Stripping paint from ALU frame ......now PSA

[azrider]

So.......I have an aluminum bike that I'd like to convert to raw, or 'brushed' aluminum "look".

I'm guessing this is more than stripping paint, and treating the aluminum (sandpaper or polishing) and then painting with clear coat?????

Can anyone give me a "what to expect" if I tried to DIY this project ??

[Hindmost]

I have done this to repair part of a frame. Your description is pretty close. Sanding can go down to about 220 grit, followed by Scotch-Brite. Depending on frame condition might be able to do Scotch-Brite alone. Clean well, wipe down with acetone, and apply clear coat before oxides can form.

[thermalattorney]

It's actually less. There's no need to clear coat the frame once you've stripped the paint off, unless you're dead set on a glossy finish.

Having done this twice, here's my advice:

Depending on the thickness/stubbornness of the paint, you'll need to do 2-3 applications of aircraft remover. It's only ~20min per application and there's no elbow grease involved, just do it in a well ventilated area with a drop cloth. Make sure to wear gloves and eye protection, have a cup of water handy to neutralize the solvent should any get onto your skin. A pressure washer is handy but is not necessary.

After this first step, there will still be some stubborn paint left in welds or other crevices. With any luck, you'll only need to do a minimum of buffing with a polishing compound like Mother's using a rag or drill attachment. I would avoid sandpaper at first and absolutely DO NOT use something like steel wool. If you're unlucky and there's some staining, expect to spend hours polishing.

The results are really cool, especially if you have a frame with distinctive tube shapes:

https://www.pedalroom.com/p/felt-tk2-raw-9977_5.jpg

Good luck!

[saf-t]

Depending on the thickness/stubbornness of the paint, you'll need to do 2-3 applications of aircraft remover. It's only ~20min per application and there's no elbow grease involved, just do it in a well ventilated area with a drop cloth. Make sure to wear gloves and eye protection, have a cup of water handy to neutralize the solvent should any get onto your skin.

Please note that aircraft remover (like 5F5, Strip Eez, etc.) is primarily methylene chloride, a highly volatile carcinogen that's easily absorbed through the skin. OSHA's Permissible Exposure Limit for MeCl2 is 25 parts per million. You can't smell it until it's 100 ppm or so, which is why OSHA requires an airline respirator for use when over the PEL (which is almost all the time, ime). OSHA also requires an eyewash unit capable of providing 15 minutes of flow for its use, as exposure can result in permanent eye damage.

The only gloves that are truly protective are barrier gloves like the North SilverShield ones.

I strongly discourage its use on a regular basis.

/rant

[azrider]

I have done this to repair part of a frame. Your description is pretty close. Sanding can go down to about 220 grit, followed by Scotch-Brite. Depending on frame condition might be able to do Scotch-Brite alone. Clean well, wipe down with acetone, and apply clear coat before oxides can form.

Thanks!

It's actually less. There's no need to clear coat the frame once you've stripped the paint off, unless you're dead set on a glossy finish.

Having done this twice, here's my advice:

Depending on the thickness/stubbornness of the paint, you'll need to do 2-3 applications of aircraft remover. It's only ~20min per application and there's no elbow grease involved, just do it in a well ventilated area with a drop cloth. Make sure to wear gloves and eye protection, have a cup of water handy to neutralize the solvent should any get onto your skin. A pressure washer is handy but is not necessary.

After this first step, there will still be some stubborn paint left in welds or other crevices. With any luck, you'll only need to do a minimum of buffing with a polishing compound like Mother's using a rag or drill attachment. I would avoid sandpaper at first and absolutely DO NOT use something like steel wool. If you're unlucky and there's some staining, expect to spend hours polishing.

The results are really cool, especially if you have a frame with distinctive tube shapes:

https://www.pedalroom.com/p/felt-tk2-raw-9977_5.jpg

Good luck!

Wow that Felt looks REALLY cool. Nicely done.

What do you mean by staining? You mean from the paint remover?

