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General Category >> Rubber Side Down! >> Decorating the tank...paint or decals?
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Message started by Dave Sisk on 11/08/12 at 09:02:21

Title: Decorating the tank...paint or decals?
Post by Dave Sisk on 11/08/12 at 09:02:21

So, just musing....I wouldn't mind decorating the gas tank a bit, but don't want to spend hundreds doing so. Something simple like lightning bolts or flames. I'm not a good graphic artist myself...I suppose I could pay a talented teenager to do a little airbrushing maybe? Or maybe there are some templates or something that I could use?

Has anyone here used decals, just out of curiosity? I'd assume there are plenty made for bikes, although I haven't really looked yet. I'd also assume that maybe a light coat of automotive spray clear-coat over the decal would make a it quite a bit more pretected and permanent?

Thoughts here?

Cheers,
Dave

Title: Re: Decorating the tank...paint or decals?
Post by arteacher on 11/08/12 at 10:10:55

What sort of quality of finish to you want?
Cheapest and worst looking are the vinyl peel'n'stick graphics, because the vinyl is not as glossy as the paint, and you can't clear coat over vinyl. They are a b!tch to put on as well because you are putting a 2D sheet on a compound curve.
Next are the decals, which are exactly like the ones you used to put on your model cars and planes. You have to clear coat over them.
Best is a competently done air brush job with clear coat.

Title: Re: Decorating the tank...paint or decals?
Post by elitemunkeycrew on 11/08/12 at 10:40:17

02273023152F352D460 wrote:

Here's my bike and I used decals. Fast forward to the end to see the bike.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4JSadcGEu2c&feature=plcp

Title: Re: Decorating the tank...paint or decals?
Post by J C Stokes on 11/08/12 at 10:40:38

There was a good thread on painting with spray cans, it was written by a lady. Hope fully you will find this in the first thirty pages of RSD.

Title: Re: Decorating the tank...paint or decals?
Post by jgrandmont on 11/09/12 at 04:30:46

I've had pretty good luck with these decals: http://www.purpleharley.com/pin_stripe_accents.htm

Just have to be very careful when applying them -- no second chances!

Title: Re: Decorating the tank...paint or decals?
Post by Gyrobob on 11/09/12 at 05:27:17

Keep in mind there is NO rattle can paint* that will hold up to gasoline. If you put a lovely paint job on your tank with, say, Duplicolor and decals, then give it a clear coat of Duplicolor normal or Duplicolor hi-heat chemical-resistant engine paint, the first time you spill a drop of gas on it, your paint job is toast.

I know these things. Misery abounds when this happens.

Your options:
-- have the whole job done professionally ($ several hundred)
-- do it yourself and have a professional clear coat it (still $hundreds, but not quite so many)
-- use $50 worth of Duplicolor or Rustoleum auto paint products (rattle can) and try really really really reeeeaaaaaaalllyy hard to never let any gasoline touch it (dream on,..)
-- use professional multi-part materials with professional equipment if you have it and paint it yourself (a few $hundred)
-- *use a rattle can paint like Spraymax 2k that is a multi-part clear coat with a shelf life of 2 days once you activate it. Maybe $100 for two cans of paint and a respirator.

I know of one situation where a guy had some smaller pieces professionally clear coated for $50 at a paint shop a few years ago. He struck up a deal with a buddy that worked there, where after a normal paint job on some automotive body work, they just shot the guys pieces with the leftover clear coat. I have not been able to find any kind of a deal like that. If you are a very charming fellow, maybe you could con a paint shop into doing that.

Title: Re: Decorating the tank...paint or decals?
Post by verslagen1 on 11/09/12 at 07:16:47

Yes there is, epoxy paint, one time use. I'll have to look up where to get it.

Title: Re: Decorating the tank...paint or decals?
Post by Gyrobob on 11/09/12 at 07:19:18

6B786F6E717C7A78732C1D0 wrote:

Yes there is, epoxy paint, one time use. I'll have to look up where to get it.

rattle can one-part clear coat paint?

Title: Re: Decorating the tank...paint or decals?
Post by ToesNose on 11/09/12 at 14:55:56

Put an add on CraigsList looking for an apprentice/newbie airbrusher that will do it for cost or on the cheap for practice/experience ;)

Title: Re: Decorating the tank...paint or decals?
Post by 07s40scotty on 11/09/12 at 16:59:01

There are some cool stencils on this site that I had put on my tank by a pro. I almost think I could have done it myself tho
http://www.tcpglobal.com/kustomshop/itemdetail.aspx?itemno=KUS+HB-SKULLSET-M
they have alotta different choices :)

Title: Re: Decorating the tank...paint or decals?
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 11/09/12 at 18:13:24

Whatever you decide on, get something to play with & practice on. Body shops have painted bits & pieces of bent cars layin around. Take a piece home, ( Dont get one thats all wadded up, OOOKay?) & mess with it,,
Once you get decent at painting with a rattle can, layin out the design, & everything, Then go for your tank. Its just not smart to be inexperienced & walk off into a project that really Needs to work out, YOu can get your experience for some time & just a few dollars.,Body shops will let you haul a few things away, IF they know youre not jut dragging junk off to sell,,
\Go, get something small,, play with it, take it back, get a new "canvas" .
Once the owner understands what youre trying to do,, odds are, he will help you,, might even hook you up with a painter..

