Cost for repainting / powder coating frame?

[Yelsel]

If the rust is not too bad... then I might be taking on this project bike.

http://images.craigslist.org/3kd3pc3l65O15Te5R099kca4d350e53b41d9c.jpg

I'd like to strip the paint and powder coat a nice light pink. Is it better to chemically strip, or sandblast? Cost for sandblasting, and cost for powder coating?

Edit: a Raleigh Super Course Mixte - 700c wheels and 531 tubing, with lovely lugs. So worth rescuing -- I'd love to have a pixtie (pink fixie mixte :) ).

[OakLeaf]

I'd love to have a pixtie (pink fixie mixte :) ).

That would be worth building just to tell people the name. :D

I have no idea what the paint would cost... but I'd suggest you have it done by a framebuilder who can check the frame for alignment and straighten it, if needed, as long as it'll be stripped anyhow. And maybe even do some fancy hand painting around the lugs. It would cost more obviously, but so worth it.

[divingbiker]

My nephew runs a powder coating business, and he charges $50-80 depending on the size of the bike.

Edit to add: That price includes the sandblasting.

[lunacycles]

$50-80 bucks for a finish plus sandblasting is a very good deal. I pay much, much more for the finishes on my customers' frames at Spectrum Powderworks, but given the quality of the finish, the fact that they can airspray on logos, do amazing effects and colors and complex graphics, etc....it is very much worth it.

Powdercoating is a great durable finish, but can go on fairly thickly, and if the bike has lugs, you can lose the definition of the lugs at their shorelines. Some people don't mind, but something to be aware of. Also powdercoating is generally less expensive than wet paint, especially if you don't want anything beyond a basic single color finish. Most powdercoaters can't or won't do multiple colors or masking. Whomever you find to powdercoat the bike, make sure they are intimately familiar with finishing bicycles, as you can really gunk up vital little areas (like bottle bosses or derailleur hangers) with powder, and tapping them out is another expense.

I would recommend sandblasting over chemical strip, as chemical strips can be nasty, and time consuming.

[Cataboo]

My nephew runs a powder coating business, and he charges $50-80 depending on the size of the bike.

Edit to add: That price includes the sandblasting.

*sigh*

I want a red bike.

If I didn't think it was criminal to paint naked ti, I'd totally paint my bike red.

One of these days, I'm gonna find a bike to buy & have your nephew paint red for me.

[Biciclista]

I know people with painted Ti, why not?

[Cataboo]

I know people with painted Ti, why not?


I'm supposed to love the naked ti.

[OakLeaf]

So everyone will know it's Ti, of course. ;)

Besides, paint is heavy. Remember how much the airlines saved when they quit painting the bottom of aircraft? Probably 40-50 grams off a bici frame!

[Cataboo]

So everyone will know it's Ti, of course. ;)

Besides, paint is heavy. Remember how much the airlines saved when they quit painting the bottom of aircraft? Probably 40-50 grams off a bici frame!


I doubt anyone ever actually looks at my bike, I'm too slow for them to bother :)

and if I was worried about that, I could get decals on it to make it perfectly clear or do one of those ugly half paint jobs you see on ti bikes.

[divingbiker]

$50-80 bucks for a finish plus sandblasting is a very good deal. I pay much, much more for the finishes on my customers' frames at Spectrum Powderworks, but given the quality of the finish, the fact that they can airspray on logos, do amazing effects and colors and complex graphics, etc....it is very much worth it.

While my nephew and his employees are meticulous and take a lot of pride in their work, I've no doubt that Spectrum does a much better job with bicycles. Most of my nephew's powder coating work is farm implements and race cars, with a cemetery gate, flamingo yard ornament, patio table, and manhole cover thrown in here and there.:D

[lunacycles]

While my nephew and his employees are meticulous and take a lot of pride in their work, I've no doubt that Spectrum does a much better job with bicycles. Most of my nephew's powder coating work is farm implements and race cars, with a cemetery gate, flamingo yard ornament, patio table, and manhole cover thrown in here and there.

I didn't mean to imply that your nephew does anything but excellent work. I seriously wanted to acknowledge the value.

Spectrum is just really far-out as far as what they can do with powder, and how good it looks. I have not met nor known of another powdercoater who can do what they do. But you definitely pay for it!

[lunacycles]

Besides, paint is heavy

powder is heavier:p

[Cataboo]

powder is heavier:p

My cellulite is heavier :)

[planetluvver]

My cellulite is heavier :)


ROTFLMHO!

Along with my extra chins, and the dingly-dangly upper arm flab.

But that is why I ride an old steel frame bike (and I enjoy knowing that my bike would be the last choice for a bike thief!) But I do get to ride a red bike!

Life is too short, paint her red! (But I do know that painting SCUBA tanks became a no-no, because someone once used a process that required heat treatment, and it compromised the tank strength, and it exploded.

So I would just be sure that however you paint the titanium, it doesn't affect the structure of the metal.

[Biciclista]

yeah, who cares if you're supposed to show the titanium? It's YOUR bike.
put red on it with the ti color shining through in a few places. Why not have your bike look the way you'd love it to?

[Cataboo]

If I paint it, I'll get all neurotic about scratching the paint and then once that gets scratched up, then I'll be upset I didn't leave it alone.

I think the solution is I have to get a 2nd one that is red.

[planetluvver]

is a good one!

I whole-heartedly agree with your reasoning!

LOL!

[Cataboo]

See... I could powder coat my surly red. I'm not attached to it black. Except the red flame stickers would look funny on a red bike.

Maybe I should powder coat it.

[Trek420]

go towards the end for a red powdercoated beauty:

http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showthread.php?t=23135

Knott's lugged steel bike cost quite a bit more than $80 or so for the powdercoating:eek: but considering it was a complete rebuild it's like a new bike. Chris & Steve at my fave LBS lovingly cleaned every part not replaced.

The bike just glows and Knott says the shifting is buttery smooth now.