Also. I was thinking I would need clear coat to help with corrosion (I tend to get sweaty in the summer)


Please note that aircraft remover (like 5F5, Strip Eez, etc.) is primarily methylene chloride, a highly volatile carcinogen that's easily absorbed through the skin. OSHA's Permissible Exposure Limit for MeCl2 is 25 parts per million. You can't smell it until it's 100 ppm or so, which is why OSHA requires an airline respirator for use when over the PEL (which is almost all the time, ime). OSHA also requires an eyewash unit capable of providing 15 minutes of flow for its use, as exposure can result in permanent eye damage.

The only gloves that are truly protective are barrier gloves like the North SilverShield ones.

Noted!

[thermalattorney]

What do you mean by staining? You mean from the paint remover?


I wish I had taken a pic all those years ago. It had nothing to do with the solvent, it's more like some faint leftover paint. The other frame I stripped did not have this issue and came out looking super clean with little work.

[azrider]

I wish I had taken a pic all those years ago. It had nothing to do with the solvent, it's more like some faint leftover paint. The other frame I stripped did not have this issue and came out looking super clean with little work.

Ahh........I see. I wonder if it has anything to do with the quality of tubing used....

[Dave]

You can buy several different grades of scotchbrite from the coarse green variety, to finer burgundy color or even finer grey.

[false_Aest]

Why is look in quotes?

[aaronf]

Why is look in quotes?

My guess is that the OP didn't want to confuse anyone regarding Look frames/bicycles.

[DRietz]

Oxides form on aluminum almost instantaneously and are actually protective of the material, unlike iron oxide on steel.

So clear is really not necessary unless you live in a place with salt in the air or on the road or both.

[monkeybanana86]

Nice job on that Felt!

[macaroon]

If it were my bike, I'd......

Strip the paint off carefully.
Don't use anything overly abrasive, as alu is soft and can easily be marked by sandpaper.
Polish it up using fine wet and dry and polishing compounds to get a shiny finish.
Take it to an anodizer and ask them to clear anodize it.

[azrider]

Why is look in quotes?

Just didn't know best way to achieve the same end goal: sanding, painting, paint stripping, polishing, etc


Also.....for anyone who wants to help. How would I accomplish putting logo's back on? Decal? Paint ?

Thanks again y'all

[guyintense]

I just did this to my new Intense, unfortunately it was powder coated a bright orange. I used the brush-on Aircraft stripper, didn't work nearly as well as the youtube video BTW, and a few brass wire brushes, then a dental tool for the tight spots and red scotch bright pads. It took me two days but I was really happy with the results. I left it raw and just hit it with scotch pads periodically.

[Dave]

Polishing all of the nooks and crannies can be ridiculously difficult and time consuming. A polished surface will show scratches quickly, even if anodized.

I'd stick with the brushed finish.

I put a brushed finished on a lot of square feet of aluminum used on my hot rod - all of the interior "upholstery" panels, including the trunk and a custom made engine cover for the LS3 engine. The alumnimum panels were all cold-worked 3003 aluminum. To get a uniform color, you have to sand through a thin cold-worked layer before changing to scotchbrite pads.

[azrider]

I just did this to my new Intense, unfortunately it was powder coated a bright orange. I used the brush-on Aircraft stripper, didn't work nearly as well as the youtube video BTW, and a few brass wire brushes, then a dental tool for the tight spots and red scotch bright pads. It took me two days but I was really happy with the results. I left it raw and just hit it with scotch pads periodically.

Nice!

Now.....pardon my ignorance, but what is the difference between GUYINTENSE bike above, and this caad8 ? Polishing? Clear coat?

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_T3QwYwbcmts/R0s-Cwa6V2I/AAAAAAAABWs/KIiYMzCgN_k/s1600/IMG_0246_2.jpg

[azrider]

Nice!

Now.....pardon my ignorance, but what is the difference between GUYINTENSE bike above, and this caad8 ? Polishing? Clear coat?

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_T3QwYwbcmts/R0s-Cwa6V2I/AAAAAAAABWs/KIiYMzCgN_k/s1600/IMG_0246_2.jpg

Any metallurgists on here ? ;):D:D

I'm curious if my aluminum frame would be a good candidate for anodizing?

