Slabbie frame face lift.

[Swiss Toni]

Anyone had success with ‘tarting up’ a tired Slabbie frame? 
Magic potions, household products ect, or specific market solutions?

[Dezza]

Were they anodised from new? And what finish are you aiming for? Are you going to modify it by welding?

[clivegto]

Chrome powder. 

[Swiss Toni]

6 hours ago, Dezza said:

Were they anodised from new? And what finish are you aiming for? Are you going to modify it by welding?

Anodised, yes. I’d like to get a clean std. finish. Not shiny. Clive’s chrome powder might be an option, if it’s not too bright?

[clivegto]

It's very shiny when first done which does dull down with time. 

[Joseph]

Chemical polishing (?) Could be ideal for our frames, it passivates alloys to prevent any corrosion (up to 10 years supposedly) and you can get it to as shiny as you want. The chemical compound seals the finish

However i suppose it would be a budget and like chrome you need to find the guys who have a big enough tank

PC is good but thick as we have all seen, but it's probably the most cost worthy and durable finish for a bike that you want to use a lot

[Kamikaze]

Ive also thought about tarting up the frame but im just gonna buy a flap or scotch wheel and stick it on a grinder and see what happens.

[Framotors]

I polished mine few years ago, lot of elbow grease and a few power tools.
It was already badly polished before and the clear coat turned yellowish so I had to remove it all before, it made the job much harder.

[Kamikaze]

its alot more work than just cleaning it with chemicals but im gonna give it a go.

 

 

[Dezza]

I've only removed hard anodising from relatively small parts such as footrest plates and it's a pig of a job. Soaking in caustic soda solution, attack with Scotchbrite, repeat ad nauseum. Good luck with the frame. Maybe soaking old towels in caustic and wrapping around the frame spars will help initially.

Has anyone had an alloy frame soda/vapour blasted? I have always wondered if this is effective on a part as big as a frame and if it gets hard anodising off eventually.

[clivegto]

9 minutes ago, Dezza said:

 

Has anyone had an alloy frame soda/vapour blasted? I have always wondered if this is effective on a part as big as a frame and if it gets hard anodising off eventually.

 

I had the JMC swinging arm aqua blasted on the 10/4 Si project. 

[Toecutter]

Vapour blast and clear Matt cerakote may be an option. Bare vapour blasting looks nice and uniform for a while but goes patchy and blotted after a short while. 

[clivegto]

1 hour ago, Toecutter said:

Vapour blast and clear Matt cerakote may be an option. Bare vapour blasting looks nice and uniform for a while but goes patchy and blotted after a short while. 

 

Been spraying gt85 on the one in the picture I had done. Just the same as polished stuff really it does go off. 

[Toecutter]

Yeah, I use acf50 to help protect. I've done engine crankcases which seem to fair pretty well. My swingarm and fork legs I did on my slabby have gone a bit scabby but it does get used in all weathers...

[Dezza]

Does it get the factory anodising off frames? The blasting that is, not the GT85 or the ACF50 .

[Toecutter]

It's best to media blast the anodising off using something sensible like glass bead or fine silica carbide that's not too aggressive first. Then vapour blast. This achieves a nice, uniform finish when finally vapour blasted. You'd be there forever trying to vapour blast off hard anodising...