# Good color combo suggestions?



## Rrogers1992

I'm doing my first rat bike and I want to see if anyone has any color combos they like? If you have pictures of examples that would be awesome as well!! Thanks in advance. I'm thinking brown and white, black and white, gun metal and white (or black) or a dark red and white. Opinions? I know it's my bike to do my way just curious what cabers like?


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## Nick-theCut

What era frame is it?  And how are you making it two tone? Darts? Decals? Stencils?


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## rollfaster

*Bare metal...*

Or maybe the gun metal/ black combo. What bike are you working on?


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## Rrogers1992

The gun metal and black was my first thought with maybe white grips and white walls of course. Bare metal would be awesome do I just clear coat it? And if by darts you mean on the forks than yes because my Murray's have them and I like them a lot. I can by no means pinstripe/ know how but it is a huffy good vibrations so I would like to stencil "hot rod huffy" on the chain guard which is off the bike currently in the picture.  It was made from the 70-90s so it is a wanna be 60s. The paint was rattle canned and not prepped at all and the front rim is red from over spray. I don't know why my phone decided to take such a bad quality picture haha. This is it. The only thing I've done is remove the nasty seat and throw on these mini ape hangers I had laying around.


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## Ranger Dan

Rrogers1992 said:


> Bare metal would be awesome do I just clear coat it?




I have three frames in bare steel but have not clear-coated any of them, and haven't found a need to.  After a bit of fine sanding, none of them are skimming over with rust much at all since the paint was first removed.  If they get wet, a wipe-down prevents oxidation, but if I forget, a quick pass with a sanding sponge takes off any incipient rust.  If you live on a sea coast, however, I don't think this would suffice.

I never really know what OP mean by "rat," but IMHO?:  Black with red darts and gold pin-striping.


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## Nick-theCut

I like the idea of doing it right.  Sand it down to bare metal and if you like the way it looks, leave it.  Otherwise from there you can primer, fine sand, primer, then paint.
If you go the paint route, one solid color would look best.  Chrome rims and accessorize with grips/license plate and whatever else your mind can come up with.
Have fun, but definitely sand it down to bare if you're repainting. 



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Rrogers1992

Hmm gold pinstriping/accents would be great. I like the gun metal and black with maybe some red in it as well. And does anyone have tips on getting the paint off if the little crevices that come along? Most of the main portions are already down to bare metal but where the tubes meet and the bb area are becoming a pita. Do I just need to fold the sand paper and tough it out?? Thanks in advance


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## Duchess

I prefer cream to white for a dark red as, to me, it looks more vintage and the white is a little too bright and stark. If it helps, I'm currently doing a maroon with gold leaf lettering with black outline and gold pinstriping with mustard yellow saddle and bar tape. For a bike I'm rebuilding for my sister, I'm going with a bright green (Alfa Romeo AR224) and copper leaf lettering and pinstripe with probably beige or brown saddle and bar tape/grips. I also like dark blue with bright red accent.

I used paint stripper to poor effect to get much of the paint off the frame and sandpaper to good effect, if bad for patience. To get in the hard to reach areas, I used a 3/8" dowel with sandpaper wrapped around it.


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## then8j

You did say rat bike right? This was done with flat black primer no sanding no prepping no cleaning. 






IMG_1648 by then8j, on Flickr


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## Rrogers1992

I do like the idea of a deep red with cream. eBay has cream colored tires as well. I would really like to find a brown leather spring seat as well of any cabers have one to get rid of. The prices are waaaaay inflated online haha. That lfat black turned out good too for no prep. I have lots of decisions to make while I prep it. Does anyone know what materials are best for stenciling? Since I want to put hot rod huffy on the chain guard at least. Like construction paper cut out then hold it on with scotch tape and rattle can it? Any suggestions would be great!!


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## Ranger Dan

Rrogers1992 said:


> I like the gun metal and black with maybe some red in it as well.




