Looking for some advice on what to do with my frame, which is decrepit. The options are to sand down by hand, or Aquablast (approx £50) Then 1. Apply etch primer and spray top coat/lacquer OR 2. Powder coat. Has anyone painted theirs, and was it worth going that route? How much would powder coat cost? I expect that is the best option.
Aquablast for a better finish paint its cheaper and a better colour match. powder coat still scratches and flakes same as paint.
I know this question’s come up before but I’ve still not seen an answer for it. Where can one get replacement VIN & frame stickers from? Or is it possible to mask the original stickers during the aqua blasting and spray painting procedure?
I aquablast all the time mate and no you can’t mask the sticker... AB is by far the best process as there’s no ingraining into the metal as it uses water and glass beads at high pressure where as sand blasting cuts into the metal and leaves residue.. I’d deff recommend a quality paint job over PC.. Replacement vin stickers are available here.. VINTAGS LTD they have a website too.. 01302843175 X
If the frame has the VIN stamped into the headstock, consider masking this at the paint stage. I've seen powder coated frames and the VIN number was no longer readable. Since I was checking the bike it made me wary as a potential buyer.
Another problem with powder coating is it is thick & many of the frame fixing holes become reduced in size. Meaning cleaning them out to correct size & giving a possible rust area to develop.
I'm very happy with the frame I had powdercoated for my SS project. I did all the masking myself, sacrificial bolts in all the threaded holes and wooden bungs in the headstock. It was blasted and powdercoated in my choice of colour by Technique Finishing in Chichester who we use at work for Aircraft First Class Cabin Interior fittings which have to be near as damn it perfect quality. Nasher
Steve at TPCS in Wiltshire podwer coated my 900SS frame - what a great job! All of the holes were properly masked/blanked, and he also masked off the frame no and then clear coated the bare part, so it won't rust. Top bloke.
Have you considered having it stove enamelled? Not many places do this any more as few traditional paint finishers remain. Modern powder coating is cheaper and far easier to apply whereas wet painting requires a lot more time and effort. Inspect small intricate parts that have been powder coated and the detail will be all but obliterated in a thick layer of coloured concrete!
I'd agree if you go to a generic Powdercoater who is involved with coating street furniture etc. Go to one specialising in decorative powder coating and you'll get a nice thin coat more akin to a paint thickness, and the part will have been wired by somebody with the knowledge to use the current to flow the dry powder into corners instead of slapping a load on to ensure coverage. When my SS frame was done I had the conversation with the powdercoater about the thickness etc I wanted. Again, the difference between a generic shop and one specialising in decorative work. Nasher.
Here is a photo of a powdercoated wheel. The fine detail looks pretty well displayed, to my eye. The layer is thin but tough, and bears little resemblance to concrete.
Steve Turner of TPCS, near Devizes in Wiltshire. This wheel is aluminium alloy, but Steve also specialises in magnesium alloy. I recently got him to do a pair of Guzzi wheels - to strip, crack test, powder coat silver, fit new wheel bearings (supplied by me), and dispatch back to me - and it cost a grand total of £182. I thought this was reasonable, considering the quality of the work. http://tpcs-magnesium-refurbs.co.uk/
I assume powder-coating is much better than it was in the mid-80s when I had the 'tin' parts of my Guzzi Le Mans done in satin black by Crittalls at Witham. It only took about a year before it started to crack and peel off.
Indeed. But it's not bullet-proof. For example a centre-stand has a hard life with a lot of crap thrown at it - one I had powder coated was getting the worse for wear after a couple of years. Still better than the original paint though.
I guess one advantage of powder-coating is the range of finishes - I haven't seen paint which really resembles chrome or nickel plating.
Yes, but with powder you cannot have exact colour matches mixed up for you, as you can with paint. You have to choose the nearest one from the limited range of available colours.
