So I have some sweet vinyl stickers on my bike now:
And I was wondering about putting a clear coat over them so they don’t get banged up so quickly. Anyone have advice or experience with clearcoating over powder and vinyl?
I doubt a powdercoater would do anything for less than a 100$ but I could be wrong. That would also require you to totally strip down the frame so they can bake it. I wouldn’t bother but there may be some spray on clear coat.
By the way, where did you get the lettering? I know of greatlettering.com but yours looks better.
Yeah, I’m talking about spray on clear coat, not getting it re powdercoated with clear again… urgh. Way too spendy
I got the stickers from stickerz.com. They can even do images… super reasonable prices too.
[quote=“hudsong”]Yeah, I’m talking about spray on clear coat, not getting it re powdercoated with clear again… urgh. Way too spendy
I got the stickers from stickerz.com. They can even do images… super reasonable prices too.[/quote]
I used some clear on a frame I rattle canned a while back, it seemed to be good stuff. You might ask the shop where you got it powder coated if they can spray on some clear if it was an auto shop.
On a slightly related note:
Does anyone know if I could bondo a dent and then get it powder coated over the top? I dont really know the technical process and principals involved in clear coating, but is there a way I could fill a small cosmetic ding and get it powder coated?
i have heard that bondo doesn’t react well with the heat - it will bubble, crack, etc. you might be better off filling it with lead
No you can’t powder over bondo, the powder won’t stick since bondo won’t hold a charge.
Ah ok, that answers my question.
You’d need a clear with similar chemical makeup as the powdercoat so it can bond to it. Dr. Deltron on BF is an open encyclopedia on painting bikes.
Here’s a PM from him explaining it:
[quote=“Dr.Deltron”]. . .If you start with spray cans, you should end with spray cans. Leave the powdercoat out of it. Do the color, the hand detail and the spraycan clear.
Alternatively, you can have the frame powdercoated one color, add hand details in either artist acrylics OR basecoat automotive colors, then shoot automotive clear over that.
Solid, durable base and a super glossy top coat. the best of both worlds.
Recently someone posted abouts problems with using spray can paint over powdercoat, but I know the automotive stuff works perfectly & easily.
It’s just expensive & toxic.
Keep an eye on the thread in Classic & Vintage titled “Lug Painting! HELP!” and we’ll see if the spray can problem gets resolved. . .
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