Folding Bikes - Media Blasting / Powdercoating my Raleigh Twenty

I'm working to prep my Raleigh Twenty for Media Blasting.

After that I will do some tweaking to the frame and will eventually be getting it powdercoated.

What should I do with the headbadge (can it be removed and reapplied later?)

Also, what should be done with the steel insert on the folding mechanism? (see photos below):

http://static.flickr.com/51/173228013_06e67a4f04_m_d.jpg http://static.flickr.com/69/173228014_e193aeca01_m_d.jpg

I'm working to prep my Raleigh Twenty for Media Blasting.

After that I will do some tweaking to the frame and will eventually be getting it powdercoated.

What should I do with the headbadge (can it be removed and reapplied later?)

Also, what should be done with the steel insert on the folding mechanism? (see photos below):

http://static.flickr.com/51/173228013_06e67a4f04_m_d.jpg http://static.flickr.com/69/173228014_e193aeca01_m_d.jpg


Media blasting? Is that like sand blasting only not using sand?

Media blasting? Is that like sand blasting only not using sand?

Yes, they use what they call "abrasive media." I found this description on a US Navy Web site:


Plastic Media Blasting (PMB) is a dry abrasive blasting process, designed to replace chemical paint stripping operations and conventional sand blasting. This process uses soft, angular plastic particles as the blasting medium, and has proven more efficient than chemical paint removal.

This method is supposed to be more kind to the underlying metal.

Headbadge: You can drill it out (there's little brazed rivets) and either replace with epoxy glue (as I did - admittedly with a new repro badge (loads on UK ebay to be had due to Chopper Resto nuts); the frame washer/nut thing will be fine - Mine was media blasted with no problems and it actually got repainted - it's still loose in the hole as it should be and I think they'd masked (or retapped) the thread so it all works fine and it's now colour-coded into the bargain.
Huw

Yes, they use what they call "abrasive media." ...
This method is supposed to be more kind to the underlying metal.

Cool, thanks for the education!

Hey! Look! (http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=191833&highlight=powdercoating)

Hey! Look! (http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=191833&highlight=powdercoating)

Whoops... I blame my battle with the cotter pin last night... If I wasn't so tired from my futile battle in the wee hours of the night I would of searched first... yeah thats it...

Lucky day for me...

My frame comes back from media blasting the same day that my fork is available for pickup.

http://static.flickr.com/46/178095460_a7884cf28a_d.jpg

What are you going to do about the steel insert/washer thingy for powdercoating?