[DRietz]

Any metallurgists on here ? ;):D:D

I'm curious if my aluminum frame would be a good candidate for anodizing?

The reason that CAAD is shinier than that full squish bike is that the squish was probably given a coarse scotch brite treatment, or even blasted. Additionally the aluminum "dulls" with the formation of its surface oxide (which is actually a protectant, in the case of aluminum). Your CAAD is shiny because it's polished, and has a clear coat.

Anodizing aluminum bike frames is a tricky thing to get right. Firstly, the vent holes in the frame need to be big enough to get rid of the ano solution when it gets submerged. Next, there are few weld rods that take on color well, the best I think being 5356. Welds on a 7005 frame, for example, will be darker than welds on a 6061 frame. And on a 7000-series aluminum frame, your prep work better be immaculate or it could come out looking pretty spotty.

All of this is assuming you can even find an anodizing operation that has the facilities to anodize a bicycle frame - most don't.

Not a metallurgist, but that's what I know.

[azrider]

The reason that CAAD is shinier than that full squish bike is that the squish was probably given a coarse scotch brite treatment, or even blasted. Additionally the aluminum "dulls" with the formation of its surface oxide (which is actually a protectant, in the case of aluminum). Your CAAD is shiny because it's polished, and has a clear coat.

Anodizing aluminum bike frames is a tricky thing to get right. Firstly, the vent holes in the frame need to be big enough to get rid of the ano solution when it gets submerged. Next, there are few weld rods that take on color well, the best I think being 5356. Welds on a 7005 frame, for example, will be darker than welds on a 6061 frame. And on a 7000-series aluminum frame, your prep work better be immaculate or it could come out looking pretty spotty.

All of this is assuming you can even find an anodizing operation that has the facilities to anodize a bicycle frame - most don't.

Not a metallurgist, but that's what I know.

Awesome. Thanks for that.

Looks like I'm back to stripping and polishing as my best bet to get the CAAD look.

So a quick search and it looks like TREK used 200 Series Alpha aluminum for my Crockett. That is WAY lower number than the 7000 you mentioned. Just did another search and holy crap there are a lot of different 'grades' or 'series' of aluminum

[DRietz]

Awesome. Thanks for that.

Looks like I'm back to stripping and polishing as my best bet to get the CAAD look.

So a quick search and it looks like TREK used 200 Series Alpha aluminum for my Crockett. That is WAY lower number than the 7000 you mentioned. Just did another search and holy crap there are a lot of different 'grades' or 'series' of aluminum

"200 Series Alpha" is just something Trek made up, it's not a standard alloy designation.

[azrider]

Welp.....no turning back now [emoji15][emoji15][emoji15]

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190710/e7a6e389bf36caabcc0dd7d1e0c07be3.jpg


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[azrider]

Not trying to bump this for attention whoring, but rather to serve as a PSA.

Cliff notes: picked up Trek Crockett CX for bargain, and wasn't in love with Pink color, even though it's special addition color, but loved everything else bought bike. At same time, I've always lusted after raw aluminum look so did some research and thought I'd strip paint and polish it to look factory.

If you're contemplating doing this, do NOT BE FOOLED by these reports of people saying "oh just brush on some paint stripper and it'll come right off". I feel that the majority of people saying this are either working with a frame that is much older or frames that might've had a very thin or non existent clear coat. Mine on the other hand is much newer and had a clear coat that is on par with a Jedi night's Force field.

I opted for Aircraft stripper but they only make it in Non-Methylene Chloride forumulas.....which, I learned later, is the main ingredient that you WANT/NEED in a paint stripper. The problem is it's hard to find. I found a shop that had it but it was pricey and too far drive so I decided to stick with what I had. But even the non-methylene forumla is N-A-S-T-Y stuff.

Last picture below shows saran wrap......this can be done to help keep the stripper insulated which helps it work better. The trick with stripper is to keep the area wet but since it's so friggin hot and dry here lets just say that ended up being a challenge.

