Powdercoating an old frame

lastpubrunner

I'm considering getting an old frame powder coated.

What I'd like to know is -

In order to get a similar effect to a more traditionally painted bike, would it be possible to overpaint the powder coat on the head tube ?

Or would that part (head tube) have to be masked off during the powder coating process ?

In other words, can 'contrasts' be achieved with powder coating and perhaps using another paint on top ? (or by any method ?)

Is it possible to do lug lining on a powder coated frame ?

Ta for any advice !

mmacavity

lastpubrunner wrote:

I'm considering getting an old frame powder coated.

What I'd like to know is -

In order to get a similar effect to a more traditionally painted bike, would it be possible to overpaint the powder coat on the head tube ?

Or would that part (head tube) have to be masked off during the powder coating process ?

In other words, can 'contrasts' be achieved with powder coating and perhaps using another paint on top ? (or by any method ?)

Is it possible to do lug lining on a powder coated frame ?

Ta for any advice !

You can (wet) paint over powder coat. Powder coat is hot plastic spraying process. When it cools you can have whatever you like painted over it. Alloy car wheels are powder coated and sometimes wet painted for a decorative finish. http://www.lepsons.com/process.phtml

shrekster

I had a set of motorcycle wheels done in two colours, not sure how they did it but they do look bloody good.

Jim.

dilemna

If the old frame has any corrosion it would be a good idea to get it blasted to reveal whether it is worth repainting as if too many pin pric holes caused by corrosion then it might be wise to let it die peacefully. There are a few people who restore frames in the back of CW.

lastpubrunner

I'd like to test your patience yet again, I have an old 1950s frame that I'd like to have re-painted; a previous owner has sawn off the brake 'eyelet' on the chain stay, in fact there aren't any eyelets or cable supports anywhere on the bike. Is it possible to buy these so that I could get a friend to weld them on ? Or are there 'bolt-on' alternatives ?

My friend is an excellent welder, do you think it would be an idea to get him to weld on a rear derailleur mounting point or would a bolt-on one be as good ?

I want to get all frame alterations done before it is painted.

I've been in touch with a couple of local firms re. powder coating. On firm told me that they don't bother priming the frames - they just 'blast them clean' and do one coat. They said that putting on a primer would double the cost - but surely a primer is a necessity ?

Thank you

crankycrank

lastpubrunner wrote:

a previous owner has sawn off the brake 'eyelet' on the chain stay, in fact there aren't any eyelets or cable supports anywhere on the bike. Is it possible to buy these so that I could get a friend to weld them on ? Or are there 'bolt-on' alternatives ?
My friend is an excellent welder, do you think it would be an idea to get him to weld on a rear derailleur mounting point or would a bolt-on one be as good ?
Thank you

All the frame supplies you need here. http://ceeway.com/index.htm There are others as well and I think a google search would turn up a few. Can't comment on your friends welding abilities but he does need to know what he's doing since brazing is what's usually used and it's also good to know what steel the frame is made of.

shrekster

No priming is required, the powder is 'sprayed' directly onto the blasted surface which gives it an excellent 'key' to stick to the frame. Once cured it's pretty tough stuff.

Jim.

delstron

Not sure about 'no primer'. I had a frame coated in red powder. It had very small areas of white showing through in some shadow areas. When I asked, they said that red is such a weak opaque colour that it needs a white primer first to appear 'solid'.