hard bag plastic

Reply Subscribe

Thread Tools

Search this Thread

Mar 31, 2018 | 09:06 AM

#11

C&J4ever

Novice

Joined: Jul 2016

Posts: 18

Likes: 0

From: Roanoke, VA

Quote:

Originally Posted by OlAndrew

Yeah, ABS has a really slick surface and paint doesn't want to stick to it.

Back when I was doing custom painting we were using acrylic lacquer. I used a two gun technique, I'd have one gun filled with a mix of acetone and MEK, and the other with the lacquer and the usual alchohol thinner.

I'd shoot the ABS with the acetone/MEK mix which would disolve the surface just slightly, then about a second or two later, shoot the color. After the first layer, usually primer, the rest went on in a normal fashion.

I'd see paint jobs of mine 10 years later that had held up pretty well, not counting stone chips and some sun fading.

Thanks, well at least I know it's POSSIBLE. Thought I'd found a nice set on Craigslist, they opened to the outside like all modern bags, but the key lock was in the BACK...was almost gonna buy them. Have no idea when HD went to the side latches

Apr 2, 2018 | 07:11 AM

#12

2goldens

HDF Community Team

Joined: Mar 2005

Posts: 1,949

Likes: 601

From: The 1980's

Quote:

Originally Posted by C&J4ever

Have been looking on Ebay, etc...no joy thus far. Not a real emergency I suppose, Really don't want abs, that material doesn't seem to accept paint very well

I'm no painter or body & fender guy, so take it for what it's worth. But my wife has aftermarket ABS bags (she wanted a retro bubble bag look). I won't get into the maker because I think the quality sucks.
At any rate, our bike painter said he had to sand the **** out of them and use epoxy primer. I think we're now on season 4 with them and the paint has stayed on with no issues.

Apr 2, 2018 | 11:43 AM

#13

ScottinAZ

Seasoned HDF Member

Joined: Apr 2017

Posts: 9,605

Likes: 20,752

From: Globe AZ

ABS can be a bitch to prep and paint because the plastic formulation contains a percentage of waxes to help act as a mold release when forming. The acetone/MEK will indeed act upon the surface to allow the paint to stick better.

Apr 2, 2018 | 01:39 PM

#14

Scout

Seasoned HDF Member

Joined: Sep 2004

Posts: 6,197

Likes: 708

From: (Toronto) Canada

Two easy ways to paint abs. Plastic prep. Spray it on before painting. Most every painter I know does this. Or flame the surface with a wide flame propane burner. Don't melt them. Just a quick pass with the flame. You have about 15 minutes to apply the primer. It burns off the plasticizers and other solvents that don't allow the paint to stick.