Please excuse my ignorance but to paint a part that I bought for my bike do I:
1.prime the part
2.paint the part
3.clearcoat the part

Is this sequence correct or is it completly wrong? If it's wrong would someone help me. Thanks.

 

[font="Verdana"]What part did you buy? What year is the bike? Is it an older bike with a single stage paint, or a later model with a basecoat/clearcoat paint job? What color is the bike? I am a painter so here is the general rule....if the part came bare, strip the surface of contaminants, scuff the surface, primer the part, wet sand with 1000 grit, base coat it however many times to cover and blend the surface, clearcoat the part minimum of 3 times waiting for 5 to 10 minutes between coats, let dry for at least 24 to 36 hours, wet sand with 1500 and buff/polish.....like new.
God luck

 

The sequence is basically right but preparing the part to be painted is the most important step. Preparation will differ depending on the material you're painting (plastic, aluminum, metal, etc). What you prime the part with also depends on the material as well as does the finish coat. Painting is a chemistry so be aware that not all paints and primers react well with each other. To gain a better understanding of the painting process, a little research may be in order. There are a lot of mags and books available, from novice to pro. Hope this helps.