done.....right?????????

After alot of riding.. ! But, of course. Gotta get that natural sunlight for the best effect, and the upholstery process isn't documented, because I'm only posting what works there. You shall have your pics, I say! :laugh:

Ron,

You do nice work and you're not stingy with the pics. You're a good man.

There's not too much orange peel from what I could see in the pics, except on the front of the tail piece. I'm interested to see how that looks after sanding/buffing. Also, it might be my imagination, but I think I see a little speck of dust in the tail piece, just above and to the right of your reflection. If that's all you got in the paint, that's impressive for any shooting outside of a downdraft booth, let alone without walls around you at all!

Of course, you had the wisdom (or impatience, I can never keep the two straight :whistle:) to paint now instead of spring, when there's a greater chance of pollen everywhere. That probably helped matters, but shooting outside is always a gamble.

Overall, you've done some great work, and from what I can tell that finished fender looks really clean. I'm glad to see it all paid off!

Chet, I am anxious too..for it is a black bug you see! It got in there after the first full coat, after the two edge coats. I'm hoping the overspray from the taillight opening edge coats covered that area so I can sand him outa there! If not, there's touch up in my future. There was also one on the fender, but I got him out with my finger before the second coat. The one you see just buried himself in there and swirled around, so maybe he spread the paint with his wings, making him easier to sand out. The orange peel will sand right out...I've seen worse...by the time it's buffed it will look like black glass (might as well take the overconfident approach...worked before :blink: ) Actually, the pics don't show it well, but the fender was worse, and it sanded out with 1000 grit. If it won't, I'll use 600, and it will. I don't spend alot of time sanding with 1000. If there's orange peel, I may try it if it's really light. If it doesn't work, i go straight to heavier paper...even 400 again sometimes. It just depends on the situation. I haven't had a run in a while, but I don't even waste my time with less than 400 on those. I've even used 320 for that, if there are no edges nearby. So, the bug is a possible concern, but not a very big one. That's why there's a touch-up pen in my stuff...and I'm not afraid to use it :laugh: .:woohoo:

Post edited by: ronboskz650sr, at: 2005/10/30 06:12