This may be the wrong sub-forum and I apologize if it is, but I am really wanting to paint my Nighthawk in the off season and I was wondering if anyone could recommend me a good sprayer for a beginner to learn with. I just want to paint the bike a solid black, so hopefully that will be relatively easy. Any good guides out there?
daw840
Eastwood dot com provides lots of guidance for painting autos, and the rules still apply to bikes. I believe they have instructional guides on their web site, along with all the equipment you may need.
what gun you get depends on what you plan on spraying, and what compressor you have.
since most home compressors don't put out enough CFM to use the cheaper (but still solid) HVLP guns, and because bikes don't have much square footage to actually paint, you get away with a mini hvlp gun.
you can read tutorials online, i will say that the more effort you put into prep work, the better your end results are going to be.
since most home compressors don't put out enough CFM to use the cheaper (but still solid) HVLP guns, and because bikes don't have much square footage to actually paint, you get away with a mini hvlp gun.
you can read tutorials online, i will say that the more effort you put into prep work, the better your end results are going to be.
definitely get some tips on sanding/wetsanding/prep from the man. i'm sure he'll have plenty of knowledge to pass on.
as far as what to spray--the urethane 2-stage (base coat/top coat) paints are nice, but honestly, overkill for a MC, imo. Nothing wrong with an acrylic enamel w/ a compatible clear coat sprayed on top. Plenty of luster, less steps, cheaper materials cost.
your first few jobs are going to be orange peely and sloppy, but it's a steep learning curve, meaning that you'll figure it out quick. and whatever orange peel you have just means you'll have to work a little harder wetsanding.
oh, also, be patient. nothing more frustrated than a nice fat run in the middle of the tank because you wanted to put on too much paint, too fast.
haha I guess i could go on forever--but once you have the equipment and paint figured out, the only way to get it right is to get in the garage and spray--also be mindful of air quality laws that may apply to you and your neighbors.
as far as what to spray--the urethane 2-stage (base coat/top coat) paints are nice, but honestly, overkill for a MC, imo. Nothing wrong with an acrylic enamel w/ a compatible clear coat sprayed on top. Plenty of luster, less steps, cheaper materials cost.
your first few jobs are going to be orange peely and sloppy, but it's a steep learning curve, meaning that you'll figure it out quick. and whatever orange peel you have just means you'll have to work a little harder wetsanding.
oh, also, be patient. nothing more frustrated than a nice fat run in the middle of the tank because you wanted to put on too much paint, too fast.
haha I guess i could go on forever--but once you have the equipment and paint figured out, the only way to get it right is to get in the garage and spray--also be mindful of air quality laws that may apply to you and your neighbors.
A friend and I painted my CB450, and the prep work - primer, filler, and sanding, was the biggest part of the job. I used two-part paints, because that's what was available to reproduce the factory colors. They take careful measurement and mixing, and have limited life once mixed. I also added some color to the first few coats of clear, to give that 'candy' look, and shift the color closer to OEM.
I would recommend a two-part hardening clear coat for the tank, since it will resist exposure to gasoline better. You have to give it time to harden some before the final fine wet sand and buff, but not too much time, or it gets too hard. Also, take extra care with masking around the filler neck, so gas doesn't get under the paint.
I would recommend a two-part hardening clear coat for the tank, since it will resist exposure to gasoline better. You have to give it time to harden some before the final fine wet sand and buff, but not too much time, or it gets too hard. Also, take extra care with masking around the filler neck, so gas doesn't get under the paint.
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