gas tank clear coat over rustoleum...

[Ribo]

Hey folks I ended up using rustoleum, as much as I was skeptical about it, for my first stab at painting a tank. The tank paint was done very poorly by the PO and damaged anyway and this was a good beta run for me as this isn't the final tank for the build - that is unless it turns out great and I change my mind
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Doing some research on the forum I've read that for a clear coat I should stick with rustoleum as anything else might crack it.... how true is this and what do you folks recommend from a rattle can as the best clear coat here. Obviously my main concern is it's ability to withstand the odd drop of gas.

Any help would be appreciated.

thanks
r./

 

[Ribo]

Here it is.. after etching primer and a wet sand and in the second photo it's still drying on second coat of the base green - will probably need a wet sand after this - I'll see how it looks in the morning but I also plan on adding black fade around the base before clear...

 

[Barnburner]

The green is nice. I'd only use a 2 part clear for it, though. The quality and fuel resistance is really a step up from the typical Auto Store brands. Best brand I've personally worked with is Spraymax. You can get their 2k clear in rattlecan with a high gloss or satin finish. I believe Eastwood and possible another company makes a competing product, which may be as good. I'm sure someone else here will chime in.

 

[xholaday40x]

I like staying with the same brands when I paint just to be sure it doesn't crack, I hate needing to wet sand it down and pretty much restart


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[Ribo]

Problem is I'm having a hard time finding a rustoleum clear that's equivent to these 2K's that everyone appears to recommend.

http://www.amazon.com/Spray-High-Gloss-Clearcoat-Aerosol/dp/B0043B7UQY/ref=sr_1_1?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1405354679&sr=1-1&keywords=spraymax+clear+coat

Does anyone have any experience of using this over restoleum? Any other recommendations?

 

[Ribo]

Do I need a full suit for this? Mask obviously but does it need to be air-fed and goggles?

 

[focusinprogress]

you will not find a rustoleum product that will compare to anything "2k"......if it's not an activated 2-part clear that has been mixed for you (even if it is something like spraymax "rattle can") then your paintjob will be ruined the very first time you drip or spill gas on it. I've sprayed "real" clear coat over rustoleum plenty of times....I always do it during the flash time and start with VERY thin coats before laying it on thick.

 

[Barnburner]

Definitely no Rustoleum equivalent to 2k. I've heard their clear will work but will not hold up over time. So it may be ok since this is a practice tank, though if you really want to practice you should probably use the same paints you plan on using on your final version. Wetsanding and buffing is just part of the process to do the job right. Yeah it's a few more steps but it seperates a home job from something that looks much more professional. If you end up going with a 2 part I'd say a true mask and at least a long sleeved shirt is necessary. There is some pretty nasty shit in them.

 

[nrcb125]

When I repainted my Ninja 500, I used rustoleum oil based primer+paint+clear. It held up to gas and other liquids quite well. What really determined the final finish was how much elbow grease put into it. I spent hours and hours wet sanding and reapplying paint and clear to the final coat. It turned out pretty damn good for a home job.

99% of paint is the prep and elbow grease. Doesn't really matter the clear coat you use, just make sure to match the paint and clear paint types.

 

[Ribo]

When I repainted my Ninja 500, I used rustoleum oil based primer+paint+clear. It held up to gas and other liquids quite well. What really determined the final finish was how much elbow grease put into it. I spent hours and hours wet sanding and reapplying paint and clear to the final coat. It turned out pretty damn good for a home job.

99% of paint is the prep and elbow grease. Doesn't really matter the clear coat you use, just make sure to match the paint and clear paint types.

Thanks man - I'm already on day 3 of prep and number 4 wet sand... got any pictures of the Ninja? What clear did you use?

 

[nrcb125]

Thanks man - I'm already on day 3 of prep and number 4 wet sand... got any pictures of the Ninja? What clear did you use?

It was literally door paint... Haha. Seriously, it was less than $10 for a quart of each. You have to be certain to match the paint and primer and clear to each other. It was a polyurethane clear. Again, it was literally the clear coat you'd use for your front door. Here's what I used http://www.amazon.com/Rust-Oleum-Varathane-9251-Classic-Urethane/dp/B000FPAPX2/ref=sr_1_5?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1405394976&sr=1-5&keywords=varathane+outdoor but again, this will only work for oil based paints and primers. If you used rustoleum spary cans, use the rustoleum clear you'd find in a can.

Make sure you match your primer, paint, and clear in terms of composition.

Lastly, who gives a fuck what your bike looks like. Ride the damn thing!

 

[RyanJ]

I used Spraymax 2K over Duplicolor Acrylic Enamel. It's not the greatest paint job in the universe, but for the amount of money/time invested, I think it turned out pretty well. I applied my decals before the clear and did the job in the garage with the doors open and wore goggles, an organic particulate filter mask, and a disposable tyvek suit (they're cheap and keep the catalyzed clear off your skin as toxic shit is absorbed through skin, eyes, lungs, etc.) I've dripped some fuel on my tank a few times with no adverse reactions.

 

[Ribo]

Looks nice and nice bike too - I'm struggling with 2K cos I have young kids in the house and pets and it just would not be worth it if anything were to happen to them from this.... seems obvious that i could lock them all away but my life ain't that simple...

How long was the drying time for the clear? I've heard wildly differing stories..

I may just get the clear done in a shop if I can find someone local that would be willing to do it for me. Can't see it being too expensive to just clear it.

 

[jsharpphoto]

You might have trouble finding a shop to clear your paint work. They wouldn't want to be responsible for your prep work or compatibility issues.

