todays paints

[ortogo]

Back in the early 80's I worked as a panel beater/welder for a friend of mine who was a car sprayer. Back then everything was either cellulose or synthetic (or that was all we seemed to use). I need to do a bit of spraying for a couple of projects I'm working on, but paint seems to have moved on a bit since the 80's, can anyone explain the types of paints used today or recommend a type for finishing motorcycle tanks or parts, or a link to something that explains the current products available. I'm usually fairly sucessful searching for this type of info but most of what I've found seems to gloss (sorry about that) the subject

 

[BrokenBiker]

if you have extraction/good ventilation/respirator etc just use 2k

 

[steveo3002]

theres epoxy primer - 2 part stuff that sticks extremely well and is very durable

2k /2 pack solid colours ....so all your basic non metalics , again a 2 part system where you add hardener and it goes off hard

clear over base , which is a solvent base coat to provide the colour then 2k clear coat on top

water based base coat , non solvent base coat and then the same clear as above

have a read up on isocyanites and see what you think , you really need an airfed mask to use 2k stuff

 

[the snooper]

if you have extraction/good ventilation/respirator etc just use 2k

You need an air fed mask to be 100% safe as they use positive pressure

 

[norsa]

welcome to the forum. you are in the right place. Yes 2k is the only modern way as it is so stable compared to the old stuff but its a minefield of terms names procedures etc so just ask pertenent questions here and you will get the best advice from a small group of us who know the subject through experience, and remember that no question you can come up with is a stupid question unless you ask it twice. Stupid is asking our advice and doing your own thing or relying on some dodgy you tube post.
Nick.

 

[ortogo]

welcome to the forum. you are in the right place. Yes 2k is the only modern way as it is so stable compared to the old stuff but its a minefield of terms names procedures etc so just ask pertenent questions here and you will get the best advice from a small group of us who know the subject through experience, and remember that no question you can come up with is a stupid question unless you ask it twice. Stupid is asking our advice and doing your own thing or relying on some dodgy you tube post.
Nick.

thanks for all the replies everyone, I hope these questions don't sound to stupid, so here goes, from what people have said 2k paints sound quite dangerous, or at least you need to take adequate precautions when using them, am I right in saying that they are easier to use than say cellulose paints?, I seem to remember that we used to spend a fair bit of time polishing back when I was involved with the trade, is this not necessary or less necessary with 2K paints?. From what I've found on the net 2K paints cure/dry through the use of a catalyst or activator that is mixed with the base colour and thinners are used to get the paint to the required viscosity? As I'm only involved with a few small scale jobs will 2K produce much better results than say cellulose would, or is it just speed of application and less after spray work?

 

[steveo3002]

main thing is its much more durable , it will withstand fuel spills , bad weather etc and still look good in years

as for polishing , well if you have somewhere clean to paint and a nice gun then you can get a super finish from the gun , but most diy users will be getting dust specs that need flatting and polishing anyway , 2k is harder to polish than celly