What kind of paint?

GoldenMotor.com

artmaker

Member
May 30, 2012
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Hi all,
Easy question here I hope.

So last year I picked up one of those zeda bicycle frames with the built in gas tank. Got it in white with the intention of painting some design on the gas tank.
A simple brush on paint is what I have been looking for but having ZERO luck.
Everything I find is for air brushing or spraying. NOT with a fine brush. If it's too thin, as these spray on paints are, it simply won't work with with a brush.

I'm uploading a picture of the gas tank I put on my 4 stroke bike. BUT that tank is bad. The black was plain old rustoleum, and the decoration is my own artist acrylics. NEITHER ONE it turns out is gas proof. I have to cover the tank and be very careful when refueling.

So this time I want to do it right with the right kind of paint. Don't need much, small can would be fine but what and where to get it?
And with the whole covid thing I'd actually rather buy online...

So can anyone point me to a small can of thick, opaque, GAS PROOF, black paint?
 

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FOG

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Larry Trotter

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Probably the suggestion of of clear coat is good. Then you can use the paint you are used to using.
About how much did you have to pay for the tank frame bike and does it seem ok?
 
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artmaker

Member
May 30, 2012
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Hi guys, first FOG thanks. I glanced at those links last night, (kinda late.) I'll go back and look again soon. Probably get a can.

Larry Trotter, I did talk to someone at a car paint place near here. They said for my original tank (the one I posted a picture of) that the rustoleum won't take a clear coat. Said it's oil based and it won't take. But I have to wonder. Normally as far as paintings go, you don't put acrylic over oil paint. You can go the other way around but not acrylic over oil. BUT.... That's exactly what that is. The rustoleum then my feather painting on top in acrylic. This was a few years ago now and it's holding up just fine. (Unless a drop of gas hits it, almost a major catastrophe when that first happened. Lucky it was just a drop and hit an all black spot. I wiped it up right away, gave it a quick touch up. You can barely tell where that was now.) Just gotta be REAL careful when fueling it up.

So it looks like that will be the plan, pick up some pinstripe paint and a self hardening clear.... Now I just have to come up with a good design.

When this is finally done I'll post a picture.
To be continued.

Thanks again.
 
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curtisfox

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Dec 29, 2008
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I use to letter cars and trucks, sign paint also. One Shot is a really high quality oil paint, can remember using it over 50 years ago at the sign shop were i worked. If you do a lot of painting it the way to go, really smooth flowing especially for brush work, like said most pin strippers use it.....Curt
 

artmaker

Member
May 30, 2012
73
8
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Michigan
Oh gosh, forgot all about this thread.
Ok, well that paint was a royal PAIN to work with. Much thicker than I'd like, and with the hardener, I really had limited work time. So scrapped my initial idea and kept it simple, more like plain line art. I still do have to be cautious when gassing it up. It's not quite as watercolor esk as my gas tank pictured in the first post, but paint WILL come off with gas so I use a funnel with a long tube to gas it, no chance of spilling. I didn't bother with clear coat, and frankly everyone told me to really make it gas permanent like a car requires baking. So yea naa. This is good enough for me.
Anyway, pictures....
Oh and if your really bored, I posted a ride on this bike on youtube and probably better views of the paint job too. Here.
 

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MEASURE TWICE

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Jul 13, 2010
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Depending on how big the tank or part is, a makeshift toaster / convection oven with a separate more accurate temperature sensor I used in the past. The power coat paint and a high voltage source to hook onto the item to coat in a spray booth with compressed air sprayer is though getting involved. Cleaning the part to coat is quite involved too. I used a shop with rental hours.

Though what ever you did, by hand or stencil looks quite good!
 
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artmaker

Member
May 30, 2012
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Michigan
Depending on how big the tank or part is, a makeshift toaster / convection oven with a separate more accurate temperature sensor I used in the past. The power coat paint and a high voltage source to hook onto the item to coat in a spray booth with compressed air sprayer is though getting involved. Cleaning the part to coat is quite involved too. I used a shop with rental hours.

Though what ever you did, by hand or stencil looks quite good!
Oh way too involved for me. I'm done. Project is done. It's all good. I just have to watch it when fueling, not a big deal really.
Thanks.
 
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gill vanderwerf

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Sep 9, 2019
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Hi all,
Easy question here I hope.

So last year I picked up one of those zeda bicycle frames with the built in gas tank. Got it in white with the intention of painting some design on the gas tank.
A simple brush on paint is what I have been looking for but having ZERO luck.
Everything I find is for air brushing or spraying. NOT with a fine brush. If it's too thin, as these spray on paints are, it simply won't work with with a brush.

I'm uploading a picture of the gas tank I put on my 4 stroke bike. BUT that tank is bad. The black was plain old rustoleum, and the decoration is my own artist acrylics. NEITHER ONE it turns out is gas proof. I have to cover the tank and be very careful when refueling.

So this time I want to do it right with the right kind of paint. Don't need much, small can would be fine but what and where to get it?
And with the whole covid thing I'd actually rather buy online...

love that tank where did you get it