I prefered the white and chrome tips too. With an all chrome fork ? Maybe that could've been uniformly clouded to still be a foggy/hazy silver, yet not scratched or gouged like what steel wool would do to it and clear coated to protect it ? Unfortunately it's not a stainless steel fork, that could be polished up.

Clearcoat it like it is.

i immediately thought 'white' and love the first white/chrome layup. do it.

Or chrome??

Someone out there will hate me for what I just did, but here is it anyway.

Extended the threads on the fork:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...ek_930_008.jpg

Used the die holder as a cutting guide:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...ek_930_009.jpg

The raw cut:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...ek_930_010.jpg

Reaming out the steer tube:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...ek_930_011.jpg

After some cleanup with the files:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...ek_930_012.jpg

Still have to cut the notch on the backside of the threads, but two hours work is enough for tonight. Time for shower and supper.

And I did pick up some etching primer and paint today. Despite spending more than a half-hour reading paint can labels in the store, I missed the part where it has to be baked at 200F for 1 hour for the paint to cure properly :mad: .

I don't hate you at all for it. Awesome job!

Go chrome-colored...

Washed up with dish soap, rinsed thoroughly, masked, and wiped down with alcohol:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...ek_930_014.jpg

Three coats of etching primer:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...ek_930_015.jpg

Four coats of color:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...ek_930_016.jpg

The only way I could figure to "bake" the paint like the directions said to was to have a space heater set on LOW blowing on it:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...ek_930_020.jpg

It came out darker than I expected (maybe it was just dark in the garage), but still close to the Columbus sticker color. If it looks really ugly when assembled, I can do it over again another color.

Still needs masking tape residue cleaned off, black paint in the lug cutouts, and some black finishing tape on the legs. That can wait until next weekend as I'm still waiting on parts and waiting for the poor-man's frame saver (WD40) solvent to evaporate before starting assembly.

I won! woot.

Looks really good, post it assembled when you can, even just frame/fork.

So far
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...ek_930_024.jpg


Still needs finishing tape on the fork legs. But I have found evidence of more damage and questionable-looking repairs in the rear triangle :cry:, so this project is on hold until I get that sorted out.

Holy smokes, that looks awesome.