Frame painting finally finished

[LittleAl]

Finally got a real start going on my '54 Fl. I finished prepping the frame and painted it out in the shed. I was going to use a tent in my spare bedroom as a painting booth but I decided it just wasn't safe enough for risk of explosion or my lungs, lol. Maybe it will work ok for small parts, but not the frame. I took one of the bikes out of my shed, pre-heated it with an electric heater to about 75 degrees (38 degrees here in New York today) then brought the frame outside from the kitchen and the room temp paint too and shot it in the shed after shutting down the heater. After a few minutes and the fumes cleared out after each coat I'd turn the heater back on until I was ready for the next coat. After 4 base coats and two top coats I brought it back into the kitchen to full dry/cure in room temps. I used, for the four base coats, that great "trim" paint (SEM #39143) as the guy in the auto-paint store said it made a great base and/or finish coat for a frame, very durable and needs no primer. I top coated with two coats of Seymour Spruce # 98-24, again recommended by the auto-paint guy as a really good, durable top coat over the SEM for a nice satin sheen. That SEM 39143 is great paint for all kinds of things. This is the first time I'm using it on something big, but on small parts it's very cool paint (usually used for things like wiper blades, very smooth flatish finish). It's durable in all weather and high heat (I've used it for barrels and heads and it's lasted years).

I'm impressed with myself and the paint, lol. It turned out great, very similar finish to original low-gloss/satin finish on the frame. The SEM and paint guy both say pretty much now to leave it for 48 hours for maximum durability. for a paint job on a frame I'm very happy, for one done by me, with rattle cans, I am absolutely thrilled.

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[windweaver]

looks good. keep at it, summers almost here. (as i look outside at 2 more inches of snow) hope you have good weather so you can work on it. WW

[jlaley]

Paint looks very good Al. Nice job. What's with the bracket with the two holes by the seat? I assumed you were going to remove that. Jim

[LittleAl]

huh? that bracket doesn't belong? it looks like an original weld job.

Thanks for telling me NOW, lol

[VPH-D]

That frame looks like a 51, with those motor mounts.
VPH-D

[LittleAl]

yep, it IS a 1951 frame. putting a '54 motor into it. not blasphemy right? lol

[VPH-D]

My younger brother has been running a 49 FL motor in a early 54 frame since 1975, and couldn't care less. My 51 FL came to me in a 49 frame, but being anal, I dug up the correct frame. If the bike is not being built to be judged, what the hell...
VPH-D