[borjawil]

Hey everyone been awhile since ive really been on here. Ive done paint on cars and ive spray bombed bikes, but never done the "good paint" on bikes. Just wondering what would be the steps in painting fairings?

Body filler for scratches? Should I prime? What kind of paint since fairings are flexible? Sanding/wet sanding?

 

[MDeezy]

Going to go ahead and subscribe to this.

I would imagine given the flexibility of these plastics some paint with flex agent, or adding it would definitely be needed



I was going to pay someone to do it but she said $1000 just to paint it a simple color... yea no thanks

 

[Hammerhead]

The secret to a good paint job is quality materials and lots of prep work. Bondo, for the big stuff, glazing putty for the small and sandable primer is your friend. Other than that, it's just a matter of elbow grease.

 

[DROPFORGEDSTEEL]

Going to go ahead and subscribe to this.

I would imagine given the flexibility of these plastics some paint with flex agent

+1
For what it cost its well worth it to throw the flex agent in there.

 

[MDeezy]

its that inexpensive?

 

[guitarocker420]

you dont want to use bondo. bondo is for metals. if you do need to fill bigger cracks, grind them into angles and fill them with plastic weld/filler. DONT USE BONDO.

primer your going to want to put flex in your prime so it doesnt crack. if you dont use flex when the plastic heats or twists it will crack your primer. same goes for the clear

 

[Masta Squidge]

Bondo is fine for low spots on plastic, like it should be used. If you are filling cracks with bondo, even on metal, you are doing it wrong.

 

[DROPFORGEDSTEEL]

Bondo is fine for low spots on plastic

Correction:
Spot puddy is ok where needed in small chips.But if ur damage is so bad that u need bondo to fill large voids,then plastic weld or 2 part epoxy as stated above is what you want,then spot putty to give ur smooth finish.
+1 again for the flex agent.For what it cost to add it in,u deff want use it.

 

[DROPFORGEDSTEEL]

If its only scratches and not cracks then...
-Sand
-Spot puddy the scratches
-Sand again
-Clean surface with prep wipes or alcohol,then tack cloth to get out any dust
-Prime with flex agent
-Tack cloth
-Apply desired color coat
-Tack cloth again
-Clear with flex agent
-Sit back,crack and beer and admire the paint job you just did

What ever brand paint products you buy,will come with spec sheets/mixing ratios etc.

Do lots of prep,be clean and have patience.

 

[exalted512]

I don't recommend Bondo for anything...metal, plastic, or fiberglass. It's a terrible body filler.
-Cody

 

[Masta Squidge]

I don't recommend Bondo for anything...metal, plastic, or fiberglass. It's a terrible body filler.
-Cody

As I said, it works just fine. People just need to realize its not for filling dents.

You shouldnt be using it for anything more than feathering or filling small pockmarks and crap. Its the idiots that have a dent and fill it with 3 lbs of bondo that make it look horrible. Thats absolutely not what its for.

 

[DROPFORGEDSTEEL]

I don't recommend Bondo for anything...metal, plastic, or fiberglass. It's a terrible body filler.
-Cody

Bondo overdone yes is a no go (inches apon inches of bondo).But once all the metal work is done and u need to smooth things out,bondo works great,thats what its for and has proved its self over and over again,witch is why its still on the market.Last a long time when applied properly.

 

[DROPFORGEDSTEEL]

as i said, it works just fine. People just need to realize its not for filling dents.

You shouldnt be using it for anything more than feathering or filling small pockmarks and crap. Its the idiots that have a dent and fill it with 3 lbs of bondo that make it look horrible. Thats absolutely not what its for.

+1

 

[Masta Squidge]

Bondo overdone yes is a no go (inches apon inches of bondo).But once all the metal work is done and u need to smooth things out,bondo works great,thats what its for and has proved its self over and over again,witch is why its still on the market.Last a long time when applied properly.

Yup, people just use it wrong. Its basically just for filling small imperfections which are a bit too big for heavy primer to fill.

Welded something up? Did you just grind it down smooth to find small pits?

Well you could be anal and fill all of them with the welder and grind them down... but you still have to be an artist with a grinder to get it 100% perfect.

