Ducati Sporting Club UK > Model Specific - Discussion, Technical Problems and Help > 998 / 996 / 916 / 748 > frame painting

[keefer]

ok some words from the wise please,
The bike is all apart and the frame has been striped ready to be painted black, so now which should i go for,
Powder Coating or Stove Enamelling. prob going to do the same to the swingarm so suggestions there too please.
more to the point whats the difference

[Edited on 11-10-2004 by keefer]

[Mark]

Mine was painted black earlier this year, i was talked out of powder coating by those whom be wise. Dave W will confirm what it was painted with, i think 2 pack. Quality job.

[DC]

2 pack paint is quite rubberised/resin based and i would have thought it would be ok. My old RD 350 YPVS had a painted 2 pack frame and that was a pucka job.

DC

[DC]

Originally posted by keefer
ok some words from the wise please,
The bike is all apart and the frame has been striped ready to be painted black, so now which should i go for,
Powder Coating or Stove Enamelling. prob going to do the same to the swingarm so suggestions there too please.
more to the point whats the difference

[Edited on 11-10-2004 by keefer]

I have looked at the pics that you put up where your bike is totaly strippedand ready for painting. If I had the room in my flat I would have the frame and swing arm painted etc. I think that I would go for a Black arm and frame. Perhaps a red frame with a Black swing arm.

DC

[bradders]

or red frame, polished swing arm would look the danglies

[keefer]

thought about the polished swing arm but the up keep would just be to much hassle [chain grease and the like]
so come on then whats the difference between the powder coat and the 2 pack ?
And where would i go to get this as i have only seen the stove enamel and powder coat on the Yellow pages.

[desmojen]

Powder coat is much tougher than 2 pack, so will last longer.
Downside is that it costs more and is only really available in black unless you are willing to shell out plenty.
Any car or bike bodyshop/repairer will be able to spray your frame in 2 pack of pretty much any colour you like.

[nelly]

I prefer powder coating, simply because it's more durable. My wheels have been done now nearly three years and afetr 10k there's still not a mark on them.

2 pack is like/similar to any other sprayed paint. The paint is mixed with a hardener and then sprayed on the frame, car whatever.
Powder coating is done by covering the frame in the powder, using electrostatic charge to keep it on there and the whole thing is then baked in an oven until the powder melts, coating the frame. When it's cooled off it looks like paint but is usually thicker and more durable.
The other thing with powder is that because it's a lot thicker than normal paint is that the preparation doesn't have to be anything special. Usually a shot blasting is all that is needed. When the powder melts, it covers all the irregularities and dries smooth.
The only "downside" is that every last hole and thread needs masking else your into many a happy hour with the taps, scrapers and files!! Bigger areas are masked with blasting tape then hi-temp masking tape.

The powder coaters I use have about 140 colours available. I think you'd be into about £150 for a frame and arm, wheels are about £100 per pair + the VAT. You need to allow for bearings etc after that.
In my previous life, the company I worked for were playing with the latest powders including metallic and pearls..................don't know how they have come on though, but they were very impressive.

[keefer]

ok frame has been blasted and now sent off to be powder coated ready by Wednesday

[Edited on 22-10-2004 by keefer]

[marksduc748]

I had my marvics painted in 2 pack and are chipped all over.wished I had them powder coated which I am going to do this time. I thought if you get it powder coated the blast it for you first. I had one of my other bike frames plastic coated and what a mistake that was cos every time you tightened the bolts it twisted the plastic.