Number of Cans for Painting a 300

[Mechanikrazy]

Does anyone know how many cans of rattle can (10.5oz cans) it would take to paint a 300? With or without inclusion of the gas tank.

My winter project is to give my 300 track fairings a paint job for next year. I will be keeping my gas tank color, so I'm looking to spray the upper, lower, and tail.

Also, does anyone have experience with the USC/Eastwood 2K single stage rattle cans? I'm leaning towards playing around with those (pricey at $27/can, in order to get the harder automotive urethane finish.

Since this is a track bike, I'm not expecting amazingness. If it can pass the 5 feet/photographer test and look better than my current primer grey, I'll be happy. I figure spending $200 on supplies and rattle canning it still saves a significant amount over the $500 I've been quoted for pro paintjobs.

[Lazarus]

I did my entire fairing set for my 250 plus gas tank with about 10 cans.

I bought 2 cans of primer, 4 cans of paint, and 4 of clear coat It was all krylon maxx and held up pretty well for about a season. I had to do some repair work to my fairings (epoxy and such) which lengthened my process but even with that it only took me about a week working a couple hours each day after my shift. I believe I did 2 light coats and a heavy with the primer, about 7 or 8 coats of color, and at least 6-7 coats of clear. I did minimal wet sanding and such in between due to it being only a rattlecan job.

I can't really give you the most accurate price point as my other expenses (sand paper, plastic epoxy, other prep materials) were available where I work but I would say just the rattle cans with set you back about 60-85$ iirc maybe a little more. Definitely more if you use the 27$/can urethane paint, but I have no experience with that stuff.

[taz]

I did my entire 750 last winter with single stage and ran the same amount of cans as RG, still think I should've done more than ten cans.

[jkv45]

Some of it will depend on the color you choose and the color you are covering. A dark color over a light color will cover easier and require less paint. Some lighter colors like yellows and oranges cover poorly, and will require more paint. Covering uneven colors will take more paint.

Using a 2K paint is a good idea. It sounds like you will be using a solid color, which will eliminate the need for clear.

With a solid color that covers well, I would think 4 to 5 cans may do it. I'd be really surprised if it took 10 cans of a solid color to do the bodywork.

[Mechanikrazy]

Originally Posted by Lazarus

I did my entire fairing set for my 250 plus gas tank with about 10 cans.

I bought 2 cans of primer, 4 cans of paint, and 4 of clear coat

Good to know! So 4 cans of base color were enough to cover the whole thing then?

Originally Posted by taz

I did my entire 750 last winter with single stage and ran the same amount of cans as RG, still think I should've done more than ten cans.

Wow. 10 cans of single stage base color? Or did you go extra and put some clear over the single stage?

Originally Posted by jkv45

Some lighter colors like yellows and oranges cover poorly, and will require more paint.

With a solid color that covers well, I would think 4 to 5 cans may do it. I'd be really surprised if it took 10 cans of a solid color to do the bodywork.

I was hoping the 4-5 cans number would work.. I'm thinking of going a medium blue and black, so they should cover fairly well. I was hoping I could get it done with 6-7 cans and have enough of a safety margin.

[Triple Jim]

Originally Posted by jkv45

Using a 2K paint is a good idea. It sounds like you will be using a solid color, which will eliminate the need for clear.

Not arguing here because you're right that clear isn't needed, but I'd still put some over the color. It just looks better that way, and with all the prep time and paint cost, a coat or two of clear doesn't add that much more.

But I think I'd get a couple quarts of the 2K and use a cheap HVLP gun. It would be cheaper, including buying the gun, if you compare it to ten cans of 2K.

[Mechanikrazy]

Originally Posted by Triple Jim

Not arguing here because you're right that clear isn't needed, but I'd still put some over the color. It just looks better that way, and with all the prep time and paint cost, a coat or two of clear doesn't add that much more.

But I think I'd get a couple quarts of the 2K and use a cheap HVLP gun. It would be cheaper, including buying the gun, if you compare it to ten cans of 2K.

I would, but I don't have an air tank and don't really have room for more gear in my apartment. I was planning this paint job to be an outdoor, public space special. Since this is a winter project, I'll see how it looks without the clear, and maybe throw some on after.

[taz]

THE ONE ON THE RIGHT IS THE ONES I USE DIDN'T HAVE ANY PRIMMER AND IF IT WASN'T FOR GETTING THEM FREE FROM WORK I WOULD OF WENT WITH THE LOCAL ABS SHOP FOR PAINT. ALSO LOOKING BACK AT IT IT MIGHT OF BEEN MORE LIKE 6-8 CANS, BUT 2 OF THEM WHERE NOT EVEN FULL TO START WITH. BUT LIKE I SAID BEFORE I THINK I SHOULD OF AT LEAST DONE 1-2 MORE CANS TO GET IT BETTER LOOKING.

[taz]

Here is a pic of before and then after, and if your thinking of doing it in your apartment, well i wouldn't, you need a good ventilation.

[Triple Jim]

Originally Posted by Mechanikrazy

...I'll see how it looks without the clear, and maybe throw some on after.

No problem there. My Guzzi was painted white with no decals or clear when I got it. The paint was many years old. I did a quick 400 grit wet sand, applied decals, and put one can of Spraymax 2K clear over it. The improvement was amazing.

[Bigballsofpaint]

I use like 2 cans of krylon from lowes and call it a day. Its just my track bike...

[Z1R rider]

I used 2 cans of red and 1 of gray, had about 1/2 can of each left over. Just used Rust Oleum at about $5 a can, for me it's plenty good for a track bike, and cheap to touch-up. It took 2 coats to cover the black that PO had sprayed on. I've discovered that Krylon, in the hardware spray cans, takes at least double the coats as it doesn't cover nearly as well. Surface prep means at least as much as the type of paint used.



DSCF0014.jpg

[Lazarus]

Totes forgot aboot this thread. I was covering a light purple with a dark burgundy satin so 4 cans of color was good for me. Just use painting techniques you would use if you were shooting urethane from an air gun and it should turn out fine. I got plenty of compliments on my paint job, just know that it doesn't hold up well even with a ton of clear coat over top.

[Mechanikrazy]

Originally Posted by taz

Here is a pic of before and then after, and if your thinking of doing it in your apartment, well i wouldn't, you need a good ventilation.

No worries. Haha. I'm planning to go somewhere outside and just spray it over newspaper. I have beige carpet inside, so spray is a definite no. Haha

[Mechanikrazy]

Originally Posted by Z1R rider

I used 2 cans of red and 1 of gray, had about 1/2 can of each left over. Just used Rust Oleum at about $5 a can, for me it's plenty good for a track bike, and cheap to touch-up. It took 2 coats to cover the black that PO had sprayed on. I've discovered that Krylon, in the hardware spray cans, takes at least double the coats as it doesn't cover nearly as well. Surface prep means at least as much as the type of paint used.

Originally Posted by Lazarus

Totes forgot aboot this thread. I was covering a light purple with a dark burgundy satin so 4 cans of color was good for me. Just use painting techniques you would use if you were shooting urethane from an air gun and it should turn out fine. I got plenty of compliments on my paint job, just know that it doesn't hold up well even with a ton of clear coat over top.

Good to know! I'll probably try 6 cans to have a safety margin. Glad to know people have tried this,and I'm not just making up numbers to come up short on paint. Haha.

[Lazarus]

Happy to help. Just make sure to spend lots of time doing prep work. O and get the little plastic attatchment for the top of the spray can that looks like a pistol grip, best 5$ I ever spent.