| Author | Message | ||
     SouthernMarine |
I've got a new helmet on the way and I'm tempted to take my old one, or maybe the new one and paint it. I've found a couple of do-it-yourself instructions-precautions, but has anyone here stripped a helmet and painted it? | ||
| Spiderman |
Rule number one! DO NOT STRIP IT!! Use a scotch bright and ruff up the paint a little bit the lay a primer base in the color required by your paint option an go to town, I had mine profesionaly done due to my lack of painting skill. | ||
| Glitch |
Anyone Ever Painted a Helmet??? There was this one time in summer camp... Seriously though, what Spidey said X10, don't strip nuthin'! Only lightly ruff it up with the Scotch Brite, just enough for the primer to bond. Take pics of what and how you do it. It'd make a good post. | ||
| Daves |
I usually "customize" mine by crashing and buying a new one.  | ||
| SouthernMarine |
I know I'm getting tired today. I just now took a look at my title. "Painted a Helmet". If my wife reads this she'll string me up by my toes for my improper english. Right now I could care less, been a long week.  Here's what I have found so far: 1st: Clean the helmet with a commercial wax/grease remover. 2nd: Sand the helmet's surface, using a scotchbrite pad, industrial type sold to body shops, or 600 *wet*, not dry, grit automotive refinishing sandpaper, chips and deep scratches should be filled in with autobody repair putty and sanded smooth. You may be able to sand out a scratch, but you run the risk of creating a flat spot that will show up later. 3rd: Clean it again after sanding. Warnings: Use acrylic enamels, NOT lacquers; lacquers can damage the helmet shell. Another warning I found on paint, was to use Automotive base-coat/clear-coat system, that acrylic enamels are obsolete. I might try a bicycle helmet first. | ||
| SouthernMarine |
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| Outrider |
The only fellow I ever knew to paint one himself did it in solid blaze orange. Considering he is an artist we found his decision interesting until he proclaimed he was tired of being a target. SoMarine...Just thought I would share that with you since you are probably the most conspicuity conscious rider I have ever met. | ||
| SouthernMarine |
At first I was thinking of painting the helmet in a gold/amber similar to that on my 12R, and of course adding something reflective to it. I did find some reflective lightning bolt decals for helmets, thought that was kinda cool. I kinda like the idea of something reflective on my helmet, but in a less "conspicuous" manner this time. | ||
| Road_thing |
I've not done any helmets, but I have done a fair number of shotgun stocks (not to mention 2, 3 and 4-wheeled vehicles). The advice given above is sound. A jamb gun would probably be the right tool for the job. You could also use a "Pre-Val" bottle, which is basically an aerosol that you fill yourself. Ask the counterperson at your local auto paint store if you're not familiar with them. Frankly, given the nominal premium that the helmet manufacturers charge for their graphics, I can't understand painting one myself. Painting's a messy, PITA job, especially if you don't have a spot already set up to do automotive paint (dust-free, overspray isolated from the rest of the world, etc.) Having said that, I'd love to see pictures of the outcome! rt check my profile pic for an example of a painted shotgun | ||
| Signguyxb12 |
i have painted a few and a few other things do what roadthing said get he little aersol bottle get 2 ..never mix your clear and basecoat bottles and WEAR A MASK ...need anymore tips email me mike@bvsigns.com  | ||
| SouthernMarine |
Thanks Mike, I'll keep your email address handy and do that. | ||
| Road_thing |
Nice flames, Mike!  rt | ||
| Newfie_buell |
How about getting one POLISHED!!!!!!  | ||
| Biknut |
i had this painted for me about 14 years ago. back in my wild zebra period.   | ||
| Sandblast |
Check out the helmet section in the picture section, there are some very cool paint jobs in there. Once I painted a Shoei flat black, because it was all 80's looking girl colors. I wont give you any advice because it did'nt look very good  | ||
| Court |
I've had some painted for me to match various Buells over the years. For me, an inept painter, I defer to the pros. The last one was an Black Arai Rx7RR that was done by a pal of our own Kerry to match the Buell catalog. On the black helmet, there were "twisty road ahead" signs painted all over. The BEST one I have ever had was when the Buell factory built a custom S-1 body for me. The arranged the body work as it would sit on the bike and then placed the Shoei helmet on the jig. The idea was painting and clear coating it with the bike would provide a precise color match. The bike is long gone but the helmet still sits above the desk and it's awesome. 7 coats of Parkway Blue (Purple to civilians, but that's another story) with gray and white BUELL American Motorcycles and the S-1 logo and then a ton of clear coat layers. The gold iridium visor sets the whole thing off. I've got an unopened white RX7RR's that arrived a while back, sitting here now that are candidates for the next Buell. Court | ||
| Crusty |
7 coats of Parkway Blue (Purple to civilians, but that's another story) You'll have to tell us, sometime! | ||
| Signguyxb12 |
southernmarine semper fi | ||
| Wyckedflesh |
I have used the "Testor's Model Spray Paint" particularly the "Boyd's" line of colors, on several helmets to add designs. Oddly enough I haven't actually painted a full helmet, just added things. Course I have stated how long helmets usually last me so I never saw a need to clearcoat. | ||
| Gentleman_jon |
Sure, I paint all my helmets. I usually buy a new helmet with a minor blemish on eBay for about $50 bucks, then get the Krylon out and give it my patented "two black" streetfighter look:-) A mirror visor completes the bad boy story. Here is a VR-1 that just got the treatment.  | ||
| M1combat |
