Powder Coat or Paint???

Little OT, but I am having thoughts about having some custom airbrush work done on my V-Rex's frame to personalize it. 😉

"Don" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I have a new Giro frameset. It is nekked. I do not know whether to paint it or powder coat it.
Both my local sources are similar in price. At least close enough that cost is not the deciding
factor. Both finishes will be baked until a fork inserted in the center comes out clean.

I have not checked out the available powder coat colors yet. I am afraid they may be limiting
although I have seen some very hot bikes that were allegedly powder coated. I will have to see if
my local powder coater knows how to get the hot colors or if he only deals in industrial colors.
If there is a significant upcharge then that may through the deal to paint.

Any experience or advice? Which is more durable? What color is fastest?

Powdercoat is best; and there are many different kinds, with different qualities. There is a vast
array of colors and special effects available in powdercoat paints.

Here's the URL for a So. California powder coat specialty house that quoted me $60 to powdercoat a
frame (a couple of years ago):

e-powdercoating.come-powdercoating.comOpen ↗

And here is where custom paint miracles happen:

spectrumpowderworks.comspectrumpowderworks.comOpen ↗

You have to check out what Spectrum can do with powdered paints. It's just incredible. You might
want to think about spending $200-ish and have them do something really amazing (like translucent
flames). It would be the sweetest looking Giro on the road.

Barry

I have found powder coating to be a very durable finish. The downside is that it may be difficult to
find a retail powder coater in your area. The best bet is to visit the closest Harley shop and ask
them who does their powder coating. You can be sure they will do a good job.

The powder for this process is expensive and if you want a custom color you will have to buy much
more powder than is needed to coat a bike frame. They don't sell the powder in bike sized bags. The
price is reasonable if you select a color that is in stock. Also you don't get the sheen with powder
coating that you can get with paint if that's important to you.

Many powder coaters also do chrome plating. Have you thought about having the world's only chrome
plated Giro? Not that's is really a durable finish. I have a 1972 chrome plated Paramount touring
bike that looks like new. It attracts almost as much attention as a recumbent.

I also have a much used twelve year old powder coated bike that doesn't have a scratch on it. On the
other hand I had Rans (Tom's not around) bike that started getting scratched up the minute I took it
out of the shipping crate.

skip

"Don" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

What color is fastest?

Ferrari yellow (Fly Yellow, I've been told).

Virtual Rush White if it's for a bike, though.

"Torben Scheel" skrev...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

What color is fastest?

Ferrari yellow (Fly Yellow, I've been told).

But the effect can be neutralized by buying its rider lots of Manhattan Ice Tea's. ;o) (Which by the
way contains no tea whatsoever.)

M.

"Torben Scheel"

Still an hour ahead of the rest of us it seems. :-)

M.

"Mikael Seierup" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

But the effect can be neutralized by buying its rider lots of Manhattan Ice Tea's. ;o) (Which by
the way contains no tea whatsoever.)

Who's hung over now? It was Long Island Ice Tea I suffered from, if you don't mind! ;-)

"Mikael Seierup" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"Torben Scheel"

Still an hour ahead of the rest of us it seems. :-)

I gotta work on that - I have a feeling that it might get me in trouble. Sorry Group.

"Torben Scheel" skrev...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

But the effect can be neutralized by buying its rider lots of Manhattan Ice Tea's. ;o) (Which by
the way contains no tea whatsoever.)

Who's hung over now? It was Long Island Ice Tea I suffered from, if you don't mind! ;-)

Well the stuff that makes your hair hurt is the same. ;-)
getouttoday.comjuicelit.htmOpen ↗

M.

"Mikael Seierup" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"Torben Scheel" skrev...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

But the effect can be neutralized by buying its rider lots of Manhattan Ice Tea's. ;o) (Which
by the way contains no tea whatsoever.)

Who's hung over now? It was Long Island Ice Tea I suffered from, if you don't mind! ;-)

Well the stuff that makes your hair hurt is the same. ;-)
getouttoday.comjuicelit.htmOpen ↗

Ah! NOW I remember - it must have been the Red Bull topping of the coke that took me down ;-)

On a note - I'm not very familiar with US style or geographics, but I suppose the style of drinking
the stuff must differ from Long Island to Manhattan. Any locals here to confirm or deny that?