Not much red here except the vestigial primer, but here's something like that:







Rrogers1992 said:


> And does anyone have tips on getting the paint off if the little crevices that come along? Most of the main portions are already down to bare metal but where the tubes meet and the bb area are becoming a pita. Do I just need to fold the sand paper and tough it out?? Thanks in advance




I've got no secrets; it's tough-it-out for me.  When the going gets tough, apply more beer.


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## Rrogers1992

*Nice bike!*

I like the almost root beer brown and those wheels are just what I was speaking of. And those old school drop bars are the bees knees! And will keep the beer tip in mind I've gone to strictly 22 ozers for bicycle tinkering hahaha


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## Ranger Dan

Rrogers1992 said:


> I like the almost root beer brown and those wheels are just what I was speaking of. And those old school drop bars are the bees knees! And will keep the beer tip in mind I've gone to strictly 22 ozers for bicycle tinkering hahaha




Thanks; I like it too -- very fun to ride even if heavy.  The bars are Torrington North Roads from a Schwinn-built Mead mounted on a Nitto Technomic stem.  Wheels are 700c Velocity P-35 Blunts and some Vredestein 47-622 tires our guy Ronald here shipped me.  This project was based on the 22 oz. platform as well.


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## mike j

Really nice job on that bike Ranger Dan, great background too. Kind of stumbled onto this color combo from looking at old train stations. Call it vintage custom, 1935 Westfield w/ 40's ? springer. Rustoleum rattle, fossil, dark taupe ( barely noticeable ) & red wine. I'm still on the 12oz. platform, just have to use a lot more.


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## Duchess

For stencils, if I work from freehand, I draw it out, then put the paper over masking tape that's been laid out on no-stick paper, cut the part out that I want, and use the tape as a mask. Another thing to do is decals on inkjet paper (White backing—the clear backing disappears. This means you have to be a little clever when cutting each letter, leaving them attached to each other by a small piece to hold the spacing and orientation together for application. Once they're on, the attaching piece can be easily removed with very light pressure from a knife.). The decals have to be clear coated before the water dip and should be after application to protect them and further secure them. Since you can get all kinds of fonts online, it makes fancy lettering (or paintings or photos) much easier.


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## Rrogers1992

Wow what a restore!! Some people would have seen that old frame and not thought twice about scrapping it but it looks awesome!! In also thinking those colors just swapped. And I like the idea of the masking tape I appreciate the advice I will definitely use that method as I'm still a beginner for sure haha.


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## Honestherman

*color*

COLOR? Just leave it the original Patina of what is on it. Making a Rat does not come out of a Spray Can


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## Rrogers1992

Honestherman said:


> COLOR? Just leave it the original Patina of what is on it. Making a Rat does not come out of a Spray Can




I have four other patina bikes. This one was owned by a bum I swear haha. It was painted while still together so overspray was a b****. And it's from the 70s so not old enough for me to want to restore og paint. But anyways I went with black and cream. I'm waiting on black pistol grips and new motorcycle type tires. But thanks all for the suggestions! Here it is


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## Rrogers1992

*Whats left*

I still have the rear book rack which I'm thinking I will put back on and throw a stuffed rat in it like a trap haha. And I need to fine tune my stencil "filthy rat". I am no fan of repainting og paint but this thing was abused haha so I hope you guys like what I did with it!! Also I plan on finding a light for the front as well but I kinda like the minimalist approach thus far. This is my first (attempt) at painting.


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## hoofhearted

Ranger Dan said:


> I have three frames in bare steel but have not clear-coated any of them, and haven't found a need to.  After a bit of fine sanding, none of them are skimming over with rust much at all since the paint was first removed.  If they get wet, a wipe-down prevents oxidation, but if I forget, a quick pass with a sanding sponge takes off any incipient rust.  If you live on a sea coast, however, I don't think this would suffice.





*Hey to Rrogers1992 ... in the process of preserving my 1917 Merk .. disassembled the machine ... 
washed it well with baby shampoo .. rinsed it to the point my OCD was obvious to the neighbors ... let it dry ... 
then, soft-rag washed it with denatured alcohol .. let it dry.  