That's nice... I have a VR-1 that needs a treatment like that. I'll go see what I can find at the hobby shop. What grain sand paper do you use to prepare the original paint? Did you tape the front and rear vents or is there a way to remove them? | ||
| Sandblast |
Thats the look I was going for with the Shoei I painted. Oops  I never got there. | ||
| SouthernMarine |
M1, this is what I have found about sanding the helmet. Sand the helmet's surface, using a scotchbrite pad, industrial type sold to body shops, or 600 *wet*, not dry, grit automotive refinishing sandpaper, chips and deep scratches should be filled in with autobody repair putty and sanded smooth. You may be able to sand out a scratch, but you run the risk of creating a flat spot that will show up later. I'm also wondering about the vent covers. I'm still trying to figure out what color and design I want to go with. I have some reflective tape designs coming in and I'm going to check on reflective paint. I photoshopped this color. The lightning bolts is a reflective graphics package that I ordered from appliedgraphics.com. I plan on using those on the new helmet that is coming in, which is Candy Red.  The picture above is taken with the flash so the graphics are illuminated. The normal color of that tape is black. You can order the tapes in one of six colors. They also have other graphic packages for helmets as well as other reflective tape. | ||
| Gentleman_jon |
Thanks M1. I start out with 220 if the helmet is new, or 180 if there are a few scratches that need to be removed, then I go to the 220. Use light coats, leave about a day between coats. The Krylon builds up fast, but will stay soft if you put too many coats on too fast. I masked the vents. Don't forget you have to mask the hole at the bottom, the bottom trim and the visor opening as well. I use the 2" wide blue masking tape for the big openings. I used flat black for the helmet, Satin for the vents. The black plastic trim I left unpainted. The big trick is waiting between coats: I tend to want to see the finished job too soon:-) | ||
| Signguyxb12 |
Don't use reflective paint it fades really fast if you use automotive paint, don't use store bought masking tape, the glue, in the tape and the chemicals in the paint combines with the rubber and makes for a disaster. Don't use masking tape for graphics layout.....it bleeds the best thing for making masks is a machine cut (which i can make) or use stripping mask tape(blue)from 3m. | ||
| Whistle |
I've painted 2 of my own helmets. both of them I sanded with some fine sandpaper maybe 300 grit or so, and then painted with KRYLON! At the time I was just bored and had run out of stuff to do to the bike over the winter. The first helmet I did was flames starting in gray up front fading to flat black. The helmet was flat black so they sorta blend in...My skill at drawing flames is not the best, so the flames came out looking sorta like "racing sperm" or something. I don't wear that helmet to much any more. The other helmet I painted is a german lookin half helmet in gloss black. I painted on the HD skull logo on the back by drawing it out freehand, cutting it out and then painted it in gray. This helmet actually came out awesome! Anyway have fun! later, Nick | ||
| M1combat |
You "can" use the offwhite/tan colored every day tape to mask... Get a piece of glass and lay a bunch of strips down. Draw the shape you want then cut with an exacto. Carefully peel the tape up so you don't separate the strips, lay it on the object to be painted carefully. Once placed, run the back of a finger/thumb nail along the outer edge and it will seal well. Make sure you run your finger nail down each ridge where each strip of tape overlaps as well. I've only done this with the standard cans of paint you would use to paint lexan bodies for slot cars or RC cars that you can find in any hobby store. I've painted MANY slot car bodies, RC car bodies and models like that and it seems to work well. | ||
| Wyckedflesh |
M1, I think what Signguy is pointing out is to use painters masking tape rather then standard masking tape when using automotive paints with a different type of chemical mix. I made the mistake painting a fairing once and had the catylist/hardner that I mixed into the paint just eat the adhesive off the regular masking tape. | ||
| Twodogs |
use a real friendly Dupont Chromabase base/clearcoat. Put graphics under clear. Be sure to drop on the pavement at the first Hooter's bike nite you go to and act like it was no big deal. Bound to happen........  | ||
| Crazyhorse |
Before  | ||
| Crazyhorse |
After a frend did his thing.  | ||
| M1combat |
"M1, I think what Signguy is pointing out is to use painters masking tape rather then standard masking tape when using automotive paints with a different type of chemical mix" Which is why I was pointing out that I've only used paint that is found at your local hobby store and used for painting lexan bodies and models. If you wan't to use automotive paint... Go ahead. Follow the advice of Signguy. If however you are at the local hobby store and you see a can of Boyds Yellow... I think it's safe to use standard masking tape as long as you seal it properly after laying it down . | ||
| Crazyhorse |
After   | ||
| Dsergison |
OMG it's Jack from the nightmare before christmas! that's awsome http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&q=jack+nightmare+before+christmas&spell=1 | ||
| SouthernMarine |
Okay, I started this and told you I would make my first attempt on bicycle helmets. Well here we go: Old   New Look   Old  If anyone is familiar with wrestling, this one was signed by Matt Hardy Version 1 and Lita, he told me to just take a picture and then paint it.  New Look     And Yes, the graphics were done with reflective tape. All except the Bell Sticker. I sanded them down, used flat black, then gloss to cover them, after putting the graphics on. I did try painting some graphics on the top of the first one. Didn't turn out like I wanted. | ||
| V2win |
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| M1combat |
LOL... ASSHAT!!!  |
