# Paint chip help needed, Master Light in progress..



## Anthony (Jan 2, 2006)

what a bone head move this afternoon, building up my new master light I just got ( everything was going well ) then the bars swung around and gauged out a bit of the blue paint under the top tube. ( at least it is under ) I know it is going to get scratched but this was not even riding / racing. I was hoping the character nicks would have a ride associated with them.

Can anyone tell me or point me in the right direction for the blue in LX 10 ? I was thinking model paint or nail polish ? It is a fairly good size chip ( at least to me ) so any other suggestions like clear coat nail polish or the like would be appreciated.

Thanks for the tips btw on prepping the frame and the like, I also left the piece above the top chrome lug. The only carbon going on the bike is the bar / stem / spacer, the rest is 10 speed Campy Chorus alloy. Not sure about the wheels yet.

Thx Anthony.


----------



## Anthony (Jan 2, 2006)

*Oh ya...forgot the chip pic.*

.......


----------



## wasfast (Feb 3, 2004)

You'll have a real hard time matching that. Hobby stores have Testors enamel in basic colors but highly unlikely to find a match. Next best bet is a automotive paint store. There are quite a few options in touchup paint from them. You'll likely get a rattle can in those.


----------



## i4detail (Feb 23, 2006)

maybe paint or body shop something w/ electronic matching 
Home depot might call around it might be big chore 

Good luck


----------



## JaeP (Mar 12, 2002)

*Freaky cool bars, man*

What kind of handlebar is that? That's freaky cool!


----------



## Fignon's Barber (Mar 2, 2004)

Anthony said:


> .......


 Looks like the chip is only in the blue overlay ( frame is painted all white and the other colors sprayed on top). Its a small chip. I would find a marker that matches, and then clear nail polish over top. Easy, and as long as you keep the cap on the marker, you're set for any chips or scratches that occur down the road. Nice frame. good luck.


----------



## Anthony (Jan 2, 2006)

Thanks for the tips, I am going to try the hobby store and just get the closet blue, or the marker route. The only good thing is that it is a new master so the cable routing goes under not in the top tube so I suppose when the cables go in it will be hidden.

Believe it or not I had some auto clear coat decals by 3M that I had planned on applying on the underside of the frame as road debris in my city is a lot.

The bars are 3T Bio Morphe's. I got them for 2 reasons, many hand positions and finger cut outs ( I ride on the hoods a lot ) and it is a smaller distance to the drops ( which I rarely ride in )


----------



## gun2head (Sep 3, 2006)

In the old days, your LBS would receive touch-up paint for the frames from the distributor. You would have to ask for it as it was never handed out...don't know if they do that anymore.


----------



## ciclisto (Nov 8, 2005)

*airbrush*

i do not know where you live but in southern cal there are franchises of a company that does high end new care repair, called "aero colours" they can air brush any finish and pretty much leave no tell tale marks. Look up in yellow pages or call a Mercedes dealer. I have use it on a show Porsche and it was perfect and they come to you in a truck.


----------



## brewster (Jun 15, 2004)

The chip kinda stinks since it's brand new, but I wouldn't worry about it....it's on the under side. If it really bothers you, the airbrush route would be the best, but it'll cost you. If you want do the fix on the cheap, go to an art store and get a permanant marker in the closest blue. They'll come in about every shade of blue you can think of. You may have to touch it up again in a year, but it'll cost you a couple bucks.

Post some photos when you have that one put together. I love the retro/modern builds.

brewster


----------



## Clevor (Sep 8, 2005)

ciclisto said:


> i do not know where you live but in southern cal there are franchises of a company that does high end new care repair, called "aero colours" they can air brush any finish and pretty much leave no tell tale marks. Look up in yellow pages or call a Mercedes dealer. I have use it on a show Porsche and it was perfect and they come to you in a truck.


I've done automotive refinishing: cars and bikes are different animals. Even Mike Perry said automotive painters marvel at the job those Belgian painters do on Colnago frames; they could never do it. Reason: you are dealing with tubes, not flat panels.

Normally what you do on shallow scratches is just scuff the paint down, spray, sand, spray, sand etc. until the chip is filled in, then colorsand and buff out. After you buff, you can't see the junction between the new paint and old since the buffing removes the overspray. Voila! Plus on cars, you are dealing with one color on a (usually) flat area.

