Paint confusion

[AshimotoK0]

For the last few months I have been prepping parts for painting for My CD175A sloper, JDM CB250 Dream, CB72 and Black Bomber.

Over the past few years I must have had spent a small fortune having  candy paintwork done by different pro. painters  (e.g My750K0, CB500K0, 2x CB250K0's, CD125A etc etc ) with mixed results (Menno did my 500 in Jade(Jet)  green and that was superb BTW and well worth the money. However, these are bikes whose resale values warrant the expense plus candy is notoriously difficut to get right. On some bikes the ever increasing cost of a pro. paint job simply isn't justified.

Anyway, I recently fully prepped the painted parts for my CD175 sloper ('Neptune Blue') and CB250JDM  ('Black Metallic'  ... really a dark grey metallic but Honda called it black .. it was also used on the CD175A sloper).  Seeing as these bikes are metallic, not candy and not worth pots of money when fuly restored, I decided to take them  to local auto painters but got a totally negative response from all of them ... as if they couldn't be bothered to even to look at the job, never mind give me an estimate. I was so p@ssed off with all of them I decided to have a go myself,  so I ordered some paint from RS Bikepaints in both rattle can and paint for a spray gun. I asked them whether it would be solvent or water based and the RS guy said he couldn't be sure .. it depended on available pigments etc.  and it could be either when they mix it. I had sent them a NOS part in the Honda 'Black Metallic'  to match it too (they subsequently lost the NOS part but that's another story).

The paint arrived and the 'Neptune Blue was COB (clear-over-base .. solvent based  ) and the 'Black Metallic' was water based.  I started off with the fork ears, side panels, headlamp shell etc using the rattle cans and must admit I am really pleased with quality of both paints and the way the parts have turned out.... the finish is definitely good enough for me. I used a good quality aerosol 1k clear (A pressie from Jason (Woodside on here)  .. thanks mate!) and just waiting for it to dry out fully now .
 
However, it's now the turn of the fuel tanks and before I tackle them I looked on various forums etc and convinced myself that there isn't a 1k or 2k non-isocyante clear-coat in an aerosol, which is petrol proof .. someone can correct me if I am wrong .. in fact I hope they can and I am wrong! So it's going to be case of painting the basecoat and getting the clear coat done by somebody locally with the correct breathing gear (if I can find anyone). Then I read a reply by Menno in the link below advising not to use water-based paint on fuel tanks. What I can't understand about that  is that a lot of RS bikepaints basecoat is water based and they seem to be the go-to company for motorbike paint ... surely they expect that customers are going to paint fuel tanks with the paint they are sold. Also what type of paint do modern bike manufacturers use for basecoat...surely they are not allowed to still use solvent base-coat paint?

Also does anyone know the time-frame between applying basecoat and then lacquering over (for both COB and water based). I guess this is a hour or so ideally but I have to say that on my CD175 frame, the frame was already painted in water-based basecoat when I bought it (from the estate of well respected Honda guru). I took that frame to the professional bike painter guy in the UK who painted my 750K0 and he clear coated it and it came out really nice, with good adhesion. The time frame between it being basecoated and  clear coated was at least two years.  I have also seen that you can apply  1k clear coat over basecoat (clear applied within manufacturers recommendation) and then, once fully cured, clear coat on top with isocyanate based clear coat, to give fuel spillage protection. This means that I  coud basecoat and clearcoat and there would be in no immediate rush to get it 2k clearcoated.

Has anyone else on here painted any parts with RS's paints themselves? If so any advice on their water based paint?

The links to relevant posts are here:

http://www.sohc.co.uk/index.php/topic,16241.msg136659.html#msg136659
http://www.sohc.co.uk/index.php/topic,1616.msg2133.html#msg2133
http://www.sohc.co.uk/index.php/topic,11451.msg86217.html#msg86217

[SPR]

I've used these 2k paints before with the button on the bottom to pres and activate .... not sure if this is what you are after

I can only attest to filler primer and solid colours - I haven't used clear

https://www.spraymax.com/en/products/product/clear-coats-and-spot-blender/2k-clear-coat/

[AshimotoK0]

I've used these 2k paints before with the button on the bottom to pres and activate .... not sure if this is what you are after

I can only attest to filler primer and solid colours - I haven't used clear

https://www.spraymax.com/en/products/product/clear-coats-and-spot-blender/2k-clear-coat/

That's the stuff I did intend using but it's isocyanate curing so I am scared to use it as I don't have the correct air fed beathing gear. .. also my wife has really bad asthma so I have to be extra careful.

[Bryanj]

When RS were in the North East i went in to see them and at the time they said as long as you sprayed in a well ventilated area and wernt doing loads a basic mask would be OK

[Andych]

You can get some pretty good masks these days with replaceable filters... more a respirator than a mask.
Also check around and see if any of the local Panel Shops hire out their Spray booths...Then you have a controlled environment (especially if it is a downdraught booth) and potentially an oven to cure the clear quicker.
Unfortunately all the 2 Pak clear (gun or aerosol) will be Iso Cyanate... however you can do it safely if you are careful.

You will most likely find that all manufacturers these days use Water based paints due to having to meet environmental regulations etc. They would all use a specific paint system from the likes of PPG etc that would have an appropriate fuel safe clear coat, probably not something you could re-finish in your Garage in a few years time. Pretty much like the rest of the way new bikes are now... all electronics and fancy arsed plastics, led's etc.
Good luck restoring one of todays new bikes in 40 or 50 years.

[Rob62]

I used RS paint on my side panels..I can’t remember the exact drying times but the paint did come with comprehensive instructions...I think it was water based,  they advise to use a mask.. which i did.

[paul G]

I've used these 2k paints before with the button on the bottom to pres and activate .... not sure if this is what you are after

I can only attest to filler primer and solid colours - I haven't used clear

https://www.spraymax.com/en/products/product/clear-coats-and-spot-blender/2k-clear-coat/

That's the stuff I did intend using but it's isocyanate curing so I am scared to use it as I don't have the correct air fed beathing gear. .. also my wife has really bad asthma so I have to be extra careful.

Ash,
            I have the correct air fed mask if you want to borrow it  modified that have you got a compressor !

[AshimotoK0]

[/quote]

That's the stuff I did intend using but it's isocyanate curing so I am scared to use it as I don't have the correct air fed beathing gear. .. also my wife has really bad asthma so I have to be extra careful.
[/quote]
Ash,
            I have the correct air fed mask if you want to borrow it  modified that have you got a compressor !
[/quote]

Wow thanks !  that sounds a fantastic gesture Paul ... I will pm you about it ... cheers Ash

[AshimotoK0]

It will be interesting to how the finish turns out with 2k-in-a can clearcoat ( I am now prepared to have bash with it because PaulG is kindly loaning me the correct mask)

I just went in the loft and compared the finish of my recently painted (but, as yet unpolished) CD175A sloper parts with some NOS painted parts I have for it. I would say that the finish is spot on the same as the (over 30 years old at least) NOS parts BUT probably not the type of finish you would typically get from the likes of Dream Machine etc. I must say that on these smaller Honda's I much prefer the original finish .. these models were not the glossy 'show ponies' you see at the likes of Stafford but ride to work modes of transport, mainly. It's bit like highly polished alloy on Honda's .. the factory finish was not like that at all.

It's bit different with the likes of the CB750 and Z1 etc .. I doubt they were as glossy shiny paintwork  from the factory but these were luxury models so the modern gloopy, super shiny paint doesn't look out of place on them IHMO. I still don't like super polished alloy on them though....but that's just a personal matter of taste.