I have ZERO expertise....

but then you said you may CLEAR over it. At which point it makes little difference what the subtrate is.  So maybe>>>

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pKuXyeAGzEU

just need to find the checkboard.

Well I think this is going to work well.  It is time consuming, it would be better if my eyes were as good as they were 20 years ago, and it would help to have a spray booth to help keep the dust down.

I found one issue that makes this a bit tough.  The second spraying session to get the "in between" blocks requires you to tape over the black square you just painted....in both directions.  So first I taped over the long lines......and when I went to tape across I realized I can't see the black squares through the green tape!  To solve this I removed the tape over the outer long rows, then placed a line of 3/4" masking tape that matched up to the outer edge of the 2 outside long rows.......so I could tell where the outside of those squares was located.  Then I taped across the lines using the two outside squares for alignment - which then hid the outer squares from view.  Using the inside edges of the 3/4 inch tape - I was able to then place the 1/4" outside rows by just butting up against the 3/4" tape I had placed abutting outise of the  squares.  The black paint did not peel up when I removed the tape.  I then placed a 1/8" white vinyl pinstripe on the outside and then clear coated everything.  The pinstripes do make a raised line in the clearcoat.....not sure if that is a big deal as I remember the old Suzuki bikes from the 70's had raised cleaer over the decals and pinstripes.  I do have some pinstripe stencils on order that would allow me to spray the white pintstripe and make the line blend in better.




I am now going to try and do the front fender...then move on to the tank and seat.

Your project has given me a new appreciation for checkered stripes...

...

Well I have been working, learning and making progress.

I found that taping the first round takes some care to get things straight and even.  The second taping is a bit of a problem as the first layer of tape covers up the painted squares - so when you go to tape the cross layers you can't see where the tape belongs to be exactly on top of the squares.  I have been able to solve this by first taping all the lengthwise rows....then applying a row of tape on the outside edge that remains during both tapings.  These outside rows establish the outer limits and gives you a permanent reference.  I also found that if you tape lengthwise on the second taping using 1/2 width tape (1/8" if you are making 1/4" stripes), you can tape along one edge of squares and leave the other edge visible for taping across.  Then when you have taped across with the 1/4" - you can go back and butt the 1/8" tape up against the previously applied 1/8" tape and complete the other side of the square.  You then have to apply another 1/8" strip over the butt joint so no paint bleeds through between the tape joint.  The taping of the front fender took 3 hours for each set of squares....6 hours total.  When you add in the priming, paiting, taping, spraying, adding white pinstripes, clear coating, finish sanding and buffing....I probably have 20 hours of time and $60 worth of materials in the front fender alone!

Holy Moly!  Looks SHARP!  Can't wait to see the way its going to look up close and personal! Good job Dave!

arteacher wrote on 02/11/14 at 15:34:38:


Oh....I'm already worried while I am just moving the parts around.  I do plan on riding it however.....I have been fussy about too many things, and I intend to ride and put miles on this bike!

Dave...you're an Animal!    That looks fantastic  

I appreciate all the nice comments.......it sure has been a learning process.

My lastest learning experience has to do with what rags to wipe with.  I was using the white rolled paper towels to wipe on the paint prep to remove the grease and oils that might have gotten on the paint and cause "fish eyes"...those spots where the wet paint just doesn't want to stick.  The problem with the white paper towels is they leave a lot of lint and paper fibers behind - especially when wiping over all those darn tape lines.  The sticky edges of the tape especially like to grab onto the fibers and it make the tape edges fuzzy.

So I tried some blue paper "shop" towels....and they seemed a bit better.  On my last attempt I used some clean cloth shop towels.....BIG MISTAKE.  Although the shop towels were freshly washed, something in them cause a lot of fish eyes in the last coat of clear (which I had to sand off and try again).  Maybe I had onced used those towels to apply or wipe-off Armorall......and a local painter told me that some laundry detergents and fabric softeners can cause this to happen.

So.....I am going to the paint store to buy some approved "rags" to wipe with!  The only thing I have left to do is clear coat the top and bottom of the tank, and then sand with 2000 grit and buff the clear coat on all the parts.  It won't be long now....maybe a couple of weeks!

The local paint supply store now has the ability to mix and place any kind of paint in high pressure spray cans.  They have a sample car fender in the store that they painted with their spray cans, and it is blue metallic and it looks great.  The clear coat paint has to be used within something like 24 hours after they mix it - but it will be gasoline proof when cured.  This is a good option for those without compressors or spray equipment if their paint stores can mix paint this way.  Eastwood also offers 2K paints that can be activated in the can in case the local stores can't mix it for you.