The problem with this paint chip is it's not on a flat panel for one thing, so it can be a b_tch to sand and buff out (it's easier to burn through paint on curves while sanding/buffing). Secondly it's a deep chip, so it will be a hassle to level it with the surrounding paint. Third, you got all those different colors and stenciling nearby which you have to reproduce. Fourth, normally you shoot color and then clear coat, which is how the Colnagos are painted too. To match the gloss of the rest of the frame, that will require an additional top coat of clear. Big job! I don't think an automotive guy will handle it.

Dave Sem could do it easily and he probably has the stencils, but he's not cheap.

Really, the top coat on the Colnagos are not adhering to the primer adequately, thus you get big chips when you ding the frame. On custom automotive jobs, the final primer coat is sanded down for even better adhesion. But to sand down every production frame with those shaped tubes and nooks and crannies? NO WAY!

I would just get some pro grade aerosol paint from an auto paint shop (you can probably find a close match of the blue), spray it out in the cap and let flash off to a thick consistency, then fill the chip with several coats. Than use clear nail polish over that. 

If you got a Pinarello or Colnago and and ride it a lot, worn out paint and chips are pretty much a fact of life . On the $3800 Paris Carbons, I hear the decals are coming off.


----------



## Dinosaur (Jan 29, 2004)

That's something I would do.... I have an '02 Master X-Light LX-23 (Team Rabobank) that uses the same shade of blue. It's hard to match. One problem is that when paint dries it often changes colors. One thing to consider also is that if you touch up the chip, the chip will still be there, just not as apparent. I tried to touch up some paint fade around my BB with what I thought was Cobalt blue and it came out a darker shade. I have a few chips but mine are on the black part of the frame and they are easier to touch up, black is pretty much black. I think the advise about having an auto body shop matching the color is the best way to go.

Another thing to consider that it's a road bike, sooner or later you are going to get a chip, it can't be avoided. But if it was me, I would try to touch it up.

I love my Master X-Light, glad to see some folks still like steel frames. Some folks think the Master X-Light is the best frame that Colnago pumps out, since they have been making them for so long.


----------



## maman1972 (Jan 18, 2007)

Nice fram you got there, I also just recently got a Master frame. Now still building up stage. But I hear and read that most ppl said that the paint work on Colnago is not the best. So I too prepare myself for the heart breakin moment for the paint to chip off.


----------



## ciclisto (Nov 8, 2005)

*protecting frame*

i thought about getting a mxl, but would have Joe Bell Clear coat it to protect the less durable Italian paint, I do not know for sure if this can be done. anyone know?


----------



## wasfast (Feb 3, 2004)

The clear may provide more surface protection but if the layers under it aren't adhered sufficiently then they will still come loose.


----------



## Dinosaur (Jan 29, 2004)

*Colnago paint*

"I hear and read that most ppl said that the paint work on Colnago is not the best." 


Actually Colnago paint jobs are awesome. It's just that if ride a road bike the way they are meant to be ridden, sooner or later you are going to get a paint chip. It can't be avoided. The best solution is probably to buy a Nago that has a paint scheme that is easy to touch up. Out of all the bikes I have owned over the past 33 years, my Master X-Light has the best and most durable paint job.


----------



## Anthony (Jan 2, 2006)

*before & after*

thanks for all the tips and suggestions, I ended up going to a hobby store and found a blue paint and bought a really small detial brush. I just had to touch the frame and the paint sort of molded into the chip it almost dried perfectly and i am hard pressed tou notice it.

almost finished the build just waiting on my Abrosia rims to arrive and I will post it up.

thx again..:thumbsup:


----------



## Dinosaur (Jan 29, 2004)

Looks nice...the few chips I have received are on the bottom side of my TT, due to gravel being picked up. Fortunately, most of that area is painted black and it's easy to touch up. I pack a full length Blackburn c.f. frame pump now so that area is sort of protected.

When I bought my Master X-Light back in '02, the owner of my LBS told me how they were painted, it's a long process. You can also send your frame to the Colnago factory and they will repaint it, I think it costs about $300, plus shipping. I might have that done someday. I don't ever plan on getting rid of my MXL. 

No one Colnago is the same, they are all painted a little bit differently.

The Master X-Light is an awesome ride. I'm up for a new bike in the near future and I think I might go with a Master Carbon.


----------



## Dinosaur (Jan 29, 2004)

One question....what shade blue?


----------

