Project bEbay bike

monkimark

OK, so I have an old British Eagle moutain bike sitting in the shed, gradually rusting to death and I'm planning on turning it into a 'family bike' that I can put a baby seat on full time to save messing about with brackets etc on my proper bikes when we go out for a pootle round the park.

It's a bit of a tip at the moment but I can replace most of the parts from stuff i have lying around. I think I'll probably need a new front wheel as it's missing a few spokes, plus a new crankset as the spider on the existing one is a bit bent
Plan is to strip all the parts, spray paint with rattle cans and then put it back together as cheaply as possible - probably a sngle chainring up front and 7 speed cassette at the back.



So a few questions:
1) Is Nitromors the best way to strip the paint (reynolds 531 steel) - I've read a few conflicting reports online.
2) Any tips on painting from people who've tried before - I've sprayed a few bits before but never a bike frame
3) Any inspiration for colour schemes? I was thinking green & white ish with the lugs a different colour to the tubes but I suspect it'll be difficult to mask off cleanly.
4) What clear laquer do people recomend for hard wearing? It's never going to be as tough as powder coating but I'd rather it didn't immidiately chip off.

Thanks in advance.
Mark

The Rookie

monkimark wrote:

So a few questions:
1) Is Nitromors the best way to strip the paint (reynolds 531 steel) - I've read a few conflicting reports online.
2) Any tips on painting from people who've tried before - I've sprayed a few bits before but never a bike frame
3) Any inspiration for colour schemes? I was thinking green & white ish with the lugs a different colour to the tubes but I suspect it'll be difficult to mask off cleanly.
4) What clear laquer do people recomend for hard wearing? It's never going to be as tough as powder coating but I'd rather it didn't immidiately chip off.

1/ Yes, although often cheaper to take to a soda balseter now as 'mors aint what it was!
2/ Yep, make sure it's clean and degreased, use a good quality primer, build up in slow layers to avoid runs
3/ Personal, I have one black and one ford Metallic Purple and a Barbie pink (the daughters not my ride!)
4/ Not Holts is all I'd say, but laquer is no harder wearing than paint.

monkimark

Cheers buddy, I have a stack of nitromors at home anyway so I think I'll give that a go and then break out the abrasives.

I've given myself a budget of £50 so anything I save on paint stripping can be spent on unrusted brake cables and other such fripperies.

No doubt in a weeks time I'll be cursing myself for not following your advice.

The Rookie

Give the paint a sanding before you use the 'mors as it works better that way.

For cheap brake cables try Wilko/Wilkinsons supermarket, also gear inner (no outers), cheap (really really cheap) and last well, the brake cables on the commuter were fitted in 2009 and have now done nearly 3,500 miles including one particularly wet and salty winter that killed the chain.