Hi everyone:
I just wanted to post up some pictures of my efforts to repaint a second-hand set of sharkskinz I picked up for my new (used) bike.
Here's what I started with:
Here's what I'm going for:
I just finished painting the tail last night (clear goes on this weekend), and I'm really, really happy with the results so far:
The real reason I wanted to put these pictures was to show that it is possible to do multiple colors on a rattlecan job and get sharp dividing lines:
The secret is 1/8" 3M plastic tape (also known as pinstripe tape). Unlike traditional painting/masking tape, the vinyl/plastic tape bends and stretches, which allows you to trace curves while still giving a nice sharp line. After I laid the tape down, I used a knife edge to make sure that it sealed well.
One additional trick that I've heard, but did not use, is to "seal" the edge of the tape by first spraying a coat of the "other" color (i.e., the color on the far side of the tape), then laying down the color you really want. that way, the color that bleeds through is the same as the color on the far side, so the bleeding will not be visible.
I still have a long way to go in this project. the finish is not perfect by any means. there are runs, and orange peel, and lots of other defects. but those are really due to my own laziness in prep, not an inherent problem with the rattlecan method. I'm convinced that any bleeding I experienced was due to poor prep, not the tape.
Bottom line: for something that I spray painted (with no experience) on top of a cardboard box sitting on a dirty street in front of my apartment, especially after doing at most a 5/8 ass job on the prep, I'm pretty happy with the results!
More pictures to follow!
I just wanted to post up some pictures of my efforts to repaint a second-hand set of sharkskinz I picked up for my new (used) bike.
Here's what I started with:
One additional trick that I've heard, but did not use, is to "seal" the edge of the tape by first spraying a coat of the "other" color (i.e., the color on the far side of the tape), then laying down the color you really want. that way, the color that bleeds through is the same as the color on the far side, so the bleeding will not be visible.
I still have a long way to go in this project. the finish is not perfect by any means. there are runs, and orange peel, and lots of other defects. but those are really due to my own laziness in prep, not an inherent problem with the rattlecan method. I'm convinced that any bleeding I experienced was due to poor prep, not the tape.
Bottom line: for something that I spray painted (with no experience) on top of a cardboard box sitting on a dirty street in front of my apartment, especially after doing at most a 5/8 ass job on the prep, I'm pretty happy with the results!
More pictures to follow!