Rattle can roll bar in winter?

[Quinten]

I've removed my (pre rose joint) RAC roll bar (to fit 3rd brake light, etc) and am contemplating rattle canning it black to get rid of the marks that it has collected over the years. The problem is that I have no space in my garage as the car is disassembled, so I have no space to set up a "spray booth"...

I'm too tight to drop it off at a proper paint shop (money has to be spend on non-cosmetics this year ), so am considering doing it outside on a dry (but short) day... a recipe for disaster?

[Thrustyjust]

Do it proper. Its worth it , as it will look tatty with rattle cans in a few months

[TAFKARM]

Do it in kitchen when other half at work.

[Dave Eastwood (Gadgetman) - Club Chairman]

Roll bars soak up a lot of abuse, from being grabbed and used as hand holds getting in and out, to stones and grit blasting them when on the move. For that reason I'd normally suggest the generally more durable powder coat.

But if you have to rattle can it as a temporary thing, try and make sure the rattle cans and the bar itself are at (indoor) room temperature at least. Being the bar inside 24 hours or so before spraying, same with the cans, in fact keeping the can(s) in a bowl of warm water while in between actual spraying sessions can help, try and get the bar back into warmth between coats if you can.

I've done it before now in similar circumstances, with ok results. Trouble is, I find you end up tending to have to use more paint than normal. And I'd be lying if I didn't admit to having got to a point where I'd spent virtually half of what a powder coating job would have cost on prep, priming and top coating with rattle cans!

[Welly Jen]

If you rattle can paint it white, then you can use the bath tub as a warm indoor spray booth. Problem solved!

Jen

[Quinten]

I guess the general consensus is do it once, do it properly... Next year maybe then

[Kit Car Electronics]

If you can avoid dampness in the middle of a sunny day, I'd go for it with something like https://www.amazon.co.uk/d/Automotive/Holts-LOYSIMVHT51C-Simoniz-Tough-Paint/B009LHA922/ref=sr_1_2?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1479032831&sr=1-2&keywords=simoniz+tough+black and a spray handle https://www.amazon.co.uk/Krylon-Snap-Spray-Other-Multicoloured/dp/B0002YP7SO/ref=sr_1_1?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1479032966&sr=1-1&keywords=spray+gun+handle

 

I did some front bike forks this way and they haven't scratched or chipped and have a good finish - tubes tend to come out better than flat panels with rattle cans.

[Lawrie]

The art of painting is that the preparation should take about 20 times longer than the painting.  If its not properly prepped, then it'll be sh!te.

[tisme]

When I did mine I couldn't decide between spray and hand painting but in the end I went for hand painting with POR 15 as the base coat (it sets like glass) and then a topcoat of the POR "Chassis Black" (I think now just called Top Coat) - it has a nice satin black finish.

 

I found the density of the paint difficult to get a good brush coat without dragging it or runs appearing but in the end I got a pretty decent finish. The beauty of this type of paint is that it feels really "solid" - in fact it feels and looks better than the original powder coat that was chipped and with rust patches appearing.

 

I like spray paint though for certain jobs - the best I've found is from Toolstation http://www.toolstation.com/shop/Painting+%26+Decorating/d150/Spray+Paints/sd2737/Industrial+Spray+Paint+500ml/p48953

 

This stuff is pretty good especially if you use the grey primer first but it never quite builds up that "knock proof" finish for exposed parts.

[SootySport]

Best you can do with a rattle can-    Used it on my Rear wishbones and they have just one or two chips in a year of driving.

 

[Lyonspride]

It wouldn't cost a great deal to get it sand blasted and re-powercoated.

[Steve (sdh2903)]

As above by the time youve bought primer, top coat, degreaser etc etc you're halfway to getting it powder coated, and if it gets damp and it blooms your back at square one. I've had an msa type bar blasted and coated for around 60 quid.

[Quinten]

I've had an msa type bar blasted and coated for around 60 quid.

That's encouraging to hear... I'll phone a few places and see what they quote... Have set my mind on doing it now rather than "again" next year

[garytipping]

Hi Q,

 

Steve at SH Powder Coating did a great job on my wheels. They are in Banbury. 01295 262999.

 

Cheers

 

Gary

[Dave Eastwood (Gadgetman) - Club Chairman]

Yeah, only paid £50/60 or so when I had my RAC bar done a couple of years back. And that was full media blast and powder coating.