TJ: painting tube fenders

[brokenujoint]

Ok, I'm rather pissed. I know how to paint. I did em 8 yrs ago and until now they've held up great.
SO, I sanded them down, used acetone (prefer MEK but can't find it anywhere anymore), primed them with some rustoleum primer. Waited 2 days, sanded some more and repeated. Today I hit em up with some krylon paint and I got tiny bubbles EVERYWHERE. WTH?! Is the paint crappy or did I screw up. This is SO non-high tech and I still proceeded to screw up.. Gonna let it sit for a few days, wet sand it and try some rustoleum gloss black. Any input is appreciated.

Also, how much would it cost ballpark to take them down and have a body shop hit them up with some auto paint if I wanted to do that route??

[RAT]

If the bubbles are all over the part, then the primer may not have been completely dry and the solvent evaporating caused the bubbles. If they are just in spots, the surface wasnt clean. Use a tack cloth to remove skin oil and other contaminants. Another cause of bubbles is improper spray distance from the part. Usually too close will do it.

If you buy the auto primer and paint and bring it up here I'll shoot them for you. Take a few hours.

[brokenujoint]

probably a primer thing thing because i only waited about 20 minutes before i threw on a coat of paint... I'll let it sit for a few days then start over.. sigh.. and thanks RAT

[dirtman13]

probably a primer thing thing because i only waited about 20 minutes before i threw on a coat of paint... I'll let it sit for a few days then start over

That's how I do it as well. Some primers don't work well with some paints. I use OSH primer and Rustoleum paint with no problems.

[RAT]

You can speed things up by setting the fenders in the sun after you prime them. Most primers cure to tack in about 20-30 minutes at 76F. The colder it is the longer it takes to cure.

[brokenujoint]

Thats what I did, I primered with a medium coat and they sat in the sun for close to 1/2 an hr. Thinking it was good enough, I hit em with paint and thats when all the little fish eyes popped up. Contamination wasnt an issue. I acetoned everything before priming. Either the primer/paint didnt like each other or the primer wasnt dry enough. I'll get it right, just a pain that it didnt go right when I did it as I always have before. Trying to set up a poorman's makeshift paint booth with cardboard boxes.. Caught a couple of pieces of lint as well.

[Tumbleweed13]

I did a garage paint job on my tube fenders. I wore rubber gloves, when doing the final wipe down with the tack rag to avoid the fish eyes. It took me a few days to complete the paint. I'd let it sit for at least 1.5 hrs between coats. It took longer then I wanted, But, I only had to do it once.

[Tumbleweed13]

Oh, and painters drop plastic, works well for a makeshift paint booth. I got the least amount of lint with the plastic. Also, one of those lights with a clamp, and a latter, can help speed up the drying process.

[brokenujoint]

whats the ladder for?

[IncagoldRubi]

I just painted my metalcloak arched fenders and used rustoleum primer and rustoleum textured black paint.
I actually used acetone first...let it dry...primered them and after 20 mins...paint them.
They came out really nice.

I had myself a bad experience with krylon fusion....experienced the same bubbles...

[brokenujoint]

krylon fusion is what i used... good waste of 6 bucks... got any pix of your textured black? Ive always used gloss black but am curious about the textured look but dont want it to look silly.

[Tumbleweed13]

whats the ladder for?

You can move it around the fenders, and mount the light high or low, depending on where you need the heat.

[daniel_buck]

I've been painting anything that is bare metal with Rustoleum hammer finish, doesn't need a primer, and so far has been doing pretty good. I just wash the pieces with soapy water, and quickly scuff them up. I have it on my metal cloaks, rear bumper, and rockhard bolt-in 'cage'. Alot of folks ask me if they are powder coated, it has a nice look to it if you don't spray it to thick in one pass and get drips.

[Jerry Bransford]

Paints like Rustoleum and Krylon have two windows you can apply additional coats in without problem. Within the first 20 or so minutes is the first window and the second is well after something like 48 hours. If you try adding coats between those two windows, the paint will wrinkle/buckle/bubble up. Not realizing that has caused me to ruin more than one paint job.

[brokenujoint]

I will also be sticking to the same brands when i prime and paint. Ridiculous that they arent compatible or at least some are some arent... You'd think there would be some standards set...
Anyone have a good close up pic of some textured or hammered paint jobs?