Painting of System cases Now they are done Thanks All

[mcollect]

Has anyone done this, if so what should one need to do to prep before shooting? I have the Atlanta blue and think that would look better then pebble black

[scottybooj]

I think Pat had used a spray on the outside a few years back. Somthing like a rubberized spray perhaps? There was a post a while back and had a pic of a bike with colored bags I believe.

Hey, pebble black matches your frame and your tires real well!

[Biff's R]

Some folks have used sprayon truck bedliner paint.

Cyclerob has painted his cases with real paint. Gold to match his bike.

[domekrome]

I believe that the cases are paintable, and have seen ones that were. I don't have any pix to show, but I'm pretty sure that it is an option. If I can find the manual for mine, I will confirm.

[dwayne]

Has anyone done this, if so what should one need to do to prep before shooting? I have the Atlanta blue and think that would look better then pebble black.

I would highly recomend a Marine paint for the cases. A 2 part Poly paint will do the trick. if it's good enough for a fiberglass sailboat, I think its more then enough for a bike. Interluxv Paints makes a good paint: They have different colours.

http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/st ... rtial/45/0

West Marine is one of the more expensive Chandelrys, but you can find this paint a little cheaper at your local Chandlery. Sorry, store for boat stuff.

[Lobo1625]

I had a set of X-Large lids painted by a friend who runs a body shop. Today's vehicle paints bond well to plastics, as most cars are flexible plastic and fiberglass, and flex instead of crack. When he did my lids, they were the glossy one and he had to sand them first. Second they were primed with a primer meant for bumpers and plastic fenders so it bonded well. Lastly, after the primer had set, the color was sprayed on. I have had no problems at all with the paint chipping, flaking, or cracking. There was an air bubble in the plastic case lids on the tops of both cases that swelled up the first time they sat in the heat and the paint flexed right with it. Unfortunately when they cooled, the plastic had stretched, so the paint doesn't look as nice in those areas, but it stuck and didn't flake off as I figured it would. I'm sure you could swing by a body shop with the lids and get a quote, maybe a bill or two for both, as they weren’t hard to do, and required very little prep time and paint.

[mcollect]

Thanks all. I am sanding the outers now, both the city and the standard. I'll get them real smooth then primer and paint them Atlanta Blue. If I can figure out how I'll post photos. Its raining like h-ll so it might be a time before I can paint. I don't like to shooot in this weather. As you can guess I shoot my own stuff, learned shooting on furniture using real laquer.

[Beemeridian]

756

[Boxer]

If you would like to make them glossy smooth, just soak a rag with carburetor cleaner spray and rub.

REALLY!!?? Have you tried this?

[mcollect]

I am old fashioned. I sanded with 220 wet and dry to keep the lines smooth. then 320, 400, and right brfore I shoot I'll use 600. Yellow jacket, how does carb cleaner smooth the surface, won't it act like DEET and eat the cases?

[mcollect]

I am old fashioned. I sanded with 220 wet and dry to keep the lines smooth. then 320, 400, and right brfore I shoot I'll use 600. Yellow jacket, how does carb cleaner smooth the surface, won't it act like DEET and eat the cases?

[chris]

Cases are ABS. Acrylic primer, rub down to 400 grit then acrylic topcoat. Lacquer if you want 'em really shiny! Acrylic bonds to ABS no problem and will flex with the case to take care of vibration, heat expansion etc.

[renojoe]

I have painted cases on my Rockster. I bought 'em that way off of ebay. I actually don't like them at all. They show everything and scratch easily. I wish I could get my hands on some pebble black ones.

[Airman]

I have painted cases on my Rockster. I bought 'em that way off of ebay. I actually don't like them at all. They show everything and scratch easily. I wish I could get my hands on some pebble black ones.

I'm too rough on mine as well. I'm always scuffing them mounting, banging them on the ground. I should use truck bed liner like Pat did. There's a way to clean them up, with 000 steel wool and Armor All, but I just don't spend that much time fussing over appearance.
If I was you, I'd run the lids through the glass bead blaster and get that nice flat black finish back.

[scottmcfe]

I used Duplicolor bedliner paint on my lids after I screwed mine up in a fall. I prepped the bags with 80 grit sand paper and got most of the big scratches out Then washed them with soap and water . The bed liner paint WILL soak through news paper so use liberal amounts of tape where they mate to the inner half . I should also add that I ended up removing the lids by drilling out the rivets and then reassembled them using machine screws and acorn nuts from my local hardware store. I think I used 10-32 or maybe 8-32 , can't remember. I did not have to enlarge the holes . The distance you hold the spray can from the surface will affect the texture of the paint quite a bit . Closer equals smoother and further equals rougher . They look like a factory job now . Hope this helps someone .
Scott from Tracy Ca.

[DJ Downunder]

In the past few years I've seen some great case lid paint jobs.

I plan to do mine in gloss black one day..maybe when I get some city lids and do both at the same time.

If you're like me and take your cases off I found that they get damaged rolling around the garage floor.

DJ

[vinman]

I had a Givi windscreen painted to match my bike and found that a BMW automobile paint color happened to match the piedmont red of my bike perfectly. Maybe its the same with other colors.

[rph802]

I always thought the color matched cases just looked real sharp. Not that the black looks horrible but those pics DJ posted and others I've seen from the K bikes just look IDK, snazzy!!!

DJ, do you still have the step by step to make those garage hangers?? Could you repost them?? Thanks!!

Craig

[Beemeridian]

576

[mcollect]

I finished the outer lids and mounted them today. Briefly, I sanded the pebbles off 400 grit. Painted them with Atlanta blue, three wet coats. Flashed them twenty minutes and shot three coats of clear coat. Two days later I sanded them with 2500, rubbed themout and polished them. WOW they look great. I don't know if it is worth the effort on the city lids but the regular are worth all the effort. The rear seat replacement plate pulls it all together. If I can figure how to post pics I'll do it. Thanks for all the help!