My new chrome frame is so boring and I want to paint it.
I dont know what kind of paint I can use for chrome . 
And what else do I need (varnish) ?
I never did that befour .
Re: Want to paint my frame !
In article <MauMau.diwpm@timelimit.unicyclist.com>,
MauMau <MauMau.diwpm@timelimit.unicyclist.com> writes:
>
> My new chrome frame is so boring and I want to paint it.
> I dont know what kind of paint I can use for chrome .
> And what else do I need (varnish) ?
>
I painted my “chrome” uni this spring. It looks okay, but any
sort of do-it-yourself paint job will chip fairly easily - and
mine does.
I started by giving my frame a bath in HCl. This should have etched
chromium readily, but it didn’t really touch my frame - this makes
me think it might be nickel rather than chrome. So, I roughed up
the metal with sandpaper. H2SO4, I think, etches nickel, so if I
do this again I might try etching with sulpheric acid.
I used canned spray paints from an auto-shop. First a metal primer,
then a “colour match” pigment - I went with a metalic green - and
then a couple of coats of clear lacquer. It looked nice at first,
but as I said, chips are inevitable. So far the chips are out of
the lacquer/pigment with the primer hanging on pretty well.
To “paint” a metal frame properly, I think powder-coating is the
way to go. This is expensive though, unless you have the set-up
to do it yourself. I had a guy quote me over CAN$100 for my
frame - significantly more than the frame is worth.
============================================================
Gardner Buchanan <gbuchana@rogers.com>
Ottawa, ON FreeBSD: Where you want to go. Today.
I’m getting a 24" frame custom made and painted in a few weeks. I’ve been trying to choose between a metallic orange or green. I’ll post some photos when it’s all done. Could you please post a photo of the green frame if you’ve got one?
Thanks,
Andrew
I have a rather short attention span.
Instead of paint, I’ve been using colored electrician’s tape. My frame is (this moment) green and yellow horz stripes. My girls each have Red White & Blue bands on theirs.
Simple to change.
For Christmas parades I plan on Candy Cane (Barber Pole) motif.
*<|;{> :o :o :o
Re: Want to paint my frame !
In article <andrew_carter.dj3w0@timelimit.unicyclist.com>,
andrew_carter <andrew_carter.dj3w0@timelimit.unicyclist.com> writes:
>
> Could you please post a photo of the
> green frame if you’ve got one?
>
Okay:
============================================================
Gardner Buchanan <gbuchana@rogers.com>
Ottawa, ON FreeBSD: Where you want to go. Today.
Thanks, I think I’ll probably end up going with the bright orange frame colour.
Re: Re: Want to paint my frame !
Doubtful - a well chromed frame is a formidable barrier to almost anything.
If it is a very yellow colour compared to other plated unis it might be nickel, though this is unlikely on any production uni. (as far as I know I’m the only one offering nickel plating)
I don’t understand why people are so hung up on having a painted uni. the finish, even if it is powder-coated, will not be so durable as nickel plating or a really good chrome.
Re: Want to paint my frame !
In article <JoeRowing.dlatn@timelimit.unicyclist.com>,
JoeRowing <JoeRowing.dlatn@timelimit.unicyclist.com> writes:
>
> Doubtful - a well chromed frame is a formidable barrier to almost
> anything.
>
Maybe. 5-molar Hydrocloric acid is not just anything though.
============================================================
Gardner Buchanan <gbuchana@rogers.com>
Ottawa, ON FreeBSD: Where you want to go. Today.
Just last week I took my giraffe MUni frame to a sandblasting shop and had the chrome plating removed for $20. Maybe more $ than you would spend on a solvent to remove the chrome, maybe not. The $20 is worth it to me not to have to sand the whole thing down, which could take hours. I decided to paint the frame since rust has been attacking the uni here in Long Beach, California for the last year and 1/2. One day at the shop and the frame is now stripped clean and ready to primer. Hope this helps. 
Don’t try that at home, kids!
That’s true.
Etching chemicals that will work on chrome or nickel plating (not counting Coke and Pepsi 
)
are hazardous to use and difficult to dispose of properly.
Best leave the hydrochloric and sulphuric acid to the pros.
The sandblasting idea is a good one; however, for the determined but frugal chromi-phobe,
00 or 000 steel wool and elbow grease will rough-up that finish enough to take paint.
If you want a bomb-proof paint job that will never chip, try this stuff.
From the makers of
Only comes in a limited Earl Scheib-range of colors, but extremely tough.
Thanks for all the great suggestions. I used colored electricians tape to make a Romanian flag design. It looks dangerous . Sorry no pics yet.
That Plasti dip stuff rocks. For some tools I had I took 3 colours, put them in a dish and swirled them together a little. The colours didn’t blend so I had this really cool swirl thing going on.
I’m thinking about using the stuff on the crown of my Muni just cause it takes the most damage.
A good method to make stripes is to paint the frame with the Plasti Dip and then tape over the parts of paint you want to keep the same. Then spray a differnent color on the open area then take off the tape after drying to reveal the striped design. I saw this done on alot of metal junk lik a runboard of a car and the center shaft dealy of a bike and it really came out perty.
-Eric
All,
I’d like to have a painted frame too, or a colored frame. I like purple. The problem is, none of the Miyata seats are purple. I wonder how hard it would be to hand-paint a miyata seat purple?
I do have an old Schwinn, and my United adult trainer, either of which would be good for testing purple electrical tape … which I happen to have.
If they ever make a nice 3.0 slick tire again, I’ll be ordering a new profile setup cycle and I’ll get it painted purple, perhaps with gold and green trim. It would be like Neptune’s Royal Chariot, and suitable for Mardi Gras as well.
Lewis
I wouldnt hand paint it i would probably use that Plasti Dip stuff and just cover up the part you dont want painted with news paper scotch taped to the seat.
Painting your Saddle
Lewis, don’t use any oil-based paints on the Miyata handle or bumper… that includes spray paints like Krylon. The paint will either attack the (already fragile 
) plastic, or it will never dry properly … leaving you with a handful of purple paint everytime you ride.
For the fabric part of the saddle, find some purple vinyl upholstery fabric… maybe you can get free scraps at a carseat reupholstery shop… and just recover it, using the old cover as a pattern.
Or get some purple socks and do what Mikefule did to cover his saddle.
I’m definately in favor of powdercoating. You can get translucent colors powdercoated over the chrome to give it a colored chrome look. My current unicycle “The Fireball” has a translucent red powdercoated over the chrome. This stuff looks incredible and has amazing durability.