Stripping paint from my bike

[bianco]

I've recently aquired an old Carlton Pro-am 12 and the paintwork is considerably shoddy.

I want to strip this as it's a nice 531 frame in my perfect size. I've seen some paint remover on halfords that says it will shift anything.

Can anybody recommend anything else/instead/aswell as I want to do a really good job.

What paint would everybody recommend, I'm only going to be using rattle cans as that's all I've got.

Thanks guys.

Martin

 

[Smokin Joe]

It depends what standard you want the frame to end up as. If you are a novice sprayer getting a decent finish, especially from aerosols is very difficult.

Can't you run to £80 or so for a proper respray?

 

[longers]

Whereabouts are you bianco? A bloke from work had a re-spray done recently and it was less than £80. I'll ask him tomorrow how much he paid. We're in Glossop BTW.

 

[mickle]

A local powder coater will strip and coat it for half of that. Make sure the frame is masked (bolts in bosses, tape over headset faces etc) or you'll have to spend another £40 getting it prepped for assembly.

 

[barq]

I'd probably pay for powder coating like Mickle suggests, but if you do want to go it alone Nitromors will certainly strip the frame.

 

[domtyler]

I wouldn't even try to do it myself unless I were prepared to admit defeat and send it off to be done properly by someone who knew what they were doing once I had totally ferked it up. I predict it will end up looking like a dogs dinner if you choose the DIY route.

 

[gbb]

Just been down the Nitromoors road Barq...yeah it works, but not very well. Its had 3 soakings and strip the loose stuff off already, and its not done yet
Its do-able, but not an easy option. Mind, i think Nitromoors do two versions. Ones a cellulose version i think...maybe that'd be better.

Anyone know what base the paint is on 70s or 80s cycles ?

 

[bianco]

I'm in N.Wales very close to Chester if anyone has any recommendations, I do fancy a nicer finish and it would be a shame to "slaughter" a prefectly good Reynolds 531 frame.

 

[Paulus]

I'm in N.Wales very close to Chester if anyone has any recommendations, I do fancy a nicer finish and it would be a shame to "slaughter" a prefectly good Reynolds 531 frame.

Try your LBS for a start, they may well know of a local company.

 

[bonj2]

As gbb says, nitromors works but not very well. It won't get it out of all the nooks and crannies. It's messy, and nasty stuff if you get it anywhere you shouldn't, which means you need to take good precautions to make sure you don't. Much more trouble than it's worth, and it doesn't do a very good job.
What you need is sandblasting, it's the only way.
If there's a choice, make sure they use 'soft' blast. I once got it done on a frame and they said they 'use sand that pulverises on impact anyway' and it was fine,
Strip EVERYTHING off it first, including bottom bracket and headset cups. Make sure you put sticky tape round the bottom bracket threads when you get it sprayed/powder coated (powder coating is better), otherwise you'll need to get them chased. Also put some round the inside of the headtube.
Look on yell.com for ones in your area, iirc i got a frame done for about £30 for sandblasting and powder coated for £20 (but apparently that's quite cheap for powder coating)

 

[mickle]

That would be bead blasting.

 

[gbb]

Dont know how the wifes going to take it, but in 5 minutes, i'm gonna bring that frame up to the computer room / spare room and start emery papering the boody frame.
Slow, tedious, but it is shifting it

 

[User482]

When I needed a cheap respray for a frame, I had it blasted and then powder coated. Cost me about £40 all in. Really tough finish too.