Crash helmet painting - anyone DIY?
Discussion
As per the title really. I wondered if anyone has painted their own crash helmet or knows anything about which paints and prep are ok on crash helmets to keep them safe to use?
I’ve become reasonably handy with an airbrush and quite fancy having a go, but I’m unsure of the processes. I could just have a go and work it out but I’d prefer to know what I’m doing doesn’t affect the helmet structure.
I’ve become reasonably handy with an airbrush and quite fancy having a go, but I’m unsure of the processes. I could just have a go and work it out but I’d prefer to know what I’m doing doesn’t affect the helmet structure.
I did an old Bell Star way back in the day, i still had my 125 LC at the time and Eddie Lawson was riding in the same team as Kenny Roberts and wore a Bell Star.
So i rubbed it down, sprayed it to match Eddie's lid then sprayed laquer over it. In hindsight it was horrendous but at the time i was a legend....in my own mind...
So i rubbed it down, sprayed it to match Eddie's lid then sprayed laquer over it. In hindsight it was horrendous but at the time i was a legend....in my own mind...
It pays to know what you're dealing with... ha. Years back, I painted a few lids - never used to have any money, so got given a few that were past their best. Had absolutely no knowledge of what effect the paints would have on the helmet's integrity. Most seemed fine afterward, but obviously no way of knowing... but, a lovely Motorhead logo on a cheap open face looked great until the whole lid turned to something like jelly! Can only presume that the good ones were fibreglass and the cheap one that melted was polycarb' or similar...
Drawweight said:
Useless bit of info but our butcher used to paint helmets. He was good enough to do some for semi pro racers.
I was going to get him to do one for me but never got round to it.
I went to a talk at our bike club by a local guy who painted most of the F1 drivers crash helmets years ago. He did everything freehand except the Mercedes badge which they insisted he used a transfer for in case he didn't paint it perfectly round!I was going to get him to do one for me but never got round to it.
He was about to give it all up then though as it got to the era where the drivers started getting new designs multiple times a year and he said it was a nightmare of deadlines now!
spoodler said:
It pays to know what you're dealing with... ha. Years back, I painted a few lids - never used to have any money, so got given a few that were past their best. Had absolutely no knowledge of what effect the paints would have on the helmet's integrity. Most seemed fine afterward, but obviously no way of knowing... but, a lovely Motorhead logo on a cheap open face looked great until the whole lid turned to something like jelly! Can only presume that the good ones were fibreglass and the cheap one that melted was polycarb' or similar...
It's the paint and lacquer types I'd be interesting in finding out. I read (on here, I think) that as most paints are now acrylic based they're less dodgy to use. But, you'd still need a protective lacquer to seal the paint and also provide some kind of UV protection I assume?slopes said:
I did an old Bell Star way back in the day, i still had my 125 LC at the time and Eddie Lawson was riding in the same team as Kenny Roberts and wore a Bell Star.
So i rubbed it down, sprayed it to match Eddie's lid then sprayed laquer over it. In hindsight it was horrendous but at the time i was a legend....in my own mind...
Back in the 80's I had my motorcycle painted to match the helmet I had at the time (another American Rider) - stupid idea on reflection but it looked great So i rubbed it down, sprayed it to match Eddie's lid then sprayed laquer over it. In hindsight it was horrendous but at the time i was a legend....in my own mind...
Helmet
Since then I've always bought helmets in either white or black so I don't do anything as stupid as that again
I did recently
I painted my Brother in Law's old lid for him, in the livery of his childhood hero
3 spray cans of Hycote acrylic paint
1 set of Vinyl decals from an Ebay seller
Really enjoyable little project
it's ultimately down to the clear coat that makes or breaks the project, as he had access to a paint shop at work we had it finished in proper 2K lacquer
I painted my Brother in Law's old lid for him, in the livery of his childhood hero
3 spray cans of Hycote acrylic paint
1 set of Vinyl decals from an Ebay seller
Really enjoyable little project
it's ultimately down to the clear coat that makes or breaks the project, as he had access to a paint shop at work we had it finished in proper 2K lacquer
Edited by Skii on Monday 15th July 12:01
Skii said:
I did recently
I painted my Brother in Law's old lid for him, in the livery of this childhood hero
3 spray cans of Hycote acrylic paint
1 set of Vinyl decals from an Ebay seller
Really enjoyable little project
it's ultimately down to the clear coat that makes or breaks the project, as he had access to a paint shop at work we have it finished in proper 2K lacquer
Thats a great copy of a Sheene helmet, did you drill a hole in the chin bar.I painted my Brother in Law's old lid for him, in the livery of this childhood hero
3 spray cans of Hycote acrylic paint
1 set of Vinyl decals from an Ebay seller
Really enjoyable little project
it's ultimately down to the clear coat that makes or breaks the project, as he had access to a paint shop at work we have it finished in proper 2K lacquer
I've painted a few old helmets, just for fun. I used UPOL 1K undercoat, followed by ordinary rattle can 1K colour paint, then having waited a couple of weeks to allow the 1K paint to 'gas off'. Finally, used Spraymax 2K in a rattle can clear coat. For masking I used Frog masking tape and for pin stripes I used 3M pinstriping tape.. both come in various widths.
One I did a few years ago, using decals..
Blue One said:
I’ve always been told that painting motorbike helmets yourself (over the original finish) can weaken their strength due the effect of paint chemicals on the outer shell, so is a ‘no no’. Maybe that is incorrect?
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