ArchaicArcane

The small parts of the decals are very thin, so I think the wrong angle or removing a little too quickly or perhaps not sacrificing quite enough chickens can cause that. Perhaps we were a little stingy at 2 chickens only. I knew we should have sacrificed that third chicken...

The cover coat basically lifts off. The instructions say to peel up a corner or to use a piece of masking tape to lift a corner and then the rest will come off easily.

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I may touch them up, or I may leave them. I haven't decided yet. I've been working on some emergent computer server things this week and letting the decals dry. I was thinking of taking her to the "heavy damage" bodyman I know and ask if he'll spray the clear or if he has any suggestions.

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You know, looking at that now, I wonder if the arm was ever on the G. That looks pretty rounded on the lower part of the C.... You can just see a little edge from the removed cover coat here too above the lettering. It's sticky and I'd like to remove it but I'm not sure if I'm better letting the decals set a little more first or if it will be harder to remove the sticky too by that time.

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This is the extent though of what we lost with the decals.

DH brought home touch up paint for her too, so I'm considering filling the spots that were poorly filled at the shop prior to the clear coat that needs to be added.

LOL! Yes, that sounds like an air compressor and one that will do better than the first one I sprayed with. Probably similar to the one we got a couple of months ago. It should run pretty much any HVLP gun you can get from Harbor Freight or wherever.

A paint gun will almost always give better results than a can. It's sort of like the difference between those disposable cameras you used to see in the stores (and at weddings) vs a pro camera. In the right hands, either can do an acceptable job, but it's easier to get a great job with better tools. Full disclosure - the black lower fairing on the bike I posted "back there" was done with a rattle can and then cleared using my spray gun. The other thing I find is that a gun feels more natural in the hand and I feel like it gives better control than a finger pushing down on that "button" to spray.

What I would say is that you would want to protect the surface you're spraying from dust and other surfaces from the paint you're spraying. I would think just hanging a few tarps and wetting the floor would be good. A plastic room, not totally necessary but be ready to have to sand a little dust out of your coats. I will take some photos of that process if I'm the one spraying and the dust and such when - notice I don't say if? - it gets into the clear.

Thanks tropit! If you do take yours to a shop, make sure they know a few things:
1. She's aluminum - any filling they have to do uses a different filler than with another type of metal.
2. Make sure they're willing to do the prep. The prep makes the paint job. It's ... 85 maybe 90% about the prep and the rest is the paint. Very few bodymen want to paint something after someone else does the prep for this reason.
3. You intend to use her so the decals must be cleared over and make sure they're OK with that or you'll be in the situation I am now, wondering whether to spray it yourself or not.
4. Paint, clear, decals, clear.
5. You want touch up paint from the same mix of paint that your machine is sprayed with if possible.
6. There was a another one but I've forgotten what it was.


It's amazing the difference with and without decals, isn't it? I considered leaving them off initially but I'm glad I didn't even if it IS going to mean more work.

I didn't make notes back in the day about that paint job on the bike but I'll see if I can't remember most of it in the next few weeks and make a blog post about it with some of the "during" photos. Sort of a "Throwback Thursday" sort of post. After my computer work is finished.

Hey Sheri! I'm amazed at how she glows. That paint looks really different in different lighting situations and I guess I've never seeing a car under the lighting in my studio. Probably a good thing, since the studio's in the basement and that would mean something went massively wrong! There's definitely a little scraping and removing of overspray. The shop didn't mask her as well as I would have liked but that's what happens when I'm not involved in the transaction at all. I don't think they got that I'm reassembling and using her so orifices remaining paint free is important. It's OK. The paint is soft and easy to remove with acetone right now.

Typically with the bikes, DH is in charge of the mechanical and I'm in charge of the appearance. That bike kept him pretty busy for a bit too. This is a little better than what I started with. This is after some repair to make that front cowl one piece again. Then I had to level it and contour and then the primer and paint stages.

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Jeanette Frantz

Tammi, your machine is turning out absolutely beautiful. Yes, it will be a thing of beauty, but it will also be useable!

I admire your efforts!

Jeanette

ArchaicArcane

Well, today, I'm stopping by the bodyshop that I trust, to see what the owner has to say about her. We should have a good idea of how her paint will be finished by day's end. She's sat long enough, I think that her decals should be as dry and "fixed" as they will get.

Mrs. SewNSew

I have my fingers crossed for you!

psdumas

I'm a little late to the party here, but I think that color is stunning! Absolutely looks like a crown jewel. That's the only color I think fits those little pretties! Sparkling!
Pat