Having a frame painted/powder coated/stove enameled?

Dick Scruttock

If people were having there frame freshened up what finish am i best going for one a alloy frame?

Wet Spray,
Powder coat,
Stove enameled.

Whats going to produce the most durable result of the 3? I guess Stove enameled or Powder coating.

Would i be best having the frame stripped using:

Sand blasting,
Bead blasting,
Soda blasting,
Acid dipped?

Finally where would people advise sending my frame to? I have a local powder coaters that can do that finish and iirc there was a bike maker down south that can do stove enamel but i cannot remember the name.

ride_whenever

Argos racing cycles can do enamelling, but i'd avoid it, way to chip-happy.

Personally I'd just send it to argos, have them strip and then get the 2-pack epoxy paint and a layer of lacquer. Costs a little more but saves a whole load of grief!

If you really really want enamelling for some insane reason, go to bob jackson instead as the finish is a bit better.

If you can strip it in such a way as to make your local powdercoaters happy and properly mask and clean the frame then that is the cheapest option at around £40

Dick Scruttock

So you would not go getting it blasted?

Bought a Merlin Malt 4 bike but its a bit shonky and i want to pimp it a bit!

ride_whenever

No, chemically etched is probably the best way to go.

I did the white inbred in the 2-pack epoxy from argos and the finish seems pretty hard, very very thick coating though so my chain tugs aren't quite long enough now :evil:

marksteven

had 1 powder coated by windridge coatings in kent 1st class check out the web site

Dick Scruttock

So Argos cycles can do 2 pack epoxy finishing?

ride_whenever

first paragraph above the colour samples, however a very limited range of colours for the 2-pack. Great finish though!

underdog

If you were happy to strip the bike yourself surely a local car painter could do a top notch job for not much cash, especially if it's in a colour he has knocking about?

Northwind

Stove enamelling is a beautiful decorative finish, very well suited for people who never ride their bikes.

2-pack epoxy can be extremely tough but is a thicker finish and if not done exactly right can end up looking a bit melty. It's a bugger to work with apparently. Not the same as 2-pack car paint if anyone was wondering, though it's also a bugger to work with on account of the cyanide But speaking of 2K paint, it's fairly durable but a little brittle, not a terrible option but don't expect it to last too well for hard use, it will chip.

Powdercoat done at a place that knows bikes still seems like the best option for most bikes. Epoxy is tougher, but thicker too, and less people do it so it tends to come expensive as well.

leaflite

Bead blasting is for steel frames only-for aluminium you need it to be walnut blasted for that method.


Me and my dad have been painting a frame at the moment-we just jetwashed and then sanded the frame lightly with wet and dry, primed the frame with 1 can spray primer and then painted it with 2 cans car paint(we used ford fiesta "squeeze" green from a car body shop). Finally, we laquered it with spray laquer.

Northwind

what sort of paint and laquer are you using?

leaflite

Northwind wrote:

what sort of paint and laquer are you using?

Its a spray, the paint says "holts spray mix" and the laquer says "holts colour match" on the can.

leaflite

:oops:

leaflite

Triple post :oops:
I need to stop clicking!

Northwind

Looks like a singlepack that. Better than cellulose! And less poisony than 2pack. Hope it works out, I've found the singlepack clear I used on my motorbike to be a bit soft but then soft's better than brittle.