Wheel Doctor Jude told me that the sliding seat clamp will damage paint, but not powder coat.
Dan Kluckhuhn

"Don" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I have a new Giro frameset. It is nekked. I do not know whether to paint it or powder coat it.
Both my local sources are similar in price. At least close enough that cost is not the deciding
factor. Both finishes will be baked until a fork inserted in the center comes out clean.

I have not checked out the available powder coat colors yet. I am afraid they may be limiting
although I have seen some very hot bikes that were allegedly powder coated. I will have to see if
my local powder coater knows how to get the hot colors or if he only deals in industrial colors.
If there is a significant upcharge then that may through the deal to paint.

Any experience or advice? Which is more durable? What color is fastest? Don

[email hidden] (Don) wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

I have not checked out the available powder coat colors yet. I am afraid they may be limiting
although I have seen some very hot bikes that were allegedly powder coated. I will have to see if
my local powder coater knows how to get the hot colors or if he only deals in industrial colors.
If there is a significant upcharge then that may through the deal to paint.

Any experience or advice? Which is more durable? What color is fastest?

Don, I recently got my V-Rex back on the road after a major rebuild/upgrade which included, among
other things, a nice new powder coat. The local powdercoater, which I found via reference from the
local motorcycle shop, charged me $60 for frame and fork to be coated with both a color and a clear
coat. The only bad part was that I couldn't put the decals under the clear coat, because the baking
process was at 600F and that would melt the decals. :-( Here's a pic of the finished V-Rex, showing
the fastest color available. (Hint: it's yellow!)

biketcba.orgvrex2.jpgOpen ↗

If they are baking at 600F will that mess with aluminum bike frame temper?

John Foltz said:

[email hidden] (Don) wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

I have not checked out the available powder coat colors yet. I am afraid they may be limiting
although I have seen some very hot bikes that were allegedly powder coated. I will have to see
if my local powder coater knows how to get the hot colors or if he only deals in industrial
colors. If there is a significant upcharge then that may through the deal to paint.

Any experience or advice? Which is more durable? What color is fastest?

Don, I recently got my V-Rex back on the road after a major rebuild/upgrade which included, among
other things, a nice new powder coat. The local powdercoater, which I found via reference from the
local motorcycle shop, charged me $60 for frame and fork to be coated with both a color and a
clear coat. The only bad part was that I couldn't put the decals under the clear coat, because the
baking process was at 600F and that would melt the decals. :-( Here's a pic of the finished V-Rex,
showing the fastest color available. (Hint: it's yellow!)

biketcba.orgvrex2.jpgOpen ↗

Very nice looking.

JHH

Bri <"Share,D,Computer"@boeing.com> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

If they are baking at 600F will that mess with aluminum bike frame temper?

I suppose it would, if the V-Rex were aluminum instead of Chromoly. Not sure what is done with
aluminum - powder with a lower baking temp?

Now that I'm thinking more about it, maybe I misremembered and the baking temp is more like 360F.
Either way, too hot for most plastics.

Bri <"Share,D,Computer"@boeing.com> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

If they are baking at 600F will that mess with aluminum bike frame temper?

A V-rex is steel. Besides, many production aluminum bike frames are powder-coated.

I'm not sure 600F is required for powder coating. Lower temperatures are certainly possible. Here's
an article that talks about powder-coating wood and plastic:
powdercoatingonline.compowder coaters corner 20.htmlOpen ↗

Jeff

Here is the FAQ link to the main page link that was posted by previously by Barry. Thanks Barry,
good stuff there. They bake at 375 and say it will not hurt aluminum. They also say PC is tougher
than liquid finishes. Guess I am dated, I still call it paint.

spectrumpowderworks.comspwfaq.htmOpen ↗

Bri <"Share,D,Computer"@boeing.com> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

If they are baking at 600F will that mess with aluminum bike frame temper?

(Don) said:

Any experience or advice? Which is more durable? What color is fastest?

IME /good/ powder coat is best, but /bad/ powder coat is very poor (inclined to stain and not as
shiny as it should be), so make sure you check the other work the selected shop is doing before
committing your bike to them.

Fastest colour? How can you even ask that? Everybody knows red bikes go fastest. Except for one or
two dark grey ones, of course...

Guy
===
** WARNING ** This posting may contain traces of irony. chapmancentral.comchapmancentral.comOpen ↗ Advance
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