Went over the whole thing with a brass-oxidizer .. let it sit for a coupla hours .. water and mild-soap wash again ...
rinsed well.  Followed by the denatured alcohol procedure.  The brass-oxidizer serves to darken-down any steel that 
is too shiny for the overall appearance of the machine.

Used a fizz can of Krylon Clear MATTE Spray, everywhere but the internals.  5 to 7 coats ... 12 to 16 inches 
from target.  Allowed 15 minits dry time between coats.

Buttoned it up the following morning.*

Have also found that most any vinyl-sign business can cut stencils for you that have a low-adhesion feature.

Here are some fotos of the Merk at MLC - Spring 2014 .....




































 

*My 1917 FM at Links & Kinks Show (Fairborn, Oh., 6/2014)  Got the fenders finished .. just like frame / fork.  They are in storage. *



..................  patric



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## rideahiggins

*Stencils*

Craft stores carry stencil material. The kind I've seen is called Prepared Frisket Film. WWW.grafixarts.com. Comes in sheets or rolls and you draw on and cut out your adhesive backed stencil.


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## Rrogers1992

*Hoofhearted*

Hoofhearted thanks for the advice that sounds like killer idea! My patina murray meteor flite will probably get that treatment! Matte clear coat seems to be a key thing in preserving the rustic look. And I'm still new to this so bare with me haha but do you mean something like bar keepers friend? something to age it more or clean up oxidation?


 And rideahiggins, I am definitely going to use that idea as well! I think I want to stencil a rat pack rat or a muscle rat almost like the superbee from dodge with the tires burning haha. I'm just starting to experiment with painting and prepping correctly and what not.


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## hoofhearted

Rrogers1992 said:


> Hoofhearted thanks for the advice that sounds like killer idea! My patina murray meteor flite will probably get that treatment! Matte clear coat seems to be a key thing in preserving the rustic look. And I'm still new to this so bare with me haha but do you mean something like bar keepers friend? something to age it more or clean up oxidation?




*Rrogers1992 ... you want something to age it more ... to darken-down the metal without going 
into the black arena.  I had good fortune with a brass-antiquing solution, sold by an old-school furniture 
repairman with an extreme fondness for patina.  I purchase his brass-antiquing solution ... never gives 
brass a black character AND darkens steel, also. 

I don't like a product called 'Brass Black' by Birchwood Casey (at gun shops) ... it makes the brass or steel 
look black.  This product is used by re-loaders to mark cartridges.  Those re-loaders don't give two hoots 
in a row about patina.  One re-loader I spoke with at Gander Mtn. told me the only kind of patina he would 
eat was goose-liver patina.  Told him I was a veterinarian .. his reply ... "You're missin' a lot, sonny boy !!"
(Truth be known, I do eat meat, on occasion.)

However, a product for steel that turns it a nice plum brown happens to be made by Birchwood Casey.

It's called Plum Brown yada, yada.  It works best when the metal is warm to hot .. it wants to sizzle ... 
or something close.  Apply as per directions.*

One of the attachments shows a bunch of Birchwood Casey chemistry.  The circled item may give good 
results .. 'tho I have never used it.

...... patric












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## seangee

Rrogers1992 said:


> Hmm gold pinstriping/accents would be great. I like the gun metal and black with maybe some red in it as well. And does anyone have tips on getting the paint off if the little crevices that come along? Most of the main portions are already down to bare metal but where the tubes meet and the bb area are becoming a pita. Do I just need to fold the sand paper and tough it out?? Thanks in advance



To get paint off the crevices I use a soft bristle wire brush that fits into my drill and it comes off easily and quickly. Home depot and Lowe's sell them for about $5 and it's saved me hours of work. I have 2, one is like a cup with the bristles all facing the same way, the other like a chainring (but much smaller) with the bristles facing out.


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