DIY Painting Tips

[joshuajcrouch]

You'll need something to block the fuel outlet.

Sorry in advance for my newbness...

Which one is the fuel outlet?  My tank was disconnected from everything when I bought the motorcycle.  At some point I will actually need a diagram or photo to put everything back together correctly.  I can take photo if it would help facilitate the discussion.

And when you say "block" do you mean with some tape on the outside?  Or do I need to keep the POR from getting inside the fuel outlet?

[ducpainter]

The outlet is the barbed fitting on the left side wall. You should remove the barbed fitting. It just unscrews. A piece of tape on the flat sealing surface will work, or most hardware stores have a good supply of really small corks/stoppers. One of those will work also. Your tank probably has a drain. That plug should be removed and plugged with a cork stopper. You'll need to make sure you clean any spillage from all surfaces, and threads. The stuff dries really hard and it has to be sanded/wire brushed to remove. Lacquer thinner will work well to remove the product from unwanted areas.

Since your tank is freshly painted you should consider taping the outer surface to eliminate getting POR on the paint. Don't use thinner to wash the fresh paint. I'd tape it up after the wash/acid processes to avoid getting the tape wet. That will make it transfer adhesive. Make sure you rinse any spilled acid quickly. It may mark the paint.

Any other questions?

[1.21GW]

Not a pure paint question but paint related:

How hard is it to get the frame separated from the rest of the bike?  I would really like to get my frame painted but fear the labor of dis- and re-assembly will be mucho $$.  Would consider doing it myself but it seems more than a little PITA.

[joshuajcrouch]

The outlet is the barbed fitting on the left side wall. You should remove the barbed fitting. It just unscrews. A piece of tape on the flat sealing surface will work, or most hardware stores have a good supply of really small corks/stoppers. One of those will work also. Your tank probably has a drain. That plug should be removed and plugged with a cork stopper. You'll need to make sure you clean any spillage from all surfaces, and threads. The stuff dries really hard and it has to be sanded/wire brushed to remove. Lacquer thinner will work well to remove the product from unwanted areas.

Since your tank is freshly painted you should consider taping the outer surface to eliminate getting POR on the paint. Don't use thinner to wash the fresh paint. I'd tape it up after the wash/acid processes to avoid getting the tape wet. That will make it transfer adhesive. Make sure you rinse any spilled acid quickly. It may mark the paint.

Any other questions?

Great advice!  Thank you.  I might take a photo of the bottom of my tank (and PM it to you) before I get started to make sure I have all the outlets taped/prepped correctly.

For whatever its worth, I only have a primer on the tank right now.  I am waiting to paint it until after the POR is done.

[ducpainter]

Great advice!  Thank you.  I might take a photo of the bottom of my tank (and PM it to you) before I get started to make sure I have all the outlets taped/prepped correctly.

For whatever its worth, I only have a primer on the tank right now.  I am waiting to paint it until after the POR is done.

Good call on waiting for the POR to be complete. That's the way I do it.

Any 'mistakes' can be sanded out.

[cmejia1978]

TO 1.21GW: well I did it myself, first time ever, EVER of doing a thing like that, it's not "hard" but you have to have TONS of patience otherwise you are going to end loosing your mind, money and bike and taking it to the dealer... so my advice: get the office pdf, the parts pdf and the user's pdf... all your tools (allen etc...) and be ready for a new adventure, I would recommend to buy a motor stand, I did and it's worth the 99 I paid it can handle the motor + swing arm + tire AND frame!!! so then you could leave everything there but the frame! if need pictures I have! 

[1.21GW]

...but you have to have TONS of patience otherwise you are going to end loosing your mind...

On the downside I lack even a average amount of patience but on the upside I've already lost my mind.  But seriously, thanks for the info, cmejia1978.  That's encouraging.  I'm still deciding the 'when' of this project while I research the 'if'.

[joshuajcrouch]

Alright... my next question:

I just picked up this fender and am quickly falling in love with the red.  I was thinking about getting the paint code for this fender to paint my tank to match, but I heard that red is expensive.

Any advice on what my options are?  I am not opposed to painting both my fender and tank a different red as long as the color is close (assuming I can get a less expensive red).  Has anyone been down this path before?

And a picture for reference:


Joshua

[ducpainter]

Red is expensive.

Look into PPG Omni...it's their 'value' line.

Take the part you want to match and check the stock chips or some foreign car colors as a comparison and pick something close.

[stopintime]

Maybe I missed my swingarm powder paint specifications (should have chosen metallic and darker, I think)

Gloss powder - can I sand and apply a mix of clear and black?

[ducpainter]

Maybe I missed my swingarm powder paint specifications (should have chosen metallic and darker, I think)

Gloss powder - can I sand and apply a mix of clear and black?

I wouldn't tint the clear.

Sand, apply color, then clear.

[stopintime]

This is going to be a on-the-bike job if at all - it might look better on the bike than on it's own in my living room..
Too late to do it any other way since I'm not going to take it all apart again.

How about a sponge application with a tinted clear? (is tinting a clear an option at all?)

[ducpainter]

This is going to be a on-the-bike job if at all - it might look better on the bike than on it's own in my living room..
Too late to do it any other way since I'm not going to take it all apart again.

How about a sponge application with a tinted clear? (is tinting a clear an option at all?)

Tinting clear with out putting more untinted clear over the top is not a good practice.

The color in the clear will degrade.

Sponge application?

I think a nicely powdercoated swinger that is slightly the wrong shade will look better than what you're suggesting.

[stopintime]

Sponge is an idea from interior decoration, but maybe it would only be possible with a paint+thinner job and maybe not working well here. I thought about darkening the powder...

The perfect look would have been very dark grey anodized plus the cross members painted red. The powder made the rough industrial looking weld seams look like plastic. Also, I chose gloss since it's easier to clean, but should have gone semi.

We'll see when it's on the bike 

[ducpainter]

I think with automotive style products you'll have trouble keeping it from running with a sponge.