DIY Network

Painting #2: Painting Techniques From "Classic Rides" episode DCLR-107

Figure A

For the project '65 Harley-Davidson Electra Glide, host Kevin Tetz was joined by Nate Chase, an automotive painter, at a shop booth to paint the bike parts that were prepped in the first segment of this episode.

The reason Kevin and Nate want to be in a paint booth is to minimize the amount of contamination during the paint job. A paint booth basically consists of a filter system with intake filters, exhaust filters and a nice airflow across the project area, and the booth Kevin chose is a cross-flow booth (figure A) where the air is comig from the intake and exiting out the filters. There's also a downdraft system where the air comes down the top and exits either out to the side or underneath the vehicle.

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	Figure B
	Figure C
	Figure D
	Figure E
	Figure F
	Figure G
	Figure H

Painting the Bike

• A gravity-fed paint system with cups on the top (figure B) is being utilized for this particular job -- and you need more than one gun to do a proper job.

• Gravity feeds the fluid through the system, which is totally efficient. And you actually mix the paint in the cup with ratios on the side. Disposable liners are used for each paint scheme, which adds to the efficiency and easy cleanup.

  Safety Alert: Be sure to wear a proper "approved" painter's suit, which includes a full body suit and respirator mask, when painting a bike or any other vehicle.

• Because the tanks for the project bike are new, bare metal it's important to apply a coat of high-build primer (figure C) on them, which will literally build the surface up.

• When the primer coat is dry, block sand it to a level and smooth surface.

• With the tanks prepped, blocked and straight, give them a final wipe down just to make sure there's no contamination. If need be use a solvent cleaner on all the parts to remove any dust or possible contamination.

• Then get started with a white ground-coat sealer that's going to give a foundation for both colors. The bottom part of the tank is a two-tone white, which will make the reds more vivid.

  Tip: Before painting always test spray the paint gun.

• Start painting by moving the gun in long, sweeping strokes to create a thin, even coat (figure D). Don't worry about missed areas. It's better to leave some bare spots than to apply too much paint and cause drips and blotches.

• Paint stands (figure E) make it easy to access parts such as the gas tanks. They are bolted onto the mounting plates underneath the tanks.

• It's also important to paint the bottom of the tank to seal it from corrosion.

  Note: After perusing a Harley-Davidson reference book, Kevin noticed that there are two original paint designs for Harley gas tanks -- one that comes up on an angle and one that meets in the middle, which is the one he chose for the project bike (figure F).

• With the white sealer coat dry it's time to suit up again and clean the surfaces with a tack rag and apply the off-white top coat. Kevin also painted the chipped fiberglass saddle bags of the project bike.

• When the top coat dries, carefully lay down thin painter's tape (figure G) to create the stripes and masked-off areas for the two-tone tanks.

  Note: Nate is an experienced designer, but it helps to have another set of eyes to help with this process.

• The first, wider, tape masks of the white stripe that will be in the red part of the tank, and the second tape line masks off the large white areas on the bottom of the tank.

• Then carefully pull up the middle tape to reveal the area that will become the red stripe. Use a wide low-tack masking paper to mask off the rest of the bottom area, which will stay white.

• Trim the excess paper by using a straightedge razor and the tape as a guide line.

• One more cleaning with a tack rag and the fresh air from the gun, and then it's time to shoot the red paint. Again, be sure to use long sweeping strokes to create a thin, even first coat.

  Note: In a paint booth it's important to position your project bike in front of the large filters, which will draw the excess paint.

• While the first coat is still set, apply additional thin coats as necessary to cover the parts well. When the paint is dry to touch, carefully peel away the masking on the tanks.

• To produce a clean line, peel the masking tape back against itself, guiding it with your fingers (figure H).

• The last step is to apply a polyurethane clearcoat over the painted parts. The clearcoat will level out the surface and make the two-tone paint look continuous.

In the next segment the restoration continues by installing new handlebars on the bike.

RESOURCES :

The Eastwood Company

The Eastwood Company is a supplier of automotive-restoration parts, tools and supplies.

The Easthill Group, Inc.
The Eastwood Company
Website: www.eastwoodco.com

Restoration Parts (Custom Chrome)
Custom Chrome
Website: www.customchrome.com

Motorcycle Restoration Parts (In the Wind Motorcycle Parts)
In Wind Motorcycle Parts
508 Lovell Rd.
Knoxville, TN 37932
Phone: 865-560-5650 or 865-777-0884
Fax: 865-777-0886

Norton Abrasives

Sandpapers, cleaners, abrasives and bodywork supplies.
Website: www.nortonautomotive.com

Auto Body Color and Supply
Phone: 615-726-0361 (Nashville Store)

Motostorm Chrome Paint
Website: www.motostorm.com

Also available through Innate Technologies (see contact information, below, under the Guest entry for Nate Chase).

Keller Wallace Street Rods
6340 Clinton Highway
Knoxville, TN 37912
Phone: 865-680-3623

GUESTS :

William "Dunk" Dunkelberger
Restoration Coordinator / Mechanic
Harrly Hoggs & Piggletts
1409 Piney Rd.
Maryville, TN 37803
Phone: 865-681-7699
E-mail: hoggsandpiggletts@yahoo.com

Nate Chase
Automotive Painter and Designer
Innate Technologies
PO Box 540691
Omaha, NE 68154
Phone: 702-651-6551
E-mail: E-mail: sales@innate.com
Website: www.innate.com