Prepping Ti for paint.

[Spindizzy]

So this is the first time I've posted here but I've gotten a bunch of help from you people over the last year, I hope you can steer me in the right direction now in my millisecond of need.

I want to paint a Ti frame and I am under the impression that priming for paint is more involved than for Steel or Aluminum, any one with some experience have some advice? I am reasonably experienced with automotive type finishes and powdercoating(I make some not altogether cheesy racks and hawk them on the net) so I'm not quite starting from zero but you wont hurt my feelings if you treat me like I am...

I couldn't find an existing thread that deals with this but if there is one just point me in that direction and I'll slope off and check it out...

[Todd Mosley]

If you don't get a response here, try posting in the framebuilder section. Rody or Tom Kellog should have the answer for you. Use you full name when you post.

[BShow]

I dunno how to search blogs quickly, but I wouldnt be surprised if there;s a post about painting Ti in here somewhere Groovy Cycleworks 330-988-0537

[Spindizzy]

Thanks Todd, I'll do that...

[Spindizzy]

Oh yeah, my name. Duh...

Jonathan Gehman

[Jonathan]

I moved this here to the frame side. Thanks for adding your name JG.

[Rody]

Jonathan,

Here's a post showing a ti frame moving through the process of paint and blasted graphics...

Groovy Cycleworks 330-988-0537: TCU and Ti...a nice combination

Moving forward with paint on ti is not that difficult.

Basic steps...

wash and degrease after fabrication
Solvent bath and bake box to fume off
Polish and apply graphics if desired to have bare titanium
Media blast with 120 grit aluminum oxide
Blow off with dry/filtered compressed air
solvent bath and fume off
primer, dry, sand with 600 grit
base colors
Clears with sanding between coats

The hardest part of working with paint and Ti is making clean, subtle transitions between painted and non painted surfaces.

You can also try ceramic, which is bitchin on Titanium, like this...

Groovy Cycleworks 330-988-0537: Cerakote process...

good luck and make sure to show your progress back here :)