Re-painting and re-finishing old javelins UPDATED WITH PICS!

[theczar]

Hi everyone

The track club I'm with has a pile of old javelins (by pile, I mean like 15, mostly steel 400g and 600g). All are in pretty poor shape, paint is nearly gone and the grips are held together with tape and glue.

I'd like to paint and re-grip all these javelins, but need advice on how to do it. The cheaper the better. I should note, that these javelins will never see competition, so I'm not overly concerned with being perfect. I've done research on re-gripping, and that doesn't seem too bad, I think I can handle that. My main questions are with painting.

What type of paint should be used? I'm thinking giving them a good hand-sanding, then giving it a coat of automotive-grade spray paint, something with a nice finish and is fairly durable.

I'm aware that there are people who re-condition javelins in the states, but I'm located in Australia. So with my budget (which is...pretty much zero) I want to do this myself

Does anyone have experience with this, and can give me some advice?



**UPDATE**

I ended up buying some aluminum-specific spray paint that I found at the hardware store. Decided to do a two-tone swirl of my old college colors, green and gold! (well...our unofficial colors...being from a mining school our colors were actually black, silver and gold, but the green got added in....long story, blame the Irish. But I digress...)

Full project posted here:
http://imgur.com/a/Ab9nt

Before:


After:






Thanks!

[rainbowgirl28]

All I know is that this guy is the best... maybe he can give you some paint tips if you make it clear that you are in Australia and these are for practice only. http://www.thejavelinman.com

[vaultmd]

Why not sand blast them? Sand blasters are pretty inexpensive.

[Decamouse]

I have used any spray paint that is suitable for the material the javelin is made of -- Steel/Alum -- go to your hardware store -- it works - especially for practice javelins -- If you saw how some of the javelins are made in China - would not worry about the paint -- if you feel like you want to do it better go to an auto parts store and get spray cans of their touch up paint -- then you are close to what the manufacture is doing

[DLM]

if they were mine I would have them powder coated. if you are going to put new handles on them then take the old handles off. Powder coating will require them to be heated to 420 degrees, but the paint job will last for ever. look around there are some very reasonable places.
Dan

[Decamouse]

heat - alum javelin - there is a reason Gill/OTE does not powder coat javelins - steel - still is a piece of hardworked material (tapered and shaped) heat may effect the straightness - Dan W -- what do you think - you used to run the OTE production facility in Eugene

[vaultwest]

Yes Jeff, powder coating would not be a good thing for a couple of reasons, could affect the stiffness and the extra volume and weight of the paint could easily make the javelin either illegal (diameter or balance problem) or too heavy, your recommendation is correct
Vault On