Title: Re: Decorating the tank...paint or decals?
Post by Gyrobob on 11/09/12 at 20:03:54

6D7274736E6958685860727E35070 wrote:

Title: Re: Decorating the tank...paint or decals?
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 11/09/12 at 20:08:53

78464D505D505D3F0 wrote:

[quote author=6D7274736E6958685860727E35070 link=1352394141/0#10 date=1352513604]Whatever you decide on, get something to play with & practice on. Body shops have painted bits & pieces of bent cars layin around. Take a piece home, ( Dont get one thats all wadded up, OOOKay?) & mess with it,,
Once you get decent at painting with a rattle can, layin out the design, & everything, Then go for your tank. Its just not smart to be inexperienced & walk off into a project that really Needs to work out, YOu can get your experience for some time & just a few dollars.,Body shops will let you haul a few things away, IF they know youre not jut dragging junk off to sell,,
\Go, get something small,, play with it, take it back, get a new "canvas" .
Once the owner understands what youre trying to do,, odds are, he will help you,, might even hook you up with a painter..

Just keep in mind whatever artistry you apply to the paint job, you'll need a gasoline-proof clear coat or you will be distraught like you have never been distraught before if you spill some gas on it. There are no single-part gas-proof clear coats.
[/quote]

you'll need a gasoline-proof clear coat or you will be distraught like you have never been distraught before WHEN you spill some gas on it.

Because its not IF,, its when,,

Title: Re: Decorating the tank...paint or decals?
Post by Gyrobob on 11/09/12 at 20:12:38

647B7D7A6760516151697B773C0E0 wrote:

[quote author=78464D505D505D3F0 link=1352394141/0#11 date=1352520234][quote author=6D7274736E6958685860727E35070 link=1352394141/0#10 date=1352513604]Whatever you decide on, get something to play with & practice on. Body shops have painted bits & pieces of bent cars layin around. Take a piece home, ( Dont get one thats all wadded up, OOOKay?) & mess with it,,
Once you get decent at painting with a rattle can, layin out the design, & everything, Then go for your tank. Its just not smart to be inexperienced & walk off into a project that really Needs to work out, YOu can get your experience for some time & just a few dollars.,Body shops will let you haul a few things away, IF they know youre not jut dragging junk off to sell,,
\Go, get something small,, play with it, take it back, get a new "canvas" .
Once the owner understands what youre trying to do,, odds are, he will help you,, might even hook you up with a painter..

Title: Re: Decorating the tank...paint or decals?
Post by Charon on 11/09/12 at 20:32:10

And remember, these days it has to be ethanol-proof as well.

Title: Re: Decorating the tank...paint or decals?
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 11/09/12 at 20:39:00

Youre so "corny"

Title: Re: Decorating the tank...paint or decals?
Post by verslagen1 on 11/09/12 at 23:23:53

this is all I can find at the moment

Spraymax two part clear spray can

also appliance paint available at most hardware stores

Title: Re: Decorating the tank...paint or decals?
Post by Gyrobob on 11/10/12 at 05:47:18

22312627383533313A65540 wrote:

this is all I can find at the moment

Spraymax two part clear spray can

also appliance paint available at most hardware stores

I agree on the Spraymax 2K,.. that is the one I mentioned in reply #5. I haven't used it yet, though. There are several mentions of it in various forums that say it works well with the following provisos:
-- It is not gas PROOF, just gas resistant. Some have said when gas spills on the finish, if you can rinse it off with water right away, then blot gently, it won't hurt anything. However, if wet gas stays on it for more than a minute or so, some drying time, followed by some sanding and rubbing will be required, so, obviously, it won't last anywhere that gas visits very often.
-- Once you activate the mix of the two parts inside the can, you have to use it within 48 hours.
-- It'll literally kill you if you breathe the fumes much. Do the painting outside and use a fume-proof respirator (not cheap). A woodshop respirator won't do.
-- The stuff is cheap compared to what you'd spend on proper cans of paint, hardener, and reducer, and on the equipment to spray it. $25 a can. But you'll need two or three cans, and a proper respirator. Now we're talkin' over $100.

I am going to try it for my half of the Double RYCA build.

I have not found any appliance paint, epoxy or otherwise, that can have gas spill on it and not be damaged. Vers, if you you've found a source, spill the beans, please.