5 replies to this topic

[HoggyF]

Anyone got any recomendations for painting the back fender on my JTX, its in good condition but badly faded which lets the rest of the bike down.

Never sprayed plastic before very successfully and it'll be rattle cans and obviously needs to be able to flex - so whats the advice?

cheers

[Zookeeper]

HoggyF, on 28 May 2011 - 10:17 AM, said:

Anyone got any recomendations for painting the back fender on my JTX, its in good condition but badly faded which lets the rest of the bike down.

Never sprayed plastic before very successfully and it'll be rattle cans and obviously needs to be able to flex - so whats the advice?

cheers

`Plastikote` do products that may be of use,have`nt used them myself but they look to be suitable, I have seen them in diy stores and on the web..good luck

[technowaldo]

get an aerosol of plastic primer and give it a coat of that first then your top coat and it will be fine

[PSchrauber]

HoggyF, on 28 May 2011 - 10:17 AM, said:

Anyone got any recomendations for painting the back fender on my JTX, its in good condition but badly faded which lets the rest of the bike down.

Never sprayed plastic before very successfully and it'll be rattle cans and obviously needs to be able to flex - so whats the advice?

cheers

I'am very sorry to tell you that it will not work with rattle can paint. Even with a perfect paint job done with 2-compound PU paint it will not work.

Every time the fender will be considerable bend the paintlayer on the plastic will be compressed or stretched
if it is only a little bit no problem, but when happening after a "back flip", ... no chance, the overstressed paint layer will chip of or get crinkly. This will turn your fender in a more "ugly" status as it is now.

Best way to cure scratched plastic is first to plane ridges away with a cutterblade, then use grinding paper 600 to 1200, (sand with using water!), to sand the surfaces. After that treatment polish the platic, this will look much better in the long run.

[HoggyF]

Ok

Thats kind of what i expected, there are no ridges so I snad the top coat off with 600 - 1200 grit paper, what do i polish it with then to bring back the finish?

[PSchrauber]

It depends on the depth of scratches which technique to use.

Deep scratches:
1. Start off with "Wet & Dry" paper (grade 600) using water with a little bit of soap as a lubricant.
(The water is essential to keep the paper grains free.) Gently "grind" away at the area until you
cannot see the original scratches. (The area will go like frosted glass, but don't worry at this just yet!);

2. Change grade of Wet & Dry to 800 and do the same;

3. Change to grade 1200 wet & dry. do same grinding... (The basic principle behind this
is to substitute deep scratches with shallower and shallower ones.);

4. Once you have got through the 1200 grade process, thoroughly clean &dry the area;

5. Use "Duraglit" or "Brasso" BRASS polish to remove the "frosted" effect;

6. Once this looks nice and shiny, use a SILVER polish to give a final finish.

For fine scratches, start at 4) above.

This takes time, you cannot rush it. Even when you think the scratches have gone,
give the process a bit longer. There are NO short cuts to polishing.

(You can also use these plastic polish stuff in step 6 but these polish tubes or
bottles are very expensive, a brass and a silver polish do the work too.)

Do Step 1 to 4 only at and around the scratched areas this will save some time.