It was too pungent for the garage so I did it outside on side of the house and hung it from a tree. Being outside is fine, but I also learned that the air temperature in which you apply this stuff is EXTREMELY important. Being summer in AZ the outside temps are around 110 right now so the stuff kept drying too quickly and just started to oxidized the aluminum.

Another suggestion.......a pair of good, thick rubber gloves. This stuff burned through several pairs of the thick disposable mechanic gloves I have on hand for engine work so I had to buy some legit barrier gloves. Also, eye protection. When you're scrapping that gunk off the little bits and pieces go everywhere and there was one scary moment where i got little piece in the eye luckily I had water hose right there and flushed it out.

But all in all I really just want people to know that this is not a 'little' project or weekend project my any means. This is a lot more work than I was anticipating so make sure you realllllllly want that raw look before you dive in.

[azrider]

Some pics of the debacle.....

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190711/58f7e4c79e8f1ef949889841c032604f.jpg

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190711/22f4a4cb8f20042e30f690a8f0815cf2.jpg

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190711/f5fc132636e7236675491fba4d77e076.jpg

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190711/d722bf49fd2f351723c91352070c2a91.jpg

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190711/f53215f09d435110058909ce1538c678.jpg


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[Jaybee]

Thanks for your PSA. Especially the part where you note how nasty even the nice version of the stripping compound is. I've done site cleanups where methylene chloride is a contaminant of concern - it is not a joke, even in extremely dilute amounts. For anyone else thinking of trying this, please have a plan for protecting yourself (including compatible gloves and safety glasses and probably not flip-flops), for responding to an accidental spill, and for disposal when the process is finished (a lot of fire departments will have a no-questions haz waste dropoff day).

[seanile]

bummer you hadn't heard of citristrip.
could do it in your living room and it'd be done in an evening.

[charliedid]

Hope it works out for you, attention whore :banana:

I wouldn't have the patience to do it.

I knew loads of people who had them professionally stripped years ago. Mostly Cannondales. IMO the best looking ones had new decals applied to them. I think bare frames look funny.

Carry on and look forward to the finished product.

I do like that pink though. LOL

[azrider]

bummer you hadn't heard of citristrip.
could do it in your living room and it'd be done in an evening.

Oh I had heard of ctristrip, but took salesperson's word that it wouldn't be strong enough. The gal that was helping me was super nice and said she had experience with most all the paint stripping products and she had said that citristrip was the weakest and they sold the least of it.

After getting frustrated with the Airplane stripper, I bought some JASCO stripper in aerosol can and I feel it worked better than the Airplane Stripper.....

But I think there were multiple factors working against me with this project and I take blame for each and should've done little more research. Which is part of my frustration of watching YouTube videos and reading accounts where people say "oh you just paint this stuff on and VOILA.....paint gone"

Yeah not so much :mad::mad::mad:

[azrider]

Hope it works out for you, attention whore :banana:

I wouldn't have the patience to do it.

I knew loads of people who had them professionally stripped years ago. Mostly Cannondales. IMO the best looking ones had new decals applied to them. I think bare frames look funny.

Carry on and look forward to the finished product.

I do like that pink though. LOL

HA....good one ;)

I totally thought the pink was cool, still do, but for some reason I just kept thinking I couldn't pull it off......maybe when I was younger but for Dad who is north of 40........not so much :p:p:p:p

As for aesthetics of raw bikes........i just love 'em: brushed or polished alu with all black bits.....thats haute atmo

[Jaybee]

Oh I had heard of ctristrip, but took salesperson's word that it wouldn't be strong enough. The gal that was helping me was super nice and said she had experience with most all the paint stripping products and she had said that citristrip was the weakest and they sold the least of it.

After getting frustrated with the Airplane stripper, I bought some JASCO stripper in aerosol can and I feel it worked better than the Airplane Stripper.....

But I think there were multiple factors working against me with this project and I take blame for each and should've done little more research. Which is part of my frustration of watching YouTube videos and reading accounts where people say "oh you just paint this stuff on and VOILA.....paint gone"

Yeah not so much :mad::mad::mad:

Yeah, that's frustrating. Your biggest issue is being in Scottsdale in July. Most of the active ingredients are volatilizing into the air nearly immediately.

