xTC touch-up: Has anybody tried touching up with Humbrol?

[JWestland]

Hi -

My XTC is painted in the standard blue metallic colour, for which unfortunately Thorn doesn't offer touch-ups.
New paint is £155 (not economic) and powdercoat £60 (but that's not the same)

She/him/it can do with a touch-up.

Does anybody know if:

Humbrol Moonlight Blue Metallic (nr 222)

Is a good match? The previous owners have touched up before, with a good match, but I don't know what they used.

Tx!

[Danneaux]

The previous owners have touched up before, with a good match, but I don't know what they used.

Any chance of re-contacting the seller and asking? I've sometimes found sellers to be very cooperative in such things, simply happy to know their sold-on bike or whatever is again much-loved.

Best,

Dan.

[jags]

what you really really need is a new paint job .
forget about touching it up give it a new lease of life.

you know it makes sense.

[JWestland]

£155 and new decal cost for an 8 year old bike...I'd love to but it makes no economical sense 

The bike was sold via an e-bay bike shop instead of a loving ex-owner, so alas no background history or anything.

Well maybe I should just risk getting a jar, and try it, it's £8

[Andybg]

My friend who also has had a few Thorn's swears by humberol for touch up so you have atleast one thumbs up for giving it a go.

I never got my Nomad powdercoated as I can now take a bit longer over it as I have a stand in bike.

My friend said dont bother repainting mine just touch it up with Humberol so decision time for me too.

Andy

[JWestland]

Powdercoating is cheaper though: £60-£80 depending on who does it.

I am just fussy as original bike is Stove Enameled.

[JWestland]

So, I bought two metallic humbrol blue colours. There's only 2 colours btw. The light one *may* just be perfect, but I think it needs a small touch of 222 (midnight blue) in it.

It should be a good match with a bit of mixing. Need to find some bits of time to paint the frame, enamel paint is thick so I need to lie the bike down to do one side, then flip it over etc..

[JWestland]

So, yes the enamel paint is a good mix when mixed.

But on a close-up inspection:

Rust near headbadge where paint is feeling
Rust at bottom of frame at fork insert where paint is peeling
Rust near cable guides at front for the derailleur cables (the ones on downtube)

And some other small patches that are easier.

Not sure where to rustkill with red oxide and paint over, or if that's patching up the problem and the rust will get him in the end.

In that case: Get it shotblasted locally and...

Manually paint over with Humbrol in paintgun and re-waxoyl (a fun job but it means the bike is out of use for a few weeks while it gets painted...and I may mess it up)
Get it shotblasted, rustproofed and powdercoated locally in black, re-name it to Erebus (darkness) and order decals from Bob Jackson (warning, here comes Erebus to drive you over
Or go the whole hog and pay £155 + decals to Bob Jackson which the bike isn't worth from an economical POV. At the same time, I don't see us separating any time soon...

What do you guys think? I can post pictures to show the rust damage. I am new to all this

[jags]

go for the cheapest option if it's a thing the rust has gone right through i doubt that  you will save yourself a lot of hassle sending it over to the uk only to be told your bike is scrap  
sorry jawine don't mean that the way it sounds.
yeah get it done locally black gloss is lovely.

[Andybg]

If the bike is comfortable and you like it then it is priceless.

It is just down to which option you can afford and which you prefer.

Unless you are key on originality I would go for the shotblast and powdercoat localy and then re-rustproof the internals.

It will wear harder and last longer

Andy

[JWestland]

Always the optimist eg Jags? 

I doubt the rust has gone right through, there's an absolute Rust Bucket Extreme (tm) sitting as the local train station, the paint, and primer is gone on 60% of the frame, where there's rust it looks like it's rusted through and through and the guy is still cycling is. I expect it to break in half of pure misery any time soon but it's been like that for years 

I will have a shot at a restore, once I sand of the rust I will see how far it's gone in and if it's spread a lot there's always the option to get it shot blasted and powdercoated locally to prevent the frame from being thrashed. There are black powdercoated XTCs so that would be my choice if I do that.

And it needs re-waxolyed but for that it needs to be taken apart, I know somebody who can do that but he needs the time for it too.

Time to mix some paint 

[peter jenkins]

I'd be inclined to sand the rusted area back and apply what is marketed here in Australia as Rust Converter. It's likely called something else in foreign parts. You can then touch up the resulting black surface with your Humbrol paint before committing to the expense of a professional repaint. The rust converter is not expensive and you only need a small amount.

Cheers,

pj

[JWestland]

Hi Peter,

I am using that on the small spots I find, Hammerite has a product that turns the rust black.

So far so good, the blue after mixing the two Humbrol colours is a perfect match, need to touch spots up twice though to stop white undercoat showing.

Did the fork as well, after years of road/flex the paint started cracking and now it looks a bit shinier again.

Contact said just do what you said and don't get too paranoid about rust.