i really want to have a go but i dont want to sod it up , so any help will be great please ta all

I would think you had enough frames to be a little brave with. You only learn by trying.

it depends if your thinking of powder coating or painting?

thats it , get technical ......hey , what , who , where , why , i might try on the bmx frame first , what is the difference between powder coating and painting  

painting is using paint from eith a gun or a can, powder coating is sprayed on as a powder, it sticks because an electro static charge is put through it and then it is baked to harden

painting is better because exact colour matches can be obtained

powder coating is better because its more hard wearing

my custom white Mk1 is powder coated

painting can be done by yourself so could potentialy be cheaper...

it depends what you prefer etc

cheers for that , im just an old twat really but i will have a go how hard can it be , i will pull one of the frames out sometime , but i want to get the complete bikes sorted first so that could take a while .

also if youre painting it your self you will probably have to strip the paint off with fine sand paper

with powder coating the frame usualy gets bead blasted there

Hello

Powder coating:

Is an Electrostatic (only big word don't worry) process where a positively charged “powder” (which has pigment, hardening, and coating elements in it) is passed over the item you wished to be coated? This item has been negatively earthed therefore the positive powder adheres to it.

Once the item has been evenly coated it goes into an oven for a given time at a given temperature. This melts the powder into an extremely hardwearing coating.

Painting:

Using Automotive single paint application as an example the paint is mixed with given solution such as hardener or thinner depending on the type of paint to a given viscosity, the new mix is then poured into a spray gun an then sprayed onto the item.

Depending on what type of paint you are using the item will then be oven baked or air-dried. And/or over coated with clear

All Aerosol cans irrespective of whether they may be acrylic or cellulose are all use single pack principle, which means ready to use air-dry essentially

i will have a go with rattle cans , so is it the same principle as spraying a car panel , where as you strip the old paint off of the area , then clean it thoroughly and then it gets primed before spraying and then maybe a laquer to finish , is this about right ?

yeah, just strip the old paint off with sand paper..

if you want an exact colour match, spraying is the only way, powder coating doesnt have a 100% matcg for the colours used...

so powder coating is good for customs

they rattle can wont be too hard wearing so its probably best to give it a laquer if youre happy with the initial painting

Which bike are you painting first?

not sure as of yet , i am tempted to do the cross bar or red 82 to start and then have a go at one of the frames in my frame shed

All my powder coated bikes are 100% colour matched. SPOT ON. I wouldn't accept anything less so it is possible. if it's the old Mk1's then they are a different story as they are kinda metallic so spraying is the only option. I have just found a guy (after a lot of searching who is the mutts nuts and too cheap to be believed. He has just done my Mk1 and dont want to build it it's so nice. But i will cos it will look perfect with the NOS rims. Anyone got an NOS MK1 seat. I'll give you my car for it????

yeah, forgot to mention matalic cant be powder coated, so super grifters and a couple of the Mk1 colours cant be done

if the frame has any corrosion its best to get it back to bare metal and get the rust treated or ground out, cost wise theres not a lot in it,powdercoated ranges from usually 30 to 40 quid for a regular colour,to paint a frame yourself by the time you buy primer and paint plus all the other your probably going to be 30 quid,thats using good paint ,i do custom cars for a job and painting is not easy ( if you wnat it done properly that is),,,on a grifter i would prolly go for powdercoating if i were you

why dont you experiment on another brand of bike.  To see if you can do it.

Ive been experimenting on scrap steel tubing cut from old bikes, Im trying to learn to weld.  Would have made a real mess of the frame If I went to it to start with