In the process I completely botched the whole job and destroyed a full set of reproduction decals that I waited 6 months for, wasted almost $120 on paint and materials, and countless hours of dithering.
Project ended. I’m so fucking pissed right now. I know it’s not spray bike’s fault but the whole thing just looks like hot garbage and my day is ruined.
I will never, ever attempt to paint a bike again in my entire life.
Aside from me being generally sloppy and impatient, I just really don’t like the chalky texture of the paint. I know that there’s some prep work and finesse that I’m just not skilled enough to do, but it looks like someone vomited pepto bismol on the frame.
That coupled with the fact that the (expensive) velocals won’t even stick to the chalky ass paint, and the horrible splotchy kierin coat, I just don’t care anymore.
I’ve been waiting for 8 months to paint this frame and now I just feel like trashing it. I’ve offered it up to the local community for free.
This photo makes it look almost OK but in person it’s trash.
I haven’t used my spray.bike yet but my understanding is that the base colors are all matte, so you’d need to clearcoat over your flake with something like 4k auto clear, then wet sand flat. alternatively you could wet sand the decal areas, decal, then clear before a final careful sanding.
this decal set may be a goner but at this point I’d try hitting the whole thing with a good clear and sanding, might be salvageable
I’d try hitting the whole thing with a good clear and sanding
That’s the thing, I am too hamfisted and impatient to do this correctly, and that’s a personal flaw that I have to deal with.
Today I came to terms with that.
I think I’m just gonna re-build my old grando in the same style that I was going to build this up as (flat bar ultra basket bike), it’ll ride better anyway.
Just clear coat it then get it real dirty. It’s just a bike. I’m sure it’s just a great from afar but far from great situation. Yolo and ride it, you’ll still have fun.
At least my keirin flake clear from spray.bike was glossy. It didn’t really cover as great as the base coat or colour. Kinda need to lay it on many many thin layers. But I did some pretty serious prep with stripping, sanding and all that.
Also I’m fully with @VT_regularbike on this, bikes gon be bikes. Just ride it and have fun!
Swapped out the Walt fork for the stock fork on the day/ruiner so the Walt fork and nü rack can go to orc for rack tweaking. Decided I didn’t have anything else better to do, so also put a tire and brake rotor on the other front wheel, installed the original rack, mounted the light, and installed the front fender (with new stays) so it’s at least a complete rideable bike in the meanwhile.
Was also bored enough that the mtb got dragged out of the cellar. It got air in the tires and the suspension setup for the first time since having the fork and shock services 2+ years ago. I rode it up and down the street and off some curbs and that was fun.
I had this crazy idea of getting old busted Cross-checks, hacking out the top tube and cutting down the seat tube, and rebuilding them as other bikes. So adding some twin lateral “top tubes” and trying to pass it off as a prototype Jones gravel bike.
Amazing! That thing always like touches the headset or squirms out from under the caliper. I had much more luck ordering the stamped one from Europia, and with the nitto one for marks rack legs.
Finally got the seatpost collar in the mail so I could ride this thing. Ordered it almost two months ago, spent a month at the backed up lbs waiting for the fork to be cut, get it home and find out they sent me a 26" fork instead of a 700c, oh well, I’ll run with it. Polo geo is weird but comfy for slowly meandering around town, double tarck century or less kinda bike. Snapped the chain riding home, walked the last two miles.