[charliedid]

HA....good one ;)

I totally thought the pink was cool, still do, but for some reason I just kept thinking I couldn't pull it off......maybe when I was younger but for Dad who is north of 40........not so much :p:p:p:p

As for aesthetics of raw bikes........i just love 'em: brushed or polished alu with all black bits.....thats haute atmo

haha I just mean stripped bikes (raw) but no decals. I think the look is great otherwise.

[CSTRider]

Thanks for your PSA. Especially the part where you note how nasty even the nice version of the stripping compound is. I've done site cleanups where methylene chloride is a contaminant of concern - it is not a joke, even in extremely dilute amounts. For anyone else thinking of trying this, please have a plan for protecting yourself (including compatible gloves and safety glasses and probably not flip-flops), for responding to an accidental spill, and for disposal when the process is finished (a lot of fire departments will have a no-questions haz waste dropoff day).

So if the stripping compound is as hazardous as everyone says, how do you safely remove it from the frame and dispose of it? I assume from looking at the pics that most DIY'ers are just hosing it off and it ends up in the soil or street. If i'm correct, that sounds like a great way to turn your property into an EPA cleanup site.

[azrider]

haha I just mean stripped bikes (raw) but no decals. I think the look is great otherwise.

Well you bring up another question that I asked previously but no one answered and that's: "will decals even stick to polished aluminum...should I clear coat over the decals?"

If you know answer Charlie i'm all ears ;););)

[azrider]

So if the stripping compound is as hazardous as everyone says, how do you safely remove it from the frame and dispose of it? I assume from looking at the pics that most DIY'ers are just hosing it off and it ends up in the soil or street. If i'm correct, that sounds like a great way to turn your property into an EPA cleanup site.

So I did it in an area that gets little to no foot traffic, and each time I scrapped the paint off I'd lay down a piece of cardboard to collect 'most' of the droppings

[Jaybee]

So if the stripping compound is as hazardous as everyone says, how do you safely remove it from the frame and dispose of it? I assume from looking at the pics that most DIY'ers are just hosing it off and it ends up in the soil or street. If i'm correct, that sounds like a great way to turn your property into an EPA cleanup site.


Do your work over a drop cloth that won't get burned through. ball everything up, put it in a bag, take it to the fire department.

You're probably correct about most DIYers not doing this and the product ending up in the soil or street. The quantities used (unless you are doing this as a side gig) aren't enough to capture the attention of a regulatory agency. At least you'll never get weeds in that spot again. Or anything else.

[charliedid]

Well you bring up another question that I asked previously but no one answered and that's: "will decals even stick to polished aluminum...should I clear coat over the decals?"

If you know answer Charlie i'm all ears ;););)

I'm no painter. Vinyl decals should do just fine as far as I know.

[azrider]

Nasty......but finally making progress on the actual paint. For quite a while I thought that I had ruined my frame but luckily it’s starting to look halfway decent.

Towards the end I thought the paint was coming up easily enough that a high powered DIY wash would help......no such luck.

I’m over it and will probably just lightly sand off the remaining paint stuck in welds.

Not looking forward to the polishing process

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190721/0661f7d8aae4473ccf2683478b91c2e2.jpg

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190721/64d4ead7c02a1f64a6ef5b8439f5d9bb.jpg

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190721/3ef0118e7c04da6f87542bca8b626248.jpg


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[Hindmost]

What were you using to strip it? A second or third effort is sometimes called for in order to avoid use of abrasives.

[azrider]

What were you using to strip it? A second or third effort is sometimes called for in order to avoid use of abrasives.

Dude.....you're over here talking to me about second or third??? :p:p:p:p:p

I have to giggle because this is after 8th or 9th "effort". Application temps are so important and for me to tackle this in middle of summer in AZ was HUGE mistake. The stuff would dry out too much to take affect and I was putting on coat after coat after coat............