 

[DROPFORGEDSTEEL]

Its basically just for filling small imperfections which are a bit too big for heavy primer to fill.

+1 again
Very good way or putting it.Simple and to the point.

 

[covett03]

Cbr has almost got it. If you let the paint dry before clear or base coats you need to wet sand it or the paint will chip off because it won't stick. Basically same as painting ur cars just with flex agent in. If you just tack cloth the only thing ur doing is cleaning the surface. You must scuff the dry paint in some form. If its just one color then you can do this.
One color.
Sand n fill and sand clean and prep
Prime let dry
Wet sand or just scuff with GRAY scotch pad not red. Grey pad will not scratch enough to have bad base.
Clean and prep then spray ur base. Flash 10 ish mins per layer (time depends on heat and humidity)
Flash last coat for approx 30 mins depending on above and how wet last coat is
After last flash you can spray on the clear. Clear is sprayed on wet! If you don't have it wet enough it will orange peel!!! Again flash dry it for coats. If you are going to buff you must put on at least one more coat than you want. Say you want 3 then shoot 4. Wet sand after dry 100% dry. Don't take much just fine wet sand 2k sand paper or more. Buff it gloss with compound. Then polish after then wax. This is one base coat. Flash dry means you let it sit and "tack" up.

More than one coat u MUST wet sand the base coats to apply the clear. I'm sure u know slightly that much if u did cars.

 

[covett03]

This was done with a rattle can. Fairings are almost done and I'll post pics. Rattle canned a diff set white n blue 2 seasons ago on friends bike and it still looks new. We polished and waxed thou... Results are always in prep work and this is just saying that it can be done with rattle cans

Start

Finish

 

[justanothaguy]

This was done with a rattle can. Fairings are almost done and I'll post pics. Rattle canned a diff set white n blue 2 seasons ago on friends bike and it still looks new. We polished and waxed thou... Results are always in prep work and this is just saying that it can be done with rattle cans

Start

Finish

In for pics of them on the bike I considered something very similar to this..

look good so far :clap

 

[exalted512]

As I said, it works just fine. People just need to realize its not for filling dents.

You shouldnt be using it for anything more than feathering or filling small pockmarks and crap. Its the idiots that have a dent and fill it with 3 lbs of bondo that make it look horrible. Thats absolutely not what its for.

Bondo overdone yes is a no go (inches apon inches of bondo).But once all the metal work is done and u need to smooth things out,bondo works great,thats what its for and has proved its self over and over again,witch is why its still on the market.Last a long time when applied properly.

Do either of you do body work for a living? I don't, nor do I pretend to. I used to do a lot of fiberglass work that'd we'd take to a paint/body shop to get painted. Regardless of the paint shop we took it to, none of them used Bondo.

I understand what both of you are saying and I agree. What I am telling you is that, for a body filler, it's not the best product out there. Not even close. It used to be...and it used to be one of the only products of it's kind...not anymore.

Bondo continues to live on the same way Bose does. Both make over-priced products with sub-par quality against their competitors. But at the end of the day, the BRAND sells itself. Bose through great marketing, Bondo because it was the only product of its kind for years and has a long standing reputation.

If you want good body filler products, Dynatron is hands down the better choice...and cheaper at the local stores. That comes with 5 years of my personal, professional experience...and God knows how many years of the different painters' experience that we used.
-Cody

 

[DROPFORGEDSTEEL]

Wow them wheels deff look good for spray bombs.
Just to give everyone a heads up.Neither lacquer or enamel are as good as urethane,but if one is gunna use spray bombs,choose enamel and not lacquer.Lacquer never fully cures (neither does enamel but if one is to cure more its enamel,enamel never shrinks).With lacquer overtime the thinners/solvents gas off,resulting in the lacquer drying out and shrinking.This shrinking issue with lacquer only gets worst with pc's that are out in the sun.
Im sure a few members in here already know this but for the ones who dont.

If one is gunna use any spray bombs for motorcycle fairings,i recommend Dupli-Color high heat engine enamel.Chemical resistant to "most" chemicals (not gas) but is by far the most durable spray bomb iv found without hardener.