I really want to change the color of the new KH frame im getting but i havent the money for P.Coating. is there a way to do a good job with spray paint so that it wont suck? Has anyone else done it? Any pics?
Thanks for any help.
-phil.
I am watching this thread. I presume it would be possible but one would have to strip back the blue.
I am wanting to do it to mine so hopefully someone with the no-how comes along soon.
I highly recommend just saving up for the powder coating, you don’t want your new, pretty KH coming out looking terrible. Spray paint never lasts unless you are doing countless layers in which case you are half way to the price of a powder coating anyhow.
Strip anodising with sandpaper, apply primer to key the paint to the aluminium, apply paint, apply clear laquer over the top. i agree though by the time you’ve bought three cans of primer/paint/laquer you;re getting towards the cost of a powdercoat.
Petsmart pays enough to get a KH frame, but not a powder coating?
EDIT: You don’t need a KH frame, you’re not good enough. Yeah I said it.
All othr options beyond powder coating are labors of love and, as mentioned, end up costing more than the 50 or so bucks it takes for PCing (providing you strip the paint yourself).
One thing you can do to jazz up a standard powder coat–or any paint job-- is to wet sand the frame (after painting), then apply a coat of flat clear, which renders a totally different look.
http://www.unicyclist.com/index.php?page=gallery&g2_itemId=300539
JL
I love the painted infill section of the crank, very retro 50s hotrod.
That is exactly what i did with my nimbus frame, although i had all the equiptment around the shed so all it cost me was labour time.
Sanding back the frame proved to be the most difficult part but it was chrome so it was not really really important if i missed a few bits.
i am not familiar with this technique at all but have acces, would anyone recomend sandblasting the frame? or will that cause damage?
I wrote a tutorial at Spray-painting your uni
I agree that a clear coat finish is highly recommended… your spray job will last much longer with the clear coat than without.
I don’t agree that you’ll be spending near $50. Three cans of paint plus sandpaper will set you back $15 at most hardware stores. What you will be spending is time. But as an added bonus, you get the pride that comes from being a do-it-yourself’er!
Good luck.
Sandblasting would be effective on both aluminium and crome plated steel, as long as you knew what you were doing, obviously the ally would require a more gentle going over to avoid eroding the frame. Incidently I would try and get all the chrome off, the paint won’t stick to it nearly as well as the steel because of the smoothe finish that gives it its mirror shine.
I couldn’t stand ruining the paint job on a nice brand new kh frame…
what if you clean it w/ paint thinner?
acetone will damage the metal right?
I think the best idea would have to cold canvass around your hometown and then from what you hear/review. You can make the final decision about what to do to your 07 KH frame. 
Anodising is a layer of aluminium oxide, you may eventually shift it with paint thinners (not sure if would work atall), but it won’t just dissolve away easily like paint would.
If you are going to spray your frame, make sure you find a really tough laquer. I painted my frame not long ago and there are so many chips in it, just from general riding! I thought I had put enough laquer on, I streched my patience as far as I could and put 5 or 6 coats on!
It looked great before I rode it though!
Rock on!
Edd
spray painting on a uni suck
the color is not good and the paint will not last longer
powder coating stay more and dont scratch so easy
Well im gonna see how i like the color once its all together…I might just paint my rim to match the rest when i rebuild my wheel.