Painting your creations....

[Warthog]

I have just finished a bracket for my Ural. It is steel and has been welded in places. It also has hinged sections that will still need to be able to flex as designed.

So, what are the painting options/techniques to consider. Low hassle but sturdy finish is preferable. I am not going for powder coating for this one.

Choices so far: plain automotive paint with a priming coat, or Hammerite as I understand it's quite tough once set.

Suggestions?

Once done I shall post piccies!

[Chad]

I have just finished a bracket for my Ural. It is steel and has been welded in places. It also has hinged sections that will still need to be able to flex as designed.

So, what are the painting options/techniques to consider. Low hassle but sturdy finish is preferable. I am not going for powder coating for this one.

Choices so far: plain automotive paint with a priming coat, or Hammerite as I understand it's quite tough once set.

Suggestions?

Once done I shall post piccies!

we got a paint over here called plasticoat thats very good for this sort of stuff i dont quite know if you could get this over there but general motor vehicle paints will work well with good preparation

[davsato]

central heating radiator enamel in a spray can or hammerite garage door enamel.
both dry very hard but of course you will need to well grease the hinge, no paint will stay on there for long.

[francis_geoff]

I have just finished a bracket for my Ural. It is steel and has been welded in places. It also has hinged sections that will still need to be able to flex as designed.

So, what are the painting options/techniques to consider. Low hassle but sturdy finish is preferable. I am not going for powder coating for this one.

Choices so far: plain automotive paint with a priming coat, or Hammerite as I understand it's quite tough once set.

Suggestions?

Once done I shall post piccies!

Two-pack paint is ideal for bikes (you need to mix paint and hardener) but needs to be applied with spray gun (also gives off toxic fumes).
When dry (2 days) is much better than hammerite and can come in whatever colour you wish (uses RAL numbers).
We use it on construction equipment and find that it is the most hard wearing (and if applied with skill a good finish is achieved)

[Mr NiceGuy]

I find Hammerite brittle with pieces breaking off quite easily. I'd go for the plasticoat spray or enamel spray

[Warthog]

Hmm... Good pointers here. I get the feeling that Plasti-coat will not be available but I will look around.

On a general note: I hate the preparation side: I lack the patience!!
So I will look for the option that requires the least of that!!

I even considered "undercarriage paint" as it is supposed to tough with a hint of rubberiness.

Keep 'em coming: the more choices, the more likely I am to find a version over here that is proven!

[BIG D]

I have just used plasticote to respray a second hand set of Hepco & Becker pannier rails and the outcome was very good and even allowed for flex when bolting item to the bike.
Hammerite is also good but I have also found it brittle on movable parts.
BIG D.

[BobA]

In the metal shop at school, we used to do a process on unfinished steel which I (rightly or wrongly) called Japan'ning.

Saw someone doing it again recently on some nice bracketry he'd made.

Don't know how well it stands up to the elements, but it's easy to do.

1. Get your clean bit of metal/bracket
2. Hold it with grips, or preferably a loop of wire
3. Heat it up good and hot with a blowtorch, til it's starting to go red
4. Gently lower it into a container with some engine oil in it.

Gives a nice even satin black finish.




Bob

[BobA]

Errrrr

and obviously, wear protection, do this outside, down wind (it makes a lot of smelly smoke), and perhaps have some sort of fire extinguisher nearby.

I NEVER had a problem when we did it at school, and the bloke I saw doing recently didn't do any of the above, but it's just for your own safety.



Bob

[Warthog]

Errrrr

and obviously, wear protection, do this outside, down wind (it makes a lot of smelly smoke), and perhaps have some sort of fire extinguisher nearby.

I NEVER had a problem when we did it at school, and the bloke I saw doing recently didn't do any of the above, but it's just for your own safety.



Bob

Crickey!!

Lucky my brackets are made of steel and not phosphorus as originally planned!!!