Worried about new paintjob ... need some advice!

[tjep]

I had all my plastic and the tank painted at a local joint (I'm sure if you guys saw it, you would start weeping, but it was the best I could find here in Hanoi, Vietnam) He did an ok job sanding everything smooth, and filling holes, etc, but I have 2 worries:

1. paint doesn't really look shiny (orangeskin), which makes me think dirt might stick. The tank and back panels are white, so that would be an issue, besides not looking bling.

2. he sprayed the tank without masking off the hole, so the rim of the fuel hole cover and a bit of the inside of the tank has been painted, which I started scraping off, and soon realized that there's no clear coat at all. The paint came off very easy, by the way ...

I've talked to him, and he's willing to give the parts a clear coat, but he argued that it wasn't necessary. I would think that a clear coat would make it more resistant to scratches and impacts and UV light?

What do you reckon? Is paint with mixed-in clear coat as good as a seperate clear coating? And would you recommend clear coating on top of the 'shiny' (acrylic?) paint he used?

If it should be clear coated, which type of clear coat would you recommend? (I intend to go buy the clear coat for him to apply, to make sure it's good quality) And how about the prep work? (he polished it with some wax)

Knowing nothing about paint, I see 2 basic types, Urethane Clearcoat and Acrylic Lacquer Clearcoat. As far as I have been able to read, the Urethane one should be the best option?

I hope someone with some technical knowledge on paints can give me a tip or 2, so I don't mess up the restoration job of my lovely Africa Twin, that I'm about to finish

Any help would be MUCH appreciated!

 

[zedxten]

maybe a local paint supplier will assist in choosing the right clear.
i would of thought a clear over base 2 pack system would of been a lot better for your bike, particularly on the tank with solvent issues present.
it doesnt sound like you got what you paid for, unless it was really cheap that is

 

[redge1]

if he used acylic paint and did not cut and buff it then a dull orange peel effect is what ulll get. putting a wax on to early will only trap solvents in the paint. if u have white as ur colour it is callled a solid colour and clear coating is not needed. if u want to clear coat stick with acrylic dont use a urethane over it.

 

[tjep]

maybe a local paint supplier will assist in choosing the right clear.
i would of thought a clear over base 2 pack system would of been a lot better for your bike, particularly on the tank with solvent issues present.
it doesnt sound like you got what you paid for, unless it was really cheap that is

Thing is, that here in Vietnam (speaking in total general terms now, based only on my own experiences) they quickly mess up things, because they wont admit there's something they don't know, and they'll just say something ... If you saw the paint shop supplier, you'd understand why I ask the question here instead

In the meantime I bought some 2000 grit paper, and some Kangarooo abrasive polish paste, and it seems to work great, getting a smooth shiny surface.

Maybe it would still be best if I made sure that at least the tank got a 2 pack clearcoat? Just for the sun/petrol issue?

if he used acylic paint and did not cut and buff it then a dull orange peel effect is what ulll get. putting a wax on to early will only trap solvents in the paint. if u have white as ur colour it is callled a solid colour and clear coating is not needed. if u want to clear coat stick with acrylic dont use a urethane over it.

Trap solvents? What will that do? Longet time for hardening? It's been more than 4 weeks now, since he painted it ...

If I'm going to clearcoat it, how can I remove the wax? (I think the abrasive polish I got also contains some kind of wax, as it totally repels water)

So you're saying that I don't need the clearcoat? Even for the petrol issue? Will acrylic clear be able to resist petrol?



Thanks so much, guys! MUCH appreciated!

BR,
Thomas

 

[redge1]

ok if uve cut and buffed it now shall be pretty dry after 4 weeks. u never wax something striaght after paitning. if u apply a acrylic clear over an acrylic base wot advantage do u gain none. they both have same chemical resistance and uv protection. petrol tanks hav been painting in arylic since the dawn of time look after the paint and it shall last. spill some petrol on it wash it off with water straight away then no problems . keep the paint polished and clean and ull enjoy it for years to come.
if u really want to clearcoat in 2 pak though ull need to use wax and grease remover then use some 2000 grit paper u have to scuff it then wax and grease again and paint. i would advise against it casue u started with acylic..
this would be ur ultimate finish if u could source it were u live http://www.kbs-coatings.com.au/KBS-Diamond-Finish-ClearCoat-_p_30.html. its cheap drys hard as a rock its basically bullet proof!!

 

[tomsteve]

you might want to sand the paint off of the gas filler and seal it with some JB weld or fiberglass resin or something. this will prevent the gas and gas fumes from getting under the paint and popping it off. do this after all of the work is done.