I used aircract stripper first.....good but suuuuuuuper nasty to work with

also used aerosol by JASCO and found it to be far superior in multiple facets:
application
results
clean-up
ease of use

Imma tellin ya........one of my least favorite bike projects ever..........

[Hindmost]

Apologies! Sounds like you've made the efforts and tryed the right stuff. I am puzzled about the outcome so far. High temps, yeah a significant problem.

[wildboar]

Any chance someone could soda blast (the rest of) it? Must have been a different thread where someone was asking about it.

[charliedid]

Just build and ride the GD thing :p

[azrider]

Apologies! Sounds like you've made the efforts and tryed the right stuff. I am puzzled about the outcome so far. High temps, yeah a significant problem.

Yeah I've made tons of mistakes.......so others don't have to :p:p

Any chance someone could soda blast (the rest of) it? Must have been a different thread where someone was asking about it.

So i inquired with local companies around town and no one could do it. I take that back........they could do it, but for the medium I wanted (nut shells, glass, etc) each place conveniently didn't have that on hand which required me to buy a crap done of it and then most would go to waste cause all I needed was a little bicycle frame done.

[azrider]

Just build and ride the GD thing :p

Soooooo much anger. Those muggy Chicago summers can realllllly get to a guy :p:p:p

[charliedid]

Soooooo much anger. Those muggy Chicago summers can realllllly get to a guy :p:p:p

:banana:

73 and a north wind today!

[unterhausen]

I'm hoping the local powder coater will strip one of my frames for a reasonable price, because reading this thread just reminds me of how hard this is. When I was at trek in the '70s, they had a stripper that would take Imron off in seconds, nothing left. And Imron was supposedly impervious to chemicals. I hated using the tank of that stuff because even with PPE, you would get minor burns. Hate to think of what it would be like unprotected.

[azrider]

:banana:

73 and a north wind today!

Holy moly that sounds amazing. Definitely miss those days back when I lived in Lincoln Park. Enjoy that while it lasts my dude.....

I'm hoping the local powder coater will strip one of my frames for a reasonable price, because reading this thread just reminds me of how hard this is. When I was at trek in the '70s, they had a stripper that would take Imron off in seconds, nothing left. And Imron was supposedly impervious to chemicals. I hated using the tank of that stuff because even with PPE, you would get minor burns. Hate to think of what it would be like unprotected.

I've done many a bike projects in past but this one takes cake. Again, i've made some mistakes along way, but the materials i've been working with and how long this whole thing has taken makes me think that if i had it to do all over again i would have gone straight to local chemical stripper and had it dipped and be done with it ($50 for chemical dip)

:crap::crap:

[martl]

So.......I have an aluminum bike that I'd like to convert to raw, or 'brushed' aluminum "look".

I'm guessing this is more than stripping paint, and treating the aluminum (sandpaper or polishing) and then painting with clear coat?????

Can anyone give me a "what to expect" if I tried to DIY this project ??

From my experience:

- chemical paint stripper, unless one uses the heavy-duty industrial stuff which has other implications (see above) causes more work finishing and cleaning up, than just sanding the whole frame from the start and skip the step.
In my attempts, the paint stripper did a good job on the larger surfaces but not so much in the edges and corners; but that is where 90% of the work is spent.

- You may find some bondoed-ovewr dirty secrets under the original paint, which may interfere with your bare-metal plans (not very often, but it happens)

- Brushing Aluminum, i find it extremely hard to get a uniform surface finish, It wil just have a different look depending od direction, pressure, duration of the scotchbrite application... and even harder, once you got it, to keep it.

The stuff is just too soft, so wherever the surface is in regular contact with something like your legs, or a cable etc... it will soon shine like the pants of a blue serge suit. Also, bare Alu will get dull over time with oxidation.
i'd strongly recommend a clear coat after you've reached the surface you wanted

[azrider]

HEY......quick shout out to everybody who helped me with their suggestions on this. Finally done with it!!

Have great weekend y'all

https://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=242850


https://i.imgur.com/6iKG3QNh.jpg

[charliedid]

Looks great!

