The lights are led lights on a real tree.
Bike is a work in progress. I'm afraid the rest of the bike will not be nearly as good as the tank is. I'm slowly redoing stuff we'll just have to wait and see.
I went into the garage section and read the article painting on the cheap.
1. I stripped the tank. bondo'd any dents and worked them out till I was happy.
2. I got duplicolor primer sealer and shot the tank and let it dry. I did this about 4 times and got a good base on the tank. I then started wet sanding, 220 and used just primer.
3. I alternated gray and red primer so I could see high and low spots. Once it started evening out I went to all gray and shot about 8 cans of primer and sanded inbetween each one. Yea I know it's over kill but it made me happy
4. I started in with 400 grit paper near the last 2 cans to get it baby smooth once I felt it was just right I sanded it with 220 wet sanding to get it rough enough for paint to hold onto it.
5. I let it dry out for about 2 weeks in the house, I have a wonderful wife.
I then fogged it with a coat of paint and let it sit for about 3 days. nothing heavy just a light coat.
6. I used Duplicolor Black metaflake lacquer. It has a fan nossel and sprays pretty decent. I shot the entire tank closely watching for runs, I was lucky. I let it dry for 3 to 5 days (my eratic work schedule was probably my saving grace,I'm not very patient. I think my best advice here would be take time to let it dry and cure out)
7. I would wet sand with 220 inbetween each coat of paint trying to get an even sanding on the paint. I probably shot about 10 cans of paint, I got about two coats from each can. Remember I wet sanded inbetween each spray. This was it. I just took my time, waited inbetween each spray about 3 to 5 days. Each time I went to paint I would wet sand the last coat and spray on a new coat and be done for a while. Wet sand clean and paint.
8. I started sanding it with 400, 1000, 1500, then finished with 2000 grit sandpaper. I polished it with Meguiars Swirl remover 2.0 and there you have it.
I have a friend that does custom body work and painting. I told him what I was doing and since I don't have a shed or building I can paint in he said, You don't need that, just start your painting early in the day right when the sun comes up and burns off the morning dew. You will never see a better paint job in your life. So says Jerry. This is my paint booth minus the leaves, I kid you not.
Wood collected for a shop. Future home for Isabella my 79 1000L