If you want your motorbike to look unique, then custom paint jobs will work perfectly for you. In fact, if you do the paint-work yourself, it will cut down on labor costs while having more control over the personal touches that you want to add. Additionally, it can be fun to paint a motorcycle if you are a motorcycle enthusiast. So, in this article we going to provide you with some of the steps on how to prepare and paint your bike.
SECTION-1: How To Create A Painting Booth:
-Choose a large area for your paint-work: Select a large area where you can make a mess. In fact, a garage or storage-area would be among your best options. Likewise, don’t create the paint booth somewhere where an errant paint stain will be a big problem.
-Protect walls with plastic sheets: Buy plastic sheeting at any home improvement store and use it to cover the whole painting area. Use thumbtacks or a hammer and nails to hang the sheeting up on the walls. Additionally, use masking tape to secure the bottom of the sheet to the floor. This will prevent the sheets from billowing out and allowing paint to stain the wall.
-Set-up a variable speed, oscillating fan: Get an oscillating-fun and place it somewhere where it will blow fumes out of the room or space so that you don’t inhale too much of it.
-Set-up the lighting: It’s very important to see what you’re doing and that’s why you should place extra lights in the area where you’ll be working. In fact, floor lamps would work well but you can place side table lamps or desk lamps on a flat, elevated surface. You can also increase the brightness in the room by adding reflective materials such as aluminum sheets or mirrors on the walls.
SECTION-2: How To Prepare Your Motorcycle For Painting:
-Remove the parts of the bike you plan to paint: Check which size of Allen-wrench you need to remove the bolts holding various parts in place. Remove all the bolts holding the parts and lift them off the frame. Remember to store the bolts in a plastic baggie that is clearly marked.
-Sand down the surface of parts you are going to paint: This will take some time and elbow grease but it’s an important step. So, purchase sandpaper at any home improvement or hardware store and then rub the metal surface down with sandpaper in a circular motion until you have removed all the old paint. Switch back and forth between arms to prevent fatigue and soreness. Take a break if you need one. You don’t have to finish this project in one sitting.
-Wipe down the newly-sanded surface: Remove any residual dust or particles that might be on the surface using a dry cloth. This is very important because you will need to work with a clean canvas.
-Smooth the layer of body-filler over the newly sanded surface: This will help to ensure that you’re working with a smooth and leveled surface as possible. So, purchase body filler at any automotive retailer and mix the filler up well to make sure it’s loose and not clumpy when applied. The filler hardens quickly and that’s why you should repeat the process in small batches as often as necessary. Additionally, apply the filler in a layer of about 1/8” thick.
-Re-sand the surface once the body filler has dried: Wait for about an hour to make sure the surface has dried completely and ready for a second sanding. If you’re not satisfied that the surface is perfectly smooth and ready to be painted, apply another layer of body filler and sand it down again. When you’re satisfied with the smoothness of the surface, move on to the next phase.
SECTION-3: How To Paint Your Motorcycle:
-Apply 2-coats of epoxy primer: This helps to protect the metal against moisture down the road thus preventing unwanted effects like rusting. Mix the primer with the hardener & pour the solution into the can of your spray gun. Apply 1-coat evenly onto the bike and then allow it to dry then repeat the process. Follow the recommended drying times on the packaging for the primer you bought. Additionally, when applying any product with a spray gun, make sure to move the spray slowly and evenly across the surface.
-Lightly sand down the primed surface: Gently sand down the primed surface once the second coat has dried. Most primers leave a powdery texture behind especially after multiple coatings. So, you will need to smooth out the parts to a leveled surface. Consider using a 2000-grit wet-and-dry sandpaper.
-Wipe the surface down with a rag lightly wetted with thinner: However, don’t use a lot of thinner to strip the primer. So, just use enough thinner to wipe down the newly sanded surface.
-Clean your spray gun: You don’t want any of the epoxy primer mixing in with the paint you want to apply. So, thoroughly cleanup your spray-gun before applying the paint.
-Mix the paint with the thinner: Use the ratio recommended by the packaging on the specific product you bought. Additionally, mix the products thoroughly to prevent clogging in the spray gun and ensure a smooth coat on your motorcycle.
-Use your spray-gun to apply 3-to-4 layers of Paint: Let each layer dry completely between applications using the drying times recommended on the paint package. After the third layer of paint has dried, sand the surface again with a 2000-grit wet-and-dry sandpaper. This will create a surface that is perfectly smooth in preparation for the final coat of paint. Wipe the surface down with a clean rag after sanding and then apply the final coat of paint and let it dry. Clean the spray gun thoroughly again after applying your final coat of paint.
-Apply 2-coats of clearcoat lacquer: Applying a clearcoat will finish and protect your paint job from the elements. So, follow the recommendations on the lacquer packaging to determine how long you should let it cure before applying the second coat. After the second coat of lacquer has cured and you’re satisfied with the final product, you be ready to go.
-Check for any inconsistencies: If there are still inconsistencies, sand it once more with 2000-grit wet-and-dry sandpaper, then reapply a coat of clearcoat lacquer to your satisfaction.
-Assemble motorcycle-parts when the paint is completely dry: After the painting job, wait for paint on different parts to completely dry and begin assembling back your motorcycle. Finish by enjoying your new ride.
