Spraying scratched fairing set with Krylon Maxx Spray Paint

[Lap202]

So as an automotive painter, I usually do all my painting with an expensive gun and pump set up with a Napa auto paint through Martin senior. So this has been interesting for me as a professional painter.

I will post updates as I do each piece and talk about the benefits and disadvantages of using spray paint vs automotive paint through a gun.

Pre Paint
Before painting I sanded all surfaces with 320 grit to provide a surface for the paint to adhere to. I used this time to smooth the edges of the scratches into the paint. Nothing was bad enough to require body filler and will cover in the paint.

Ideally I would use acetone to wash the surfaces and pull the sanded paint dust off, but water worked for this purpose. I used tape as I couldn't find my tack rags to ensure no trash was on the part.

Color choice: Flat White
I did flat for 1 purpose only: You can't mess it up.
Flat colors in my opinion always flash off smooth and with white especially you can't see areas that may be dry compared to the rest of the paint. This is especially important with spray paint- Hides the rattle can unevenness.

Day 1
The front wheel cover.
So this is my first piece I decided to do. The first thing that annoyed me right away was the spray pattern from the Krylon. It is literally like a 2 inch circle, where as a gun does a nice line that is about a foot tall and an inch wide.

To counter this problem I held the spray can back and did quick little passes to get full coverage. The paint dried fast enough I was able to do the inside and flip it within 5 minutes to do the outside.

After 2 coats, I deemed the bottom you won't see had ideal coverage. I sprayed 4 coats over the outside and was satisfied. Until I got to the end of the can. When the can ran out of air before fluid, it caused a stream to come out causing a giant run on the part.

For now Ill be letting it dry over night and will sand and respray 2 more coats tomorrow.

I'll be looking to buy a scratched up set of side fairings as the ones I had were cracked and not usable for my purpose. (Intend for a professional looking product in the end.)

Will post more updates in the future as this project progresses!

Advantages
-Cheap at 4 dollars a can
-self priming (tho a seperate self etching primer coat is recommend)
-drys faster than automotive paint

Disadvantages
-horrible spray pattern
-runs at end of can
-any contact before the piece sits a few hours seems to peel the paint. Wait for paint to fully adhere to the surface and dry.

[spent_too_much]

Great write up. I too am spraying my entire fairing set with a rattle can. Are you able to switch tips, for a better spray pattern?

Looking forward to more experience / advice on this topic.

[jkv45]

Originally Posted by spent_too_much

Great write up. I too am spraying my entire fairing set with a rattle can. Are you able to switch tips, for a better spray pattern?

Looking forward to more experience / advice on this topic.

One suggestion - if you plan to spray the tank, use a catalyzed 2-part spray can clear like this one - https://www.amazon.com/Spraymax%C2%A.../dp/B0043B7UQY

Standard spray paints can't take gas at all, and will get soft, dull, and tacky. If you plan to do the tank I'd use the 2K. Not a bad idea for any parts really.

That's the best you can get from a can.

[RacinNinja]

Krylon rattle can black on a lower fairing, no clear, just some polish and a wax:

[Triple Jim]

I second the Spraymax 2K clear suggestion. I can't tell you for sure that it will be OK over Krylon Maxx though, but I'd guess it would be. That stuff is the easiest pro quality paint I've ever used, as far as spraying a good looking clear coat from a spray can. I believe it's acrylic urethane.

[adouglas]

Interesting.

So I assume that once you activate it, it's use it or lose it, right? There's no putting the half-full can back on the shelf.

[csmith12]

[jkv45]

Originally Posted by adouglas

Interesting.

So I assume that once you activate it, it's use it or lose it, right? There's no putting the half-full can back on the shelf.

Correct. Just how much time you have I don't know, but once catalyzed it's going to gel-up eventually.

[Triple Jim]

Originally Posted by jkv45

Correct. Just how much time you have I don't know, but once catalyzed it's going to gel-up eventually.

They tell you something like 24 hours after you mix it, I can't remeber exactly, but I've kept it in the refrigerator for a week and it was still OK.

[Lap202]

Originally Posted by spent_too_much

Great write up. I too am spraying my entire fairing set with a rattle can. Are you able to switch tips, for a better spray pattern?

Looking forward to more experience / advice on this topic.

This is something I haven't considered but may have to try. The tip on these things is pretty aweful. I don't usually run paint, but these cans are killing me :P

Originally Posted by jkv45

One suggestion - if you plan to spray the tank, use a catalyzed 2-part spray can clear like this one - https://www.amazon.com/Spraymax%C2%A.../dp/B0043B7UQY

Standard spray paints can't take gas at all, and will get soft, dull, and tacky. If you plan to do the tank I'd use the 2K. Not a bad idea for any parts really.

That's the best you can get from a can.

I'm currently planning on applying a clear, but haven't decided on the brand yet. I find clears from cans spray like water and are easy to run, but the added protection is valuable. Also need to make sure my clear doesn't gloss my flat.

