fiberglass saddlbags

[blackjackretro]

Hello I am new to this forum and new to the painting world, so I have a lot to learn. Any advice is greatly appreciated.

I purchased a set of vintage harley shovelhead fiberglass bags that have seen there fair share of the world. I decide to restore them. They had a few cracks in them and one big hole about 3x5 inches. I sanded the bags down to the shell (gelcoat)removing several coats of primer and paint I was using 80 and 100 grit paper. once I had them sanded down, I ground around the outside edges of the cracks about 1/4 inch on each side and filled in with dura-glass, than I sanded the area until it was smooth and consitant with the rest of the bag.
On the hole I did the inside of the bag first, I went around the edge of the hole about 3/8 on an inch wide,and put a small grove around it mixed up some fiberglass resin and applied some webbing to the inside area.Once it had cured and set up I sanded it and applied some dura-glass to the inside, once it set up I sanded it down and applied filler to make it smooth. I repeated these steps for the outside and it turned out very good seems to be strong, and fits in with no visible screwups . I than primered the bags using a sandable lacquer primer, sanded lightly using a 320 paper and filled in any inperfections and repaeated these steps . I than but on the primer and sanded with 400 paper, and repeated the step 2 more time.
I will painting the bags a gloss black using an enammel paint. My question is what steps do I ned to do before I get to the actual painting part. Should I use a primer sealer ? Is there any other steps before the actual paint goes on? What about after they are painted do I do a light sanding with a 1200 -1500 paper ? I will be using a hvlp gravity feed spray gun.
Again thank you for any replys and advice. Jack

 

[TAZ]

Jack,

Welcome to the forum.

Sounds like you're pretty close to painting them to me!

Once you get them completely sanded with the 400, then you're ready to paint.

One thing to remember is today's bc/cc type systems are not made to go over the lacquer type primer, so do be sure and just use a regular enamel with catalyst.
If you went with a bc/cc, you would also need a catalyzed primer.

Anyway...you should add about 3-4 coats of the black on your bags.

Be sure and blow out the inside of the bags real good before you mask them up. Once you are ready to paint, wipe them down real good with a pre-paint cleaner. Then blow and tack them off. Be sure the area where you are spraying them is clean. Even water down the area if you can.

If you decide to wetsand and buff, you may want to wait a couple days afterwards, then you can wetsand with either 1500 or 2000. Then you will need to 'machine' buff both bags.
You can find some wetsand/buffing tips and steps elsewhere on the forum.

Good luck to you.
Let us know how it goes.

:cheers:

 

[blackjackretro]

Thanks Taz

This is a great forum. I have been checking all the different threads and doing a lot of reading, and want to say thanks to all the memebers who have given their expert advice. I have learned alot and that there is a lot more to learn. And I know this is the place that I can hopefully find the answers to.
I have been wrenching and fabricating on motorcycles for years, and have wanted to learn the concepts of painting.

now another question: Should I go ahead and lightly sand down the lacquer primer and go over it with a enammel primer ? and than go over that with a enammel sealer ? Are should I just go over the lacquer primer with an enammel primer sealer and call it good. The enammel that I will be using to paint the bags with will be a black (99) with no reducer . I thin it is a Simtec brand paint. Thanks again for any reply to this.....Jack


.

 

[TAZ]

Since you are just doing an 'enamel' job, and as long as the bags are fully coated with lacquer primer, you can just spray the black enamel paint right over that.

If you have some bare fiberglass spots, I would go ahead and spray a couple coats of black sealer, then the paint.

:bigokay: