Paint

[neandethal]

Hi Folks,
I made my bodywork in reverse, so made a form, glassed over that, then gelcoat. Spending hours filling, sanding and getting it smooth and soon i will want to make it look pretty!
What is the best primer/topcoat combination. Been recommended to use polyurethane yacht paint as its flexible and hard wearing but not sure about spraying it, or is cellulose fine, or 2 pack??
Any guidance appreciated, cheers Ian

[Stainless1]

Ian.... it's a race bike... it will pick up a ding... a good primer surfacer to fill any little pits... then shoot it with paint... exotic paints are often hard to touch up... I shot enamel on my race bike...

[wobblywalrus]

As said, the ability to patch and restore the finish after damage or modifications is critical.  In time long ago when I was a kid our serious local hot rodders ran their cars in primer with no top coat.   

[gowing]

I remember painting one of my dirt track cars with leftover house paint.
yeah, it looked like crap up close, but from up in the bleachers, it looked fine.
.......easy to touch up too!

[WOODY@DDLLC]

Just make sure the brush strokes go in the direction of the airflow! 
Sorry, CV19 cabin fever made me post this!

[neandethal]

funnily enough i thought about hand painting, less hassle and as you rightly point out, easy to do on the salt should the inevitable happen!
Cheers boys i'll go for a good from 6' finish. Game on. Just need BA to not cancel my flight and Donald not to want to quarantine me for 14 days when i arrive.

[maj]

We used straight red tinter international company like PPG so its available wherever you are , 2 pack for durability
and so far working fine, doesnt mark easy , sprays on very easily , i am no spray painter and in spite of that it  generally it comes out better than expected   

[Koncretekid]

If you have a compressor that will hold 50 psi, then I recommend buying a cheap spray gun from Harbor Freight or wherever.  I use a lacquer based primer because it dries immediately.  It does not fill in any blemishes but at least you'll know right away where you need any additional "Bondo". I then use a 2 part polyurethane with a hardener.  First coat is a light tack coat and you have to wait 10 minutes between coats. Yellow is terrible - - you need 6 to 10 coats to get any color, but metallic paints are great.  Three coats and it's all covered.  And metallics hide small blemishes.  The only thing you have to watch is not to get too much paint on each pass or the metallic can separate and sag.

[donpearsall]

Very nice paint job on the tank Koncrete! Is there a clear coat on it?
Don

[Koncretekid]

No clear coat.  I generally don't use clearcoat, especially on my race bikes, because it's too hard to make touch-ups. I think my B50 now 650 APS-PG bike has been repainted or touched up just about every year since I built it in 2011.