Timanator

I have a Trek 1000 that I would like to paint to OD.

After a disassemble, how do I remove the old paint?


Thanks.

AfterThisNap

Scrape as much as you can with a flat metal edge (i.e. ruler/cone wrench) then hit it with paint stripper. It's probably worth your time to take it to a paint shop to get it sandblasted for 20 bucks though.

* jack *

Sandblasting can damage the tubes of many frames, if done improperly. I would think it would be especially bad for an Alu frame.

some search results: https://www.bikeforums.net/search.php?searchid=2016146

Timanator

Thanks for the quick response guys. I should have been more specific in what I am wanting.

Basicly, I would like to get rid of the old paint down to the raw aluminum without bead blasting. Chemical remover prob would be best if a good is available. THe paint I am going to use is something commonly used to paint guns. It will be a baked on type of finish that is applied to the raw metal surface which is is supposed to be very durable and not shiny(I hate shiny).

The factory paint is pretty thick. And with so many surfaces(curved vs flat) I just havnt found a easier way to remove the paint other than sading.

AfterThisNap

Just speaking from *experience*, is that media blasting is the way to go. Aluminum will not pit with normal silica sandblasting. It's cheap, and it saves a ton of headache. That's the way I'm going when I get my frame powdercoated.

Svr

How old is the frame? I'd be careful with chemical strippers on bonded aluminum, and I'm pretty sure Trek will not honor the warranty on one of their bonded bikes that's been refinished by someone other than them.

broomhandle

i just got done painting a 1988 trek 1000. i got a really fine steal wool, and just lightly scratched up the parts that needed it and didnt get to the metal, masked off the decals, bought a automotive touch up paint. striped it to just the frame, hung it up through the head tube with some rope and sprayed away. gave it 2 coats. looks brand new!

Timanator

This is the bike right now. It is in veery good condition(01 model), I just dont like the shiny paint job. I'd also like to change the front fork to threadless so I can use some fiber forks to maybe get rid of some of the harshness when going over rough roads.

mtbikerinpa

Do Not Use a Steel tool(steel wool, steel scrapers) when treating aluminum. On steel it is alright, but the problem arises from aluminum being a softer metal. The steel will deposit particles in the porous aluminum which will result in corrosion. A plenty fine procedure on steel, not on aluminum. The only abrasive method I would reccomend is 3M Scotchbrite pads along with chemical stripper.

Personally, I like how it looks now . But that is subjective and personal.

AfterThisNap

Do you have any idea what the hell you are talking about? That's the biggest load of crap I've seen in a while, and I ate taco bell all weekend.

ivan_yulaev

If the stock paint is in good condition, just lightly sand and paint right over. I doubt you are having rust issues on that bike.

bellweatherman

Yeah, I agree. What load of BS was that all about?

And ain't no way that sandblasting is going to hurt that frame. You could literally sit there all day pelting the frame with some sand and it isn't going to pit like the dude was saying. Just save yourself the time anyway and send it off to a bike painter.

Ed Holland

Well, it's my guess that an aviation mechanic might have quite some experience in "best practice" with aluminium alloy components.

With regard to blasting, I have read about concerns with thin Al tubing that excessive blasting with sand could remove too much material, if not done carefully. To this end I've seen softer blasting media recommended such as plastic pellets or walnut shell. The good news is that the Trek 1000 frame is not ultralight, so tubes are not going to be paper thin, giving some margin for error.

A good thread though, and thanks for the recommendations - I'm about to embark on a strip 'n' paint of my aluminium Dawes Giro 400 to kill the corrosion that is creeping under the original paint.

Cheers,

Ed

Hawkegirl

For aluminium from what I gather (I've only stripped steal, but did some research on the other bike frame alloys), you definatly want to go with the airplane grade paint stripper.

I've tried blasting, stripping, and brush wheeling, and by far the stripping with the airplane crud is best (follow the directions on the can!). For alluminium though, it's much better to play it safe on the frame.

Timanator

Does this airplane quality paint stripper have a brand or name?

EGreen

Don't mean to usurp this thread, but can anything be done with carbon forks? I've got a place that will media blast and powder coat my frame (Thanks ATN!) but they can't do anything with the carbon forks that won't work in any color scheme but the current one. Any options short of replacing them?

