Cycling Adventurer: How To... Paint a bike frame

The Cycling Adventurer
How To...	Paint a Bike Frame — Step 7

Leave it alone!

I am weak in the face of temptation, and I am always tempted to run my fingers over a smooth surface.

RESIST THAT TEMPTATION!!

Leave your frame hanging for whatever period the spray pack instructions specify. You want the paint nice and hard when you start rubbing back with fine-grade wet and dry sandpaper.

The paint probably will harden best at room temperature, so a move into a rarely disturbed, dust-free corner of the lounge room is a good idea.

When the recommended drying period has ended, you're back to wet-and-dry sanding again. But, it won't take long I use a 600 grade or higher paper, wet of course.

The idea is to smooth back the primer so any imperfections in the original surface are filled, but you don't want to get back down to bare metal again, otherwise you will have to paint with primer again.

It really does need to be only a light sanding. You also can carefully sand off any insects, dust or paint runs that have marred the surface. Learn from these imperfections, however, and eliminate their source before you start the next stage (like I did with the gaffer tape on the chrome tubing I used to suspend the trike frame).

Again, wash off the bike with soap and water, and handle it with latex gloves. When it is dry, you can go over it again with a ball of masking tape that will lift off any remaining dust. You can buy tack-cloths at automotive repair outlets, but I've found the masking tape does just as well.

I am not going to deal here in detail with masking off areas for other colours, on the assumption the finish coats will be a single colour. But, as you can see by the illustration, I did mask the formerly black wheelchair wheels to go on the rear of the trike, so they could be painted white.

Masking of the first or base finish coat should be left until the paint is very hard... at least three days. Masking paint can lift off new paint that is still soft, and this is something you don't want to happen!

The masking of curves is quite difficult, but masking tape torn into long thin strips is much easier to work in these cases. In addition, you need to make sure that all surrounding masking is well stuck down because spray paint has a habit of finding its way under even minute openings.

One of the wheels masked with tape and ready to paint white.

The masking tape you use must be in good condition if you want find edges. Tape that is old, has been knocked around in the tool box or dropped on the carpet won't be much good because the edges are rough, the adhesive is not good enough, or there are foreign items on the edges that are almost impossible to remove.

When you have placed the tape, run your thumbnail along the outer edge to seal it. You should see a subtle change in colour underneath the tape as it is pressed down.

Lugs and other sharp internal angles are special cases, and you may need to use a very sharp scalpel to cut the mask right into the corners. In many respects, painting lugs is better left to a good old fine-point sable paintbrush.

Quite soon after you have finished painting, remove the tape away from the just-painted area. There is a bit of a technique to this — the ape needs to be It's best to do the removal after the paint has gone off, so it doesn't contaminate your fingers — paint smudged from your fingers on the surround paintwork should be removed with a wipe of a rag.

Now, go hang the bike up again, and have a(nother) steadying cup of coffee.

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