helmet painting???????

[craigie]

Has anyone done any painting on their helmet?

I know it is not recommended but there must be some paint that is safe to use on helmets.

I have an Aria RV which is now soo last year I can't find the specs for its construction but an SV is glass fibre reinforced plastic.

This is another of my I'm skint pleas, could only afford the basic white but there are loads of old Aria designs that look fairly simple in red, white and blue. Fast Freddy's look great, to me anyway.

So if anyone has any ideas I would much appreciate them.

cheers


Craig

[steviej]

Mines purple................... :eek: :eek: :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D

[craigie]

Mines purple................... :eek: :eek: :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D

Aye you're a funny one eh?

I know there are probably lots of helmet jokes coming, and helmets coming jokes but I would like a serious one amongst them.

cheers


Craig

[A Yerbury]

I used to work with a chap at racespec who sprayed lids, he did have a grahic design background tho. You will (for a good result) need airbrush, inks (no **** sherlock), fine proffesional masking tape, rubbing compound/fine wet/dry and lacquer. or like me, you could recreate the "kill bill" vibe with black tape and a scalpel. the choice as they say...
Alex.

[steviej]

Aye you're a funny one eh?

I know there are probably lots of helmet jokes coming, and helmets coming jokes but I would like a serious one amongst them.

cheers


Craig


:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: Sorry ar' kid; couldn't resist.........As far as I know painting your helmet is a NO NO, the solvents in the paint eat away at the structure of the shell, you need the PROPER STUFF whatever that maybe.







You could look in the 'Contact Pages' of the ubiquitous girlie mags found in your local newsagent...................... :D :D :D ;)

[A Yerbury]

tish and pish.

[norrie]

You can paint it with normal car/bike paint.
If you look up the leafleyt that you got with the lid it will tell you if you can paint it but I think you can paint most Arai's.

Norrie.

[A Yerbury]

exactly, many davidas and simpsons aren't legal, wearing an open face -legal- lid could end up taking your jaw/chin off (or a few teeth like my ex.....) technically yes you may by a fraction reduce the protection but the majority of the brain saving stuff is on the inside, a few microns of primer/paint lacquer will not make much diff.....

[Chris]

It's your head!!!

I would only go for the proper paint, and unless you're good with paint, I'd get someone else to do it. The problem with painting with the wrong paints is that the solvents can damage the structure of the internals of the helmet. Try pouring some onto a block of polystyrene! It dissolves remarkably quickly.

From when I've looked into it a half decent job costs £100, and you can pay up to £400 or so.

[DesmoDom]

My ten penneth,
Craig, seeing as yer lid is a fibre glass composite, it would be safe to paint using acrylic, which you can get as a spray from any car accessory shop, or you can get it by the 1/2 litre from car paint suppliers (loads on the net).
Whatever you do, don't use cellulose, unless you want a rubber lid, as (a) you don't know what paint's on there at the moment and (b) it will react with the plastic part of your composite, as well as the original paint. Acrylic is safe to use on almost every paint finnish and it dries quickly and has a very hard surface when dry. Also when masking your lid, make sure overspray can't get inside, as the solvents in the paint, will dissolve the polystyrene liner.

Baz :D :D :D

[craigie]

Cheers all

Mr Yerbury; I'd like to see your Kill Bill effect, any pics?

Chris; its (only) my head, ta for the concern though

Stevie J; thats what I'm trying to find out, end of line bargain no leaflet lid

Baz; once again the font of all (my) knowledge

Hopefully I won't make a mess of my lid, fours years in art school must have taught me something. mind you that was a long time ago, and I studied sculpture....

Thanks again


Craig

[craigie]

sorry norrie I seemed to have mixed you up in my answer to stevie j

cheers


Craig

[A Yerbury]

well there is really very little to it, one bieffe "predator/viper" depending on locale...one dark visor courtesy of an off shore supplier (strange but true) 1 roll of black insulating tape (cheap as chippies) cut with the love and care normally reserved for ones "life partner" to use the parlance of the day... and, robert et ton oncle! looks as cool as a fish! I am Uma Thurman....

[craigie]

I am Uma Thurman....

well Uma, it was more the end result I was interested in but the explanation was fascinating. all you need now is that fantastic bike she was riding and fanny's yer aunt

[A Yerbury]

no, mine is more fantastic (and red, not -cough- yellow) fanny et ma taunte et ma soeur.....this insomnia is getting a bit much now, poetry beckons. g' night.
AY.

[MotoNik]

I've used Halford aerosol pain on an Arai and it's been fine. Just don't spray paint a Polycarbonate lid with aerosol, or it'll melt.

Nik

[DesmoDog]

I read an article in, er, T.W.O - who knows - anyway, it showed the process of custom painting a lid. In every case, they took out all of the padding and rebuilt the helmet later. More interesting was the use of modelling latex as the mask. They poured it over the lid and then used a scalpel to cut out each layer of detail. bloody remarkable, and expensive.

[Mrs Soup]

If you need ideas try www.pigs-might-fly.net: all done with acrylics as per Baz's reply

You need to dismantle the helmet as much as you can, also then you can bake the lacquer (sp) in the oven to get a good finish.

[A Yerbury]

painters dont generally use latex, normally it is a very thin masking tape which can be manipulated into curves etc without kinking. a scalpel through the latex would scratch the surface surely.

[steviej]

............................a scalpel through the latex would scratch the surface surely.



..........don't call me Shirley............................!! :D :D

[A Yerbury]

first Steven/Stephen and now this!! upstart!

[steviej]

first Steven/Stephen and now this!! upstart!



:lol: :D :lol: :D :lol: :D :lol: :D :lol: ;)

[craigie]

merci for all the info

my plans will have to go on hold for the moment though, didn't realise quite how skint I am. I can't even afford the paint this month.....payday gets futher and further away as I get older.......

cheers


Craig

[Melnie Mouse]

there's a chap called Alistair McClean, that paints helmets,.. but he's in Chichester, west sussex, so not sure if that too far for you.. i could let you have his no. and yes your helmet would be fine... :)

[nik_the_brief]

Or you could always use poster paint - make sure that you don't go out if it looks like rain though.

Quick and simple to change when you get bored with your design! :D