Protecting a bare metal frame.
09-21-09, 09:49 PM
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Oddjob Cassanova
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Protecting a bare metal frame.
What clear option looks best over a bare metal frame. I'd like to have the finish be just the bare cro-mo but I'd like to protect it from rust. Any suggestions?
Thanks
Thanks
09-21-09, 09:51 PM
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polished, brushed, or something else?
hard to do: clear coat polished metal and not have it come out dull looking.
hard to do: clear coat polished metal and not have it come out dull looking.
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Food for thought: if you aren't dead by 2050, you and your entire family will be within a few years from starvation. Now that is a cruel gift to leave for your offspring. ;)
https://sanfrancisco.ibtimes.com/arti...ger-photos.htm
Food for thought: if you aren't dead by 2050, you and your entire family will be within a few years from starvation. Now that is a cruel gift to leave for your offspring. ;)
https://sanfrancisco.ibtimes.com/arti...ger-photos.htm
09-21-09, 10:55 PM
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what about oiling the metal?
09-21-09, 11:02 PM
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__________________
Food for thought: if you aren't dead by 2050, you and your entire family will be within a few years from starvation. Now that is a cruel gift to leave for your offspring. ;)
https://sanfrancisco.ibtimes.com/arti...ger-photos.htm
Food for thought: if you aren't dead by 2050, you and your entire family will be within a few years from starvation. Now that is a cruel gift to leave for your offspring. ;)
https://sanfrancisco.ibtimes.com/arti...ger-photos.htm
09-21-09, 11:28 PM
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Boiled Linseed Oil? Probably won't stay on.
09-22-09, 12:23 AM
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Clear Powdercoat is your best bet. There are clear sealers available that are self etching. As far as clear paints for bare metal:
https://www.eastwood.com/paints/clear...tal-quart.html
https://www.eastwood.com/paints/clear...al-quarts.html
Should remember 'clear' has a slight yellow tint to it and the more coats, the more pronounced it becomes. Plus if you use clear paint, you will have to re-spray every few years...the sun and the reflection from the metal itself will burn it off. Just look at any silver or grey painted car or clearcoated silver or chrome wheels to see the effects. Clear powder coating will last a lot longer.
https://www.eastwood.com/paints/clear...tal-quart.html
https://www.eastwood.com/paints/clear...al-quarts.html
Should remember 'clear' has a slight yellow tint to it and the more coats, the more pronounced it becomes. Plus if you use clear paint, you will have to re-spray every few years...the sun and the reflection from the metal itself will burn it off. Just look at any silver or grey painted car or clearcoated silver or chrome wheels to see the effects. Clear powder coating will last a lot longer.
09-22-09, 06:22 AM
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This is a clear powdercoated frame. I had it stripped to bare metal and sanded out most of the wire wheel scratches by hand (
) using wet and dry abrasive paper, working through the grits to 600. Its a lot of work, believe me, but you will have a unique and durable finish.If I were to do this again, I would do the following...
Have the frame abrasive blasted to remove the paint. It's cheaper than chemical stripping and gives a uniform finish for clear coating.
NOT use a scraper or wire wheel or brush on it. Clear coating accentuates every scratch on the frame and most of the work was removing those scratches. A brushed steel finish would require very much less work though.
Spend more time sanding around the brazed lugs to a mirror finish. Clear coat does not hide tiny flaws...it exaggerates them.
Maybe polish the frame to a mirror finish using a powered cloth polishing wheel...with the frame secured in a vice. A buffing wheel can catch in the dropouts and throw it with some force! Don't ask how I know this.
In between sanding sessions I protected the frame with WD40, which gives the frame a high gloss level. Clear powder coat does not have the same gloss level, as others have stated. It still looks very good though IMO.
Its also very durable, although not indestructable. it's very easy to touch up small nicks and scratches.with clear nail polish though, followed by a cutting compound to level it to the original finish.
The best of luck with your project. I'd be quite interested in how it turns out.