The 2k stuff will be fine. Spray in your driveway or backyard. Depending on your humidity and temp, dry time should be reasonable, not like some enamels.

 

[RyanJ]

Thanks Ribo.

As I said, I kept both overhead doors open (and the door to the house firmly closed) and it was a fairly breezy day. I ended up with a few specks of dust because I wasn't in a sealed, proper paint booth, but again, this is basically a sub-$100 paint job so I'm pretty happy with the results and most folks are really surprised when I tell them I painted the tank and covers myself with rattle cans in the garage. I did a fair bit of research into protective measures since I didn't really want to die for a paint job or give myself asthma to save a few bucks. As far as I know, once everything has settled and dried a bit (and you've kept the overspray off of yourself and not touched with bare skin anything it has landed on) it's all quite innocuous. After my final coat I left the garage through the over head doors and didn't use the house door for the next hour or so. Upon returning to the garage there was no noticeable odors or anything that would indicate too much lingering threat (I realize this is very unscientific, but I'm just recounting my own experience with the stuff.) I suppose I'll get back to you in 40 years or so if I've not caused irreparable harm, but I'm confident that the protections I employed, and the relative scale of exposure - 1 tank, 2 side covers - is really quite minimal but I also understand your concern. It is odd that you've not yet figured out a way to lock up your loved ones, maybe practice your TIG welding by assembling a nice cage or pen... Something to consider.

The drying time on the clear was fairly quick. I waited over a week after shooting the acrylic enamel as per the instructions on the can to allow for it to fully cure, then applied the decals, wiped them clean of any excess adhesive, then shot the clear on a breezy day with low humidity and an outside temperature of about 20c (or 70-ish Fahrenheit? I dunno, crazy Yankee temperatures...) The next afternoon I wet sanded some small runs (I'm not overly experienced and my goggles were fogging up - that's my excuse, anyway!) and buffed everything and went about my merry way... straight into brake caliper rebuilding...

Anyway, sorry for the diatribe, just trying to give as much information on my experience trying the 2k as possible. All in all it was fairly straightforward and I'm happy with the result. It seemed to work out just fine and I'm not left with a paint job that cost more than the bike it went on.

 

[Parkwood60]

I wouldn't worry about its fuel resistance. If you do drip a few drop on the tank it will evaporate in a few moments and dry nearly as good as it ever was. If you do happen to splash a substantial amount of fuel on it whatever you do don't try to wipe it off. My big problem is that I sprayed my tank with metal flake, then six coats of clear and sanded and rubbed it out, but I was too quick, even after waiting over a week. Sitting in the sun the flake and clear have shrunk up so much more it is now kinda "lizard skin". So I have to rub it out again and re-clear some more.

So 1) Don't worry too much about the fuel 2) let the bike sit in the direct sun for something like 2 weeks or a month before wet sanding and rubbing out the finish.

Still looks good from 10 feet though

 

[Ribo]

Thanks man,

I appreciate the info. What kind of mask did you use? I got recommended to a guy today for clear and I'll see what he's going to charge me.

 

[RyanJ]

I used a 3M 6001 respirator with organic vapor filter.

 

[SONICJK]

No offense intended but don't listen to Parkwood and the door paint dude.

The quality of the paint job when its first sprayed is all in the prep.
The quality of a paint job in the real world is in the clear.
Use spraymax 2k clear. Do it outside if you're bothered by the toxicity.

I will never understand the people saying "spend the time on the prep and then use rattle can 6 dollar clear coat"
When I spend 40+ hrs on a paint job it damn well better not be ruined the first time my gas can leaks on it. "Nearly as good as new" Is not acceptable on a paint job when you spent that much time on it. "don't wipe it off" Just means you're using shitty clear coat. I can dunk my spraymaxed (or factory for that matter) tanks in a vat of gasoline and not think twice about it.

Pony up the 20 bucks, make a makeshift paint booth and spray away. Not only will you be amazed at the durability, you will be equally amazed as how easily and beautifully it lays down compared to your standard rattle can.

Sorry for being a dick, but bad advice is bad advice.

 

[Ribo]

No offense intended but don't listen to Parkwood and the door paint dude.

The quality of the paint job when its first sprayed is all in the prep.
The quality of a paint job in the real world is in the clear.
Use spraymax 2k clear. Do it outside if you're bothered by the toxicity.

I will never understand the people saying "spend the time on the prep and then use rattle can 6 dollar clear coat"
When I spend 40+ hrs on a paint job it damn well better not be ruined the first time my gas can leaks on it. "Nearly as good as new" Is not acceptable on a paint job when you spent that much time on it. "don't wipe it off" Just means you're using shitty clear coat. I can dunk my spraymaxed (or factory for that matter) tanks in a vat of gasoline and not think twice about it.

Pony up the 20 bucks, make a makeshift paint booth and spray away. Not only will you be amazed at the durability, you will be equally amazed as how easily and beautifully it lays down compared to your standard rattle can.

Sorry for being a dick, but bad advice is bad advice.

Thanks man, I always appreciate people taking the time to give their input from their own personal experience. I generally take all views into account and formulate my own opinion based on this, my own research, my experience and my knowledge of the other peoples work... I've not got anything to go by for the other guy but for what it's worth I know you know your shit and it's basically where I've come too on this myself too. So you're not a dick - you just tell it like it is and that is how it should be - especially here.

I actually found a place here in town that sells the 2 x for $20 a can so I'll be heading down there tmw. What do you think on drying time cos I keep hearing very wildly different times from 2 days to 2 weeks to a month etc etc.