Dr.Deltron

JASCO water rinseable, available at ANY hardware store. Will NOT hurt the aluminum.
DO NOT BLAST ALUMINUM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Jasco will do the trick.
APPLY going in ONE DIRECTION ONLY!
For more info search all of my recent painting posts!
Cheers,
Dr.D

Dr.Deltron

I'm just guessing here...you and "AfterThisNap" work at Lawrence Livermore? N.A.S.A? Sounds to me like your "experience" with stripping aluminum is limited to beer cans.
As a note; Did you know that aluminum RUSTS?!? (it's just not orange) That goes for magnesium as well.
Just though I'd ad my BS to the pile.
Dr.D

Dr.Deltron

BLAST AS A LAST RESORT! Blasting DOES remove material, and must be done with care, regardless of medium used. Chemical stripper and Scotch-Brite pads are all you should really need. (and some time)

KLEIN FRAMES; On older Kleins, the frames were subjected to a special treatment at the factory before the paint. DO NOT, DO NOT & I repeat, DO NOT STRIP THE ORIGINAL PAINT!!!!!!!!!!

YOU MUST clean the frame with wax & grease remover. Then primer with auto quality epoxy primer.
THEN you can go through and bondo all the dings and sand them smooth. If you sand through to the original color, stop sanding that spot. Finish the rest of the sanding and reprimer. Bondo anything you missed the first time. Reprimer (maybe just those couple of spots) sand the fuzzy edges w/1000 grit wet.
Paint from there.

IF YOU STRIP/BLAST A KLEIN YOU HAVE COMPROMISED ITS INTEGRITY! (how dare you, you cad!)
Check with the factory and they will tell you S.O.L!! (s_ _t outa luck) and recommend that you not ride the frame.
(don't ask me how I know this morbid little detail!) but ask Gary if you don't beleive me.

DO NOT USE CHEMICAL STRIPPER ON BONDED ALUMINUM FRAMES!!!-ONLY WELDED FRAMES!
(I hope you didn't just ask why not?)

DAWES 400 Note; Start with stripper and get rid of as much paint as you can. Clean the frame well using wax&grease remover. Inspect the corrosion areas carefully. If the pits look deep in spots you should take the frame to a blaster. Maybe an auto shop that does cylinder heads with a bead blaster. Have them hit the worst spots carefully. They need to be cleaned out completly. (think cavities and the dentist) Then get to your shop and primer. Spray LOTS at the blasted areas so it get down in those pits. Fill'em up! You're gonna sand anyway, right? And remember; RUST NEVER SLEEPS!
Happy Coloring,
Dr.D

Ed Holland

Thanks Actually, she's all done. Worst job was the stripping, this was the toughest paint I have ever worked with. All pitting in the aluminum was cleaned thoroughly down to bare metal (as was the rest of the frame), removing all the oxidation. Then the primer was troublesome, since there was no Aluminium primer available in aerosol format, only for brush application. Result - very uneven finish, though it does adhere very well and fill the pits... Two coats and a lot of sanding got a complete, smooth base cover. I used a spray primer on top of this as undercoating, before fine sanding ready for top coats. Fine sanding was done between each top coat.

I'm very pleased with the results - it is hard to get a satisfactory finish with a single colour, since imperfections really stand out, but this looks pretty good. This weekend I'll be rebuilding.

Cheers,

Ed

TitoMoraga

About Paintig Bikes --- Only for steel made bikes: Think deeply about scheme and colours combinations you like the most and learn about different brands and properties of paints. Take off all attachments from your bike and separate front fork from frame. Now remove by hand using an hard steel bar remover. Take all old paint totally till reach the metal. Now sand the surface and file any abnormality you could find from brass solder or others causes and repair others you could find using duco plaster. Remember that you are preparing the BASE of your ART WORK (How good sound this?). Once finished this part and fork and frame are clear of any old paintig, in a very well ventilated room or at free air, you must CLEAN the metal of any oxidation or grease from your shop or from your own hands. Using a cotton cloth wet in carbon tetrachoride (Don’t be afraid, is only ONE bike. Carbon tetrachloride is a clear heavy organic liquid with a sweet aromatic odor similar to chloroform. Most of it is used to make chlorofluorocarbon propellants and refrigerants, though this has been declining steadily. Other uses have included: as dry cleaning agent and fire extinguisher, in making nylon, as a solvent for rubber cement, soaps, insecticides, etc.) and then you can begin the deffinitive operation: to paint at last. If you have not experience with pinting pistols you have to practice a lot because you are painting a curved surface on a TUBE and not a Wall. Capicci?- The more layers you apply, the better your bike will looks at the end. For a good result give 4 layers – For an excellent, 8 taking care of to wait till the layer before be dry, about 1/2 an hour, 1 hour deppending of weather conditions (avoid to paint if the day is fog: to much water in the air) and that is all. So if you want to be happy send your bike to a paintig shop for “20 bucks” said somebody days ago. If your bike is aluminum made, calm your impulses and RETOUCH carefully only those damages areas.

russiankdi

sand as much off as you can, then use paint thinner, comes right off

TitoMoraga

DaDaTovarich!!