Tank painting

W

Westy

Guest
Just a quick question
ive just painted my hole tank a gloss black and it's really smooth and shiny (not lackered yet) just wondering will I need to skuff it up abit before I start adding my design with the airbrush?
 
what kind of paint I like to clear or intercoat clear before painting can save time if you have a mishap also I like to red scotch brite pad before painting with AB need more specifics to answer your question properly.
What kind of tank>? Motorcycle?
Was it Primed? What primer?
What paint was used to make it black? Base coat clear coat system? Laquer single stage? Rattle can?
What paint are you airbrushing with?
What clear do you intend to use?
 
I used a automotive primer and gloss black rattle can from my local halffords it's a hd sportster tank not laquerd yet at all thinkIng of using wicked or autoair paints
 
mixing these paints can some times have some bad effects gloss was not a good choice if you plan on doing art work or even clearing the tank. If you have the proper spray equipment I would sand the rattle can paint off with 500-800 grit wet sand then apply a base coat to it. Any way you look at it you will need to scuff the black down to give it grit for the paint to stick to. It may work but when painting motorcycle tanks you really want a paint job that is going to hold up to the vigors of every day use. You don't want one or two years down the road the paint to flake off or start chipping. Also you need to be carefull by the gas cap area seen so many people not prep that area good and seal it properly which allows gas to get under the paint and bubble up the clear and paint work under it. To answer your question you will need to scuff or sand it. If it was me I would sand it and base coat it with a reputable automotive base coat and plan on using the same brand clear. Wicked or auto air paints work great and accept clear coat nicely. I like the wicked personally and have switched my airbrushing from Hose of Kolor to Wicked due to having a new family member borne and keeping the fumes down to a minimal. But my best advise is use a good paint system and pay attention to the tech sheets for the products. Always ask for the tech sheet it has mixing info, prep info and usually spraying info. Hope this helps you out any questions feel free to ask. I learned the hard way many of times it's no fun resanding mistakes wrinkled clearcoats and other things you never expected to happen cause you wanted to save an hour or a few $$$.
 
Yeh think I'll just start againe :( thx for the help
On the plus side I was only 90% happy with the finish I had so haveing another go won't hurt:)
 
some 2K epoxy primer then black base coat. 400G wet paper is used before the base and usually I've found scuffing the base isn't required as long as it's soon after it has flashed not days. If you plan on working on this for awhile you may want to use that intercoat because the basecoat will break down if it isn't cleared within the time alotted on the specs. You can buy intercoat which is kinda pricey or you can use a thin coat of clear. When you buy the eurethane clear you'll prolly get enough to do half a dozen or more tanks so I'd just use that for a intercoat. Generally speaking, anytime you put down a 'different paint' layer you should rough it up with some 400-600G wet paper to give it tooth for the next layer. Which then brings up the wax remover. Wipe the crap out of it before you lay down any paint. Don't know where you're from but I found a gallon of wax remover/degreaser from Napa auto for around $15 and it comes in handy for everything especially cleaning off panels and lasts a long time and won't hurt the paint as long as your gentle.

+1 on the wicked, love it, only thing is if you get carried away and paint too fast the Wicked doesn't flash quickly like solvents and you start streaking. Patience, smoke breaks, and a heat gun help
have fun! want to see some pics
 
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