So I've had 3 quotes so far.. varying wildly.
All i'm after is a metal flake 70's style paint job, just a sigle colour.. 3 reputable painters (wont mention any names), one was recommended by the dealer, two others ive come across searching on the House of Kolor website, one in particular is award winning.
$500, $800 and $1000
I dunno, never had custom paint done before, but $800-$1000 seems really steep.. or is it?
Thanks guys,
I couldn't figure out if the $1000 guy just didn't want the work.. or the $500 guy was just way too cheap.
Looks like the $500 may be TOO cheap (then again, he is the guy who does all of the custom work for one of thje local dealers)..
Have to hit em up for some samples.
thanks guys
I painted a pair of panniers and lids and materials alone were over $200, nothing fancy just straight black and with all the preps and rubbing back it sucks up the hours, your quotes for metalflake seem ok to me, you get what you pay for, why not buy a gun and compressor and you could do it yourself for less than $800, i`m only self taught and reckon i do a fair job.
If you get yourself a 10cfm and above aircompressor also a good spaygun a good quallity buffing machine, don't use your electric drill it spins way to fast and you will burn the paint, something to practice painting on, old car bonnett from the wreckers, you will be suprised how well you could do your own paint work.
Automotive Paints are expensive, so just play around with Acrylic Paints for a while as they are cheaper then when you get better start painting with 2pak paints. Progress to the more exotic paints, pearls, custom paint, also you can practice pinstriping with pinstriping tapes creating some cool affects.
Straight out just full metalflake paint job isn't that hard to acheive, the coarser the flake the more clear you will have to apply, cut that back with a very fine 2000 grit wet & dry paper to get rid of any orange peel creating a nice flat surface then buff up to a mirror finish your freinds will be amazed.
Maybe you should think about doing a TAFE course of an evening, use their gear and paints thats the way to go, that is how I started out painting bikes and the occasional car also worked afternoons in a panel shop to gain experience..
Bikes are so much better to paint because of their small surface are and you use less paint, just remember the preparation is the most important part of achieving a great finish.
You`ll need a larger tip for the flake, back off the air pressure and keep your distance so the flakes don`t bounce and stand on edge, you`ll need 8-10 coat of clear for a smooth finish or 4-6 coats of hi build. Be careful rubbing back flakes as you can take the colour off the flakes and you end up with silver flecks. You can buy the base coat from the paint supplier to suit whichever flake you choose. Try stick to one manufacturer so that there is no compatability problems. For candy, base coat is critical as it really affects the final colour, it is generally sprayed over gold,silver or white but its your choice, trial and error, pearls are piss easy and not really worth the money, no depth to them.There is probably a whole new range of products around since i last painted, try it, its very satisfying, anyone can hand over the cash for a paintjob or a custom part. Try metalflake or house of kolor products these are the 2 i`ve had success with.
