[Joe]

Question...heard it was possible to polish the hell out of a frame then have it clear coated...true? If so, how much would that s**t cost? :dunno

 

[00600]

Question...heard it was possible to polish the hell out of a frame then have it clear coated...true? If so, how much would that s**t cost? :dunno

In order for the clearcoat to stick you'll have to:


1) strip all of the oils and impurities out of the aluminum, in doing so you'll cloud the finish.

2) rough up the surface with atleast 1000grit sandpaper (might as well be "brushed" aluminum).

If you've got money burning a hole in your pocket you can look into ceramic coating. They've got an "aluminum" ceramic coating that looks like dull chrome when you polish it.

 

[Krazy Hawaiian]

Polish it really good then clean it good and spray it on. I'm lazy and been doing that for years. It sure keeps the polishing to a minimum, also easy to clean. I did the rims on my GSXR 3 years ago and they still look almost like when I did them. Use a good polyeurathane clear from one of the major automotive finish companys. That stuff sticks like epoxy. Tough as hell too.
I use a Spa scrub brush on a short pool pole to do the wheels makes it a breeze. A spa brush is a sofr round brush about 8 inches around with the snap clip to fit it on a pole. I cur oone of my old poles to 4 feet and use a bucket of soapy water. So much easier to keep clean!

The clear and catalyst will be easy $100 or more. Then you will meed to get someone to spray it. If you cant do it yourself.

 

[Joe]

Krazy, you know of anyone out here that will do it?

 

[Krazy Hawaiian]

Spray it? or buff it?

There's a sportbike shop by Chuck Garners Corvette Shop that does some killer polishing but I have no idea what it runs... The spray part my friend John will probably do. He lives on Kahala Ave. by Hunakai St. He's one of the best painters on the rock, easy.

 

[Joe]

I already got it polished. Just getting tired of doing it on a weekly basis.

 

[Krazy Hawaiian]

Ya, I hear that... real pain in the knuckles LOL...

 

[Grashopr]

I've cleared polished aluminum, magnesium, bare steel, aluminum, titanium. There are clear "metal etchers" that dont affect the surface. They are completely clear and etch into the metal. You can spray regular urethane or enamel clears over the top of polished metals, but any leftover buffing compounds or grease is going to keep it from adhering correctly. The peices have to be 100% CLEAN. Even then, there is a chance of the urethane or enamel lifting after a few years. Spraying regular clearcoat over the metal etchers is really a better way to go IMO.

Without polishing, just for clearing polished metal I charge $75 a wheel with no prep work (ship them in, ship them back). Frames are $125, misc peices are done on a peice-by-peice. I'd say most shops will be in that general range I'm not setup for polishing, just the paint work. No idea what it costs to polish stuff.

The 'hopper

 

[Krazy Hawaiian]

Right on man Thanks for the info!

Finding anyone over here with a clue as to whet there doin is nearly impossible, thanks to having some good friends I managed to learn how to do most of the stuff and learned from my mistakes.... the hard way but when you finish ya sure feel good when someone compliments you on your bike!

Polishing and masking.... the 2 things I absolutly cant stand doing polishing because it's so dirty and masking makes me freak, some of it takes so long... I got the brilliant idea I wanted a waving checkered flag on the tail of my givver... if I had only known the madness I was looking at... I had a flouresent yellow base and used candy blue for the 2nd color. looked awesome but 3 days of taping pushed me over the edge LOL

 

[Gixxer_Six2003]

There is a clear powder coat that some people are using now.

 

[Grashopr]

There is a clear powder coat that some people are using now.

I've heard of it, but never seen it....what's it involve as far as prep?? The local powdercoat shop doesn't support that new fangled stuff yet....maybe I should open my own joint.

 

[pitts4pets]

ppg makes a clear for doing this sort of thing its called DAU72 i use it to clear polished alum for the lazy people.i would post a pic of the can but i can't post pics i don't know how.

 

[jluu6r]

near the bottom of the page - hit the reply button.

under additional options - hit the manage attachments button

hit browse button find the picture you want

then hit the upload button

then close button

then submit reply

 

[Gixxer_Six2003]

ppg makes a clear for doing this sort of thing its called DAU72 i use it to clear polished alum for the lazy people.i would post a pic of the can but i can't post pics i don't know how.

Does it crack after a while ? I've heard some people claiming it cracks, but I think they are reffering to regular clear.

 

[pitts4pets]

this clear is made for this purpose,it shouldn,t crack cause its very very thin,i think the mixing ratio is 16:1 were as regular clear is generally 4:1 and like 2-3mills thick.oh yeah and thanks for showing me how to post a pic!