In the process of rebuilding my 2008 Triumph Bonneville Black, I decided to go a with a satin black finish instead of the gloss black finish that came stock on the motorcycle. I chose the Eastwood Rat Rod Satin Black product which is a urethane based paint available from eastwood.com. I purchased my products from the Eastwood store located in Alsip, IL, with the advice and help of Gary.
When it comes to professional painting, I am a definite beginner. I can handle rattle cans pretty well and get generally good consistent results, but using a spray gun, compressor, mixed primers and paints… it’s all very new to me. So, I set up my equipment and paint supplies in my basement this past winter.
The Triumph Bonneville parts I wanted to paint included:
- Front (plastic) and rear (metal) fenders
- Front sprocket cover (metal)
- Side covers (plastic)
- Battery box (metal)
- Solo seat outer shell (plastic)
- Front lower fork tubes (metal)
- Rear brake caliber (metal)
- Swing arm and chain guard (metal)
- Misc. small brackets and parts (metal and plastic)
Larger 2008 Triumph Bonneville parts sanded, pre-prepped and ready to paint.
Because my basement is not the warmest place in the house, and it was a cold Chicago winter, I could not obtain an ideal 70º temperature and humidity level. So, i thinned my paints a bit more and hoped for the best. First I shot everything with Eastwood Black Epoxy Primer. This is a two-part mixed product that covers and seals extremely well.
After the primer coats had dried I shot multiple coats of the Rat Rod Satin Black. This all took place over a couple weeks of elapsed time.
Because of my inexperience combined with the cool temperatures and dry humidity conditions, my parts looked like they had been sprayed with spray cans with that rough “orange peel” looking finish. So, I went back to my Eastwood store in Alsip, and sat in a free class lead by Gary, who explained the Eastwood paint finish product line and how to use them safely. It was a very informative and beneficial session. Afterward, I showed Gary one of my side panels with all the orange peel and asked him for suggestions for improvement. He got out some 800 grit sandpaper and 3M Trizact pads with a spray bottle of water, and showed me how to slowly wet sand down the surface to a nice satin finish. I was amazed! I followed the process he showed me in the following photos.
Rear seat panel untouched, and front fender wet sanded once over with 800 grit
Close up view of untouched rear seat panel orange peel in painted finish.
Close up of rear seat panel after one round of 800 grit wet sanding. You can see the high spots are being flattened off.
Close up of front fender after one round of 800 grit wet sanding.
Front fender after several more rounds of 800 grit wet sanding. Here only a few valleys are still visible.
Rear seat panel after several more rounds of 800 grit wet sanding.
Front fender completed 800 grit wet sanding. All orange peel is gone.
Front fender after front section wet sanded with a 3200 3M Trizact pad. This starts to bring out the satin finish.
Rear seat panel nearing final stages of 800 grit wet sanding… until all orange peel is gone!
Rear seat panel and front fender after wet sanding with 3200 3M Trizact and then 5000 3M Trizact.
Close up of rear seat panel after wet sanding with 3200 3M Trizact and then 5000 3M Trizact. Compare with the starting photo above!
Close up of front fender after wet sanding with 3200 3M Trizact and then 5000 3M Trizact. Compare with starting photo!
Side covers completed using the same process.
Rear Fender
I used the same process on the rear fender.
800 grit wet sanded followed by 3000 and 5000 Trizact pads.
Last: Gas Tank
I had planned to leave the gas tank to repaint and finish like this to later in the spring when warmer weather comes to Chicago. However, this past weekend I attended a class by Gary at the Alsip Eastwood store again and he suggested that I try the Trizact pads direct;y on the stock black finish of the gas tank. I may be able to get the satin finish I am looking for without repainting.
If that doesn’t give me the finish I am looking for, Plan B is to shoot 3-4 coats of Eastwood’s new Rat Rod Matt Clear product on the tank, then used the Trizact on that. And if that fail;s, I will do what I had originally planned and just reshoot the tank with the Epoxy Primer, followed by the Urethane Rat Rod Black and then the wet sanding to finish.
Here’s how the Bonneville is looking as of February 27, 2016. You can see why I want to dull the gas tank… looks way too glossy for the rest of the bike.
Eastwood Rat Rod Satin parts so far: Front fender, front lower forks, side covers, seat panel, rear fender, swing arm.
I’ll report back here when I get it completed.