It seems we have a number of inmates that are experienced painters so I wanted to ask what's involved (equipment and techniques) in setting up a small informal non-OSHA paint area for painting bare metal bike parts like brackets, starters, etc. ?? Big parts like frames, gas tank, fenders and tins would go to a pro painter.
You need good lighting, a fan and some sort of respirator, paint gun, compressor. Really depends on how fancy you want to get. For small parts if you have the space, you might be better off powder coating. If this isn't going to be a regular thing for you, I would just pay someone. Your life will be easier. It'll also probably be cheaper.
No matter the coating process: Prep is critical..........small parts glass beads or poly bead blasting is often the preferred method. Powder coat .......professional or DIY.
Small parts are easy if you have shop room for a paint box/oven. I built a 3x3ft plywood box 2ft high with a hinged lid. added some 1x2" boards near 2 top edges to hang some moveable wood dowel rods. Cut a bunch of S-hooks from coat hangers to hang parts from. Near the box bottom wired in 2 opposed switched ceramic 110v bulb sockets for 2 200w heat lamps. Extension cord to wall outlet. I use pretty much old school enamel paint. Paint, let bake overnight to 24hrs. Mount the lamps right and you can hang/bake fenders and even gas tanks. PS; I painted the interior/exterior with a white enamel for an easy to clean dust free environment. Works great and cheap easy to build.
Look into Spray Max rattle cans that some body supply shops sell. I've been using their one part black trim paint and have been very pleased. I use a good primer also in a rattle can from a body shop supply. You can recoat in 5 to 10 minutes, I do 3 coats and polish in 6 hours. You can also use the Spray Max 2 component clear either within 24 hours or by giving the paint a light scuffing with a 3M pad. The 2K paint needs to be used within 48 hours of activating the product. I have a couple HVLP guns including a smaller unit but the cost of the various products and clean up time has made small jobs expensive. You should, no you must, invest in a proper mask with appropriate filters, the Spray Max 2 K has isocyanates and you want to limit your exposure. I now wear a mask even if I am spraying outside with any paint. Going to be painting a tank with paint that was put into the can, Corvette Sebring Orange. Base of the orange, mist of silver metallic and then clear coat. Have enough to do two tanks easily. Cost was $ 25 a can in Canadian funds so should be under 20 US easily.
Do some research and find a decent yet affordable paint gun. Put a water filter on it. Get a compressor. Stick a fan in a garage window. Make a ghetto paint-booth area out of some cardboard. Learn the fundamentals, PREP, prime, seal, paint, wet-sand, clear coat and buffing. It's fun and a rewarding hobby, but automotive paint that you run through a gun is expensive now, as is matching clear coat to go with it. If you hire it out, you don't learn a thing. If you do it yourself, you will always know and appreciate what goes into it, even if you suck at it and eventually walk away from the hobby. There are some things I would send out to have powder coated, a frame, wheels, crash bars, etc., but the rest of it you could learn to do yourself. I worked in a body shop in the 1970's right out of high school as an apprentice.