I still think bikes need logos but whatev.

Enjoy it.

[Dino Suegiù]

HEY......quick shout out to everybody who helped me with their suggestions on this. Finally done with it!!

Have great weekend y'all

https://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=242850


https://i.imgur.com/6iKG3QNh.jpg

Wow, after all that work, time, dedication, and frustration (you must have the patience of Job) that result is fantastic. Congratulations.

I don't see a post here or in the other thread: do you need to do anything to the bare alu to keep it from oxidizing, or will you just leave as is and let it age naturally?

Great job regardless. https://forums.thepaceline.net/images/icons/icon14.gif

[bathsalts]

I kept waiting for a post with a photo of the frame in the dumpster but DAMN that looks great!

[azrider]

Looks great!

I still think bikes need logos but whatev.

Enjoy it.

Thanks dude!!

Yuup.......totally agree with your statement. I plan on putting TREK logos back on but the first round of decals I got ain't gonna cut it. So i just ordered different logos and am waiting for them to get here

[charliedid]

Thanks dude!!

Yuup.......totally agree with your statement. I plan on putting TREK logos back on but the first round of decals I got ain't gonna cut it. So i just ordered different logos and am waiting for them to get here

yeah I remember our previous convo about that now.

Like

[azrider]

Wow, after all that work, time, dedication, and frustration (you must have the patience of Job) that result is fantastic. Congratulations.

I don't see a post here or in the other thread: do you need to do anything to the bare alu to keep it from oxidizing, or will you just leave as is and let it age naturally?

Great job regardless.

Thanks for kind words! With a job i work too much at, travel, kids, and an ongoing 4x4 truck project I don't think patience is the right word, but rather 'distraction'. I'd work for an hour or two, get pissed, walk away, then return few days later and do an hour or two and the cycle would repeat itself. Now if I had a schedule that I had to abide by or a deadline to meet.....there's good chance my frustration would have sent that thing to dumpster :p:p:p

As for oxidizing. There are basically two camps out there: one that says you should clear coat it, and the other that says the polished alu has properties that are already protecting it so all one has to do is just repolish if it gets to dull or dirty. I'm just going to wait and see how it goes for few weeks. I'm lucky I live in AZ so moisture is non issue but I sweat a lot and am just good about washing it after each ride. So far it's kept its shine so...........there's that.........

I kept waiting for a post with a photo of the frame in the dumpster but DAMN that looks great!

Ha...dude I was close to doing that.......a COUPLE times. But then I thought of how dumb I'd feel if friends and family ever asked me "say whatever happened to that Pink bike of yours".......hahahah

[Dino Suegiù]

Thanks for kind words!

As for oxidizing. There are basically two camps out there: one that says you should clear coat it, and the other that says the polished alu has properties that are already protecting it so all one has to do is just repolish if it gets to dull or dirty. I'm just going to wait and see how it goes for few weeks. I'm lucky I live in AZ so moisture is non issue but I sweat a lot and am just good about washing it after each ride. So far it's kept its shine so...........there's that.........


Thank you.

I do not live in Arizona, but do live in dry climate and also sweat a lot. I don't think they are exactly the same finish as your frame (the fork crown was definitely not raw alu) but I remember that my sweat on a Wound-Up fork crown (silver) discolored it very visibly, and I could never get the stains out (but never stripped the crown, just left as is). Mainly I was surprised (also on headset cups, and on alu bars) how aggressive and corrosive sweat could be.

It would be interesting if you update the thread with new photos after 2-3 months, before re-polishing or coating if you do, to see how much change has occurred naturally.

[eric01]

That looks really good. Do you have any close up pics of the frame?

[Black Dog]

You may want to try this to keep it clean and bright and prevent corrosion. Works great on all metals. http://www.leevalley.com/us/wood/page.aspx?p=75653&cat=1,190,42950http://www.leevalley.com/us/images/item/Woodworking/Finishing/05Z1601s1.jpg

[mhespenheide]

Well, it looks great in the end, but thanks for teaching me that it's a project I don't want to take on myself!