Respraying Bike Frame...

[mattnunn]

I wonder if someone can help?

I've got an old bike circa '95, it has an Orbit 531 Competition tubed frame and it was my first (and only) race bike from when I used to do a bit back when I was a kid. I want to convert it to a hybrid stylee bike for towing the kids in their tow along, currently using the wife's shopper complete with basket on front, which is fun but not very cool.

Anyway so I've stripped the frame and salvaged the stuff I want to reuse and started to look on ebay for new flat bars and brake levers etc... I've got some slightly wider tires and the wheels are going in to made to run straight (if possible, not been used and sat in garage for at least 5 years) But my question is how do I go about respraying the old frame? More's the point how do I get the old paint off is it a case of just rubbing down or am I better to use Nitromors and wire wool? There are a few rust spot and dings but nothing that concerns me. I presume I can just use car paint and laquer in rattle cans to respray?

Cheers

[IroningMan]

Having laboured for weeks with wire brushes and emery cloth when I did one last year, I'd say try Nitromoors.

Rattle cans - zinc-rich primer, topcoat, lacquer - gave me a reasonable finish for an occasional use bike, but might not be durable enough for one that sees a lot of miles: better to get it powdercoated.

[AndrewEH1]

I'd have a look at Starchem Synstryp rather than Nitromors as the new Nitromors is crap!

Weeks? Should take a few afternoons

[CoolC]

When you add up the costs of the stripper, wire brushes (for the tight corners) sand paper, primer, paint, laquer etc. it may well work out cheaper to get it blasted and powder coated.

It cost me £45 with a local firm to get a (steel) frame and forks blasted and powder coated in a nice girly purple colour for my daughter's bike.

[hornetrider]

I used nitromors stripping my '95 Orange before restoring it, worked a treat.

[mattnunn]

Thanks guys, I'll ring around some local body shops and see if they'll do a blast and powder coat for me, certainly for £45 seems a lot easier.

[mattnunn]

So in the end I took my frame(s) down to a local metal finishers and he's done a top job on them! £100 well spent. I wish I had a steady enough hand to put some detailing on the lugs to bring them out but I'd probably fk it up.



Components degreased and polished ready to go back on, I just need to find some nice headsets with a low stack height (<35mm) that don't cost the earth and a the rebuild can begin, the wifes bike is a 80s Coventry Eagle so it might be nice to try to get the decals to go back on it. I also need a set of brakes (levers and calipers) shimano 105s early 90s vintage as my bike had vintage Dura Ace brakes on that someone made me an offer I couldn't refuse on.

[Fluffsri]

If you need some decals for them I can recommend Si, dangerousB on here. Hes done a top notch job on my specialized decals.