Pimp(ing) my Ride - Story

[AndreZA]

Now you must polish up that alu and have decals cut out of frosted vinyl.

[Captain Slow]

Does paint stripper not work better or sandblasting?

[DownhillGuru]

Sand blasting may have been better / easier but I was not keen on giving my frame in for Phillemon to blast away on.

Mampara, close man! but I'm going for a 'brushed allu' look instead of a

polished look.

 

What you think of my decals? I'm quite proud of my efforts as far as

they're concerned.

[gummibear]

Looks good so far.

Don't sand with water use brasso rather for a smoother finish and awsome shine.

Then just clear coat it.

[DownhillGuru]

Dudes I need your help!!

 

So Friday arvie I went to visit an old mate Nico of Rodeo Rally Biker Build Off fame. Now this man knows his stuff when it comes to fabrication and painting.

 

"What's this ***?" he asked " I don't paint F@#king bicycles". I explained

that all I wanted him to do was spray on a few clear coats.

 

Ofcourse now I know that bare alluminium will oxidize, but I was convinced that a clear coat would do the trick?

 

By now you've guessed that I'm going for a 'brushed' Alu look. I don't want a polished frame. I had a Cannondale road frame with this finish

and this is what I'm trying to recreate. (I'm sure the Cannondale only

had a Clear cote).

 

Nico has suggested that I go for Silver Anodizing, apply the decals and

then spay on the clearcote.

 

I'm worried that I won't achieve the shiny brushed alu look.

 

So what i'm hoping is that you'll tell something to the effect of:

 

"Don't worry about anodizing! the Alu used for MTB frames is of a grade

that will take years to oxidize under the clear cote".

 

Please share your expertise with me..

[AndreZA]

I have absolutely no idea, and no one can give me an answer, to how you get to spray clear on bare aluminium. I always thought you had to have a primer on first but this defies the purpose. I wonder if you get a clear primer. On Saturday I had a look at a KHS and although is was painted,the name and some of the artwork was masked out and you could see the brushed alu. Looked really nice.

[DownhillGuru]

Thanks Mampara

[DownhillGuru]

Here's a pic of the 'Dale. 

This is the look I'm trying to replicate.

 

Looks to me like there's only a clearcote and decals?

 

Anyone anyone?

 

[louis0852]

Did a search on the net, that is def alu with clear coat

[javadude]

My Scott is similar, polished alu frame with clearcoat.

[DownhillGuru]

Did a search on the net' date=' that is def alu with clear coat

[/quote']

 

Thanks Louis, that's what I wanted to hear. If it does oxidize over time

I can always strip it down again and respray.

[DownhillGuru]

My Scott is similar' date=' polished alu frame with clearcoat. [/quote']

 

Thanks Velo, I do appreciate the input from you oke's.

[javadude]

Been thinking about clear coating over polished finishes. Logic tells me the clear coat wont bond well to a polished surface. I always thought that a surface had to be "roughed up" for paint to adhere to it.

 

[TNT1]

 

My Scott is similar' date=' polished alu frame with clearcoat. [/quote']

 

Thanks Velo, I do appreciate the input from you oke's.

 

Clear coated, or anodized?

 

[javadude]

Looks clear coated to me. Its a very glossy mirror like polish. Wouldn't anodizing give a duller finish?

[Zaskar]

As far as i know the Scotts are anodized silver. Well at least my AFD Pro road frame is.