[Triple Jim]

Spraymax 2k is easy to apply without runs, but I'd bet it will make flats glossy. It makes rough, dusty lacquer coats look perfectly shiny.

[Lap202]

Originally Posted by Triple Jim

Spraymax 2k is easy to apply without runs, but I'd bet it will make flats glossy. It makes rough, dusty lacquer coats look perfectly shiny.

In the end I may consider going with the gloss finish anyways, but for now I'm really enjoying the look of the flat white. Excited to get a hold of a set of sides and get the whole picture together.

I definitely feel like the flat paint, as long as it is the correct tone you are looking for, is the best paint to use for rattle canning. Easy to put on even coats and once done, a semi gloss ir gloss clear would bring your coat to the proper shine, similar to a 2 stage automotive paint.

[Triple Jim]

Originally Posted by Lap202

In the end I may consider going with the gloss finish anyways, but for now I'm really enjoying the look of the flat white. Excited to get a hold of a set of sides and get the whole picture together.

Yeah, sorry... I missed that you're working with flat white.

[Lap202]

Haha no problem, how's the Spraymaxx 2k's spray pattern. Can't imagine successfully laying a clear coat if the patterns anything like the Krylon XF

[Triple Jim]

Originally Posted by Lap202

Haha no problem, how's the Spraymaxx 2k's spray pattern. Can't imagine successfully laying a clear coat if the patterns anything like the Krylon XF

It's a nice, fairly wide fan, and you can turn the nozzle to make it fan in any direction you like.

It caught me the first time I used it, because I had it set to fan horizontally, but thought it was vertical. A couple left-right sweeps and I had a narrow, thick line of clear across my gas tank. Luckily I figured it out before I made a run.

[jkv45]

Originally Posted by Lap202

I'm currently planning on applying a clear, but haven't decided on the brand yet. I find clears from cans spray like water and are easy to run, but the added protection is valuable. Also need to make sure my clear doesn't gloss my flat.

For a fender it may not be a big deal, but if you were doing a tank the standard spray can paint would be messed-up in no time.

The gloss of the base doesn't matter, the final finish will be whatever the gloss level of the clear is.

Spray can paints are usually thin, since you don't have much pressure to push them out of the can. It's not bad if you are prepared for it and apply it in thinner than usual coats. I would expect the 2K clear would probably need 3 medium-wet coats, with some flash time in between, to get the proper thickness.

[nickjpass]

I used a the black glossy krylon paint of the same type, and used krylon uv resistant clear to help hold the color. It did not withstand the track very well. Chips very easily.

[Snake]

Awesome thread! Great advice here!

[Lap202]

Originally Posted by nickjpass

I used a the black glossy krylon paint of the same type, and used krylon uv resistant clear to help hold the color. It did not withstand the track very well. Chips very easily.

I've noticed that with just the base coat. If the Krylon clear doesn't work well. May be worth me trying a different brand of clear on it.

Worst case scenario I set up my pump and use a automotive clear to guarantee the finish, tho this ruins the point of this thread so experimenting it will be

[nickjpass]

I know that I will be searching for some better paint this winter when I repeat my bike, but I won't be paying a professional to do it. I repaint to often, and chances are I may wad up the bike at the track. Just not worth it.

[tfkrocks]

Good info here for spray painting: http://www.bayarearidersforum.com/fo...d.php?t=264901

[verboten1]

I've used the water based matte polyurethane on tanks, it's fuel resistant.

[CrazyCanuckGoat]

I love the spraymax glamour gloss clearcoat for bikes. It saves me from firing up my compressor and having to clean my paint gun out. Once sprayed, it will still flow and level out giving a great finish.

The labels on mine say the pot life is 48 hours after activation.

I did my old KZ650 in Cordova brown and then cleared over with the spraymax. Wetsanded and buffed to a mirror finish. You would be hard pressed to know it was a "rattle can" job.

[Lap202]

So I was hoping to do a daily post on my experinses rattle canning, but got swamped at work. Will do headlight enclosure hopefully by Friday along with final coats on the piece that fits over the wheel.

May be a several week project after all. Looking in a motorcycle yard for more fairing pieces since I need the sides and would also like more pieces to experimention with.

[JohnnyBravo]

You can do it all, but you can't do it all in one night - 1sgt Q 74th MRBC

[Zaph42]

I never had very good luck with Krylon Maxx spray paint. It doesn't self level as well as I want and runs way too easy. Instead I've been using Rustoleum Gloss enamel. It seems to go on thick and smooth, self levels well and resists running if you are careful with your spray pattern. Cheap too, since I'm painting race fairings all the time that will likely be crashed, I like the results I get for very little effort.

[Lap202]

Very nice looking paint job! I didn't have issues with leveling. Only issue I had was the spray pattern isn't like a good spraygun.