restroing alloys wheels

im off to buy some cheap alloys on sat and they are slightly worse for ware. the guy im buying them off used them as winter wheels and he sprayed them black with a shakey can. the paints started to bubble and crack etc and ive got a good idea of what im doin to clean them up. im going to restrore them myself and i dont know where to get nitromoors from and autosol from? can i get them both from halfrauds???

Halfords for both, buy some cheap heavy duty fabric gloves as nitromors burns through latex and hurts!

If you plan on painting them, remember clean it all smooth with some wet and dry sandpaper used wet, always use the finest grade last, before laying on the paint.

Make sure you get some panel wipes from halfords, and clean the wheel after sanding and before painting, these degrease and pick up all the dust.

Paint in even stokes making sure not to lay it too thick, wait 10 mins or so between coats. Make sure each pass overlaps the dry edge area of the previous pass. You'll need to move your head to see this depending on the light and the colour. Silver is a bugger to see where each pass is going.

Let it dry for 24 to 48 hours and gently rough up the paint with some fine grade wet and dry (used wet) just so the lacquer can hold. Then Panel wipe it down in all the nooks and crannies like before and do the lacquer the same technique as paint.

Let it dry, at least 24 hours but ideally longer, then T-cut, polish and wax.

I've done mine recently but I had no time and the wheels needed blasting. All done on 1 hot day. The spokes show bits of crap, but the paint finish on the dodgy spoke surface and the smoother rim is quite good, just got to polish them now.

I'll do properly soon if I cant afford powdercoating.

Hope this helps anyone.

Stu

think im going to use a spray can, just so i can get a more even finish, i dont like the idea of painting the alloys, i would probably mess it up know me thankyou for the help knighty, its confirmed what i have been told/read already and now ive heard it from more than 1 source im happy to go ahead, as for the lacquer..... after i paint the wheel the colour i want, i sand it down with say..... damp 1200 wetdry paper and then spray it with a satin varnish or what lacquer to i buy???

I meant spraying, its hard to try and give the people the idea of the technique in words.

Basically as the spray paint comes out you will see a gloss area as you pass the can over. Catch the light on the wheel and you'll see a drier looking bit at the edge of each pass, the next pass with the can needs to cover this drier area with the current passes wet area, so overlap about 1/4 inch.

Too fast of a pass and it will look dry and patchy, too slow and it will run, to far away and it will look dry and again too close it will run.

Also a tip is at the end of each pass, keep the can moving and twist your wrist to point the can away from the wheel when you let go of the button. Else it will splodge on the wheel. Same when starting a pass, angle away, press button and twist wrist so the paint is on the wheel and keep it going along, at the end twist and release.

You know what advising on painting from a keyboard is damned hard!

Good luck chum.

Stu

Best thing to do is get the lacquer compatible with whatever paint you buy. So if you use Hycote paint use Hycote lacquer.

If you mix manufacturers or paint type theres a chance you'll get a reaction and need to start all over again.

As for flatting for lacquer you just need to 'tickle' it over as my dad says, just to stop the colour coat being shiney and the lacquer can adhere well. Don't rub through or its square one again.

Wet 1200 should be fine.

Stu

thanks guys! hopefully by the time im done ill be really happy with the wheels! the posts have been really helpful x

Speak to adam he's still got a load left and he'll give u it im sure

When it comes to spraying them bring them round mine on a weekend day and i'll sort u out with the right stuff and help you spray em up xx