DIY Bike Painting Part 2

DIY Bike Painting Part 2:

Sanding and Primer

In my last post, project NRS1 was disassembled and all of the paint stripped off chemically. Here is the frame after stripping and a thorough washing with water.

The stripper gets most of the paint off, but it still leaves little bits behind. You'll notice bits and pieces in the welds, the cable guides, and in my case, the rear shock mount.

I used #00 steel wool and 600 grit sandpaper to remove the last few bits of paint. This part took me a good 2 hours worth of elbow grease to get all the little bits off. I also took the time to give the frame an overall sanding to remove any oxidation. The frame parts had been sitting on my deck for about a week and I didn't want to take the chance that the primer wouldn't bond correctly.

The primer that I used is Duplicolor self etching automotive primer. I also picked up a handy spray can handle. Both set me back about $11. I didn't bother making an elaborate paint booth as this primer dries in 30 minutes and has a recoat time of 1 minute.

Before painting, I masked off the headset and stuck a cardboard roll in the bottom bracket. It took about 3 coats of primer to get full coverage on the pieces. The finish on the primer is pretty rough, so it definitely will need to be sanded down so the finish coat is smooth and glossy.

Coming soon: final paint design, and graphics and decals for the frame.