Need advice on painting

[Bitten]

I know this old chestnut has probably been covered before but couldn't find what I wanted to know....

I have just rebuilt the engine and painted it with VHT satin Caliper paint as recommended on previous threads, The satin finish looked great until I cured it and it went a bit glossy, no bother.....now I have started to bolt it all back in the frame it chips really easily.

I was very meticulous when preparing, I had all the parts bead blasted, washed with PPR marine clean, rinsed thoroughly, did not contaminate the surface, sprayed 3 coats & cured for 1 hour in the oven as per instructions on the can and it chips just looking at it...#@#@$%$#@@!!!!

Some questions....

1. The can didn't say anything about priming / etching, was this my first mistake?
2. Is VHT Caliper paint the right paint for crankcases and brake backing plates
3. Is chipping this easy the norm?
4. Can you recommend another paint that works better?
5. What are the correct steps to doing it properly if the above is wrong?

Cheers and thanks in advance

[mainline]

I'm not sold on the vht stuff. I reckon supacheap spraypacks work just as well if not better. An etch prime first helps no matter what you're using though.

[AdamN]

Hey Bitten, I have done the hubs, engine, exhaust etc on my IT465 and now the RM465 in "Plasti-Kote Woodstove". Bunnings and Mighty10 stock it. Lovely satin finish, when you bake it in the oven it doesn't change and is very durable. Warm it up in a sink full of warm-hot water before spraying and if goes on beautifully.



Adam

[Bitten]

Thanks guys

Sorry for my ignorance but do you need a special high temp etch primer? - I have a can of Acid etch 8 from the same company as Por 15 will this work on high temp engine parts

Adam this looks great and just the look I was trying to achieve and keep on!! - Would you mind letting me know what step by step preparation did you did?

Again thanks

Justin

[PEZBerq]

Looks good

BTW I am sick of paint that chips off when tightening screws up on the cases. Does Plastikote do this? VHT does as do others I have tried. Maybe the factories use a flex additive to the paint? 

Also modern new fangled plastic boots seem to chew the crap out of the paint way worse than my old plain leather boots ever did - well my Sidi Crossfires do anyway. Make a new paint job look well used in about 2 rides! Guess we build em to ride and not look at 

[AdamN]

Hey Justin,
I just used normal etch primer for aluminium etc. on the cases and hubs etc. I sprayed the exhaust with the Woodstove directly, no primer. Build it up in thin coats is the key with the Plasti-Kote paint, it sprays really nicely especially when warmed up in the sink. I had everything stripped to bare material to start, primer and top coat, then baked what I could fit in the oven - the misses cracked it though cause it took a day or two for the smell to go . I did it all over a 2-3 week period giving ample drying time in between coats. I did nothing out of the ordinary, just have everything stripped back to bare material, good clean with wax and grease remover, then light layers and don't rush it. I have a rack in front of the gas heater now to bake the bits to keep the boss happy . I use the Plasti-Kote Woodstove for all the satin black jobs now.

Cheers
Adam

[AdamN]

PEZBerg,
yes the boots have rubbed the paint off the clutch cover a bit on my IT, probably not much you can do about that. I have found though, that if I just look at the bike and not actually ride it, it is not getting any worse . I try and use a flat washer under the nuts and bolts where possible to stop the chipping. That Plasti-Kote builds up quite thin so it isn't as bad for chipping where you can't run a washer I have found.

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[Bitten]

Off to Bunnings I go for some plasti cote

Thanks!

[LWC82PE]

Can you post a photo of the 'cracking' or is it more like 'crazing'?

Im not sure if VHT caliper paint is different to VHT barrel/case paint but i always use VHT barrel satin black and never had a problem.

If the surface is beadblasted and clean, you dont really need a etch primer but it doesn't hurt to use one. I dont really use primer on motors unless its a steel barrel or head but i use it on alloy hubs when using proper acrylic or 2 pac out the spray gun.

You may have baked it in the oven too much or if the paint was too thick it has cracked because when you heat the cases they expand. I never bake the VHT barrel paint. Theres no need to. It will dry naturallly and when you start the engine it will bake.

[Mike52]

Is that stove paint petrol proof ?
The VHT caliper stuff aint !

[LWC82PE]

I have had petrol on VHT engine paint and it does not affect it. it might if you left your clutch cover or something in a container of petrol over a few days though but a few spashes wiped off right away wont hurt it.

[AdamN]

What Leith said goes for the Woodstove paint as well.

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[Bitten]

Hi all

I chased around a few Bunnings and Mitre 10 stores yesterday afternoon to no avail and rang Plasti-Kote this morning and was told that these product are not being made anymore and are no longer available, so I may have to try the VHT barrel paint

To answer the other questions I baked the caliper paint for 1 hour at 100 deg c as per the instructions, the paint isn't cracking but if you bump it slightly with a spanner or whilst installing it (the brake plates) it just chips really easily.

Adam, a question on the etch primer, does this need to be a high temp version one or can any etch primer do?

Cheers
justin

[bazza]

use any quality spray then put in the oven (the girls love that) at 80 odd deress for couple of hrs,leave in oven to slowly cool,have had no trouble over 30yrs.

[Bitten]

Bazza my long suffering wife is very understanding!!

I will let you know how I get on

cheers

Justin