paint removal?

[onsight512]

How difficult is it to remove the paint from a titanium frame? Is it just a matter of disassembling the bike and having the frame sand/bead-blasted?

I ask because I am shopping for a ti-framed bike and may have found one, but the frame is painted (all but the seat and chain stays). I'd prefer the bike to be bare metal.

thanks,
Chris

[wasfast]

I'd go the chemical paint remover route. Shouldn't bother the ti at all and the paint will come right off. Mediablasting will change the look completely and make cleaning more difficult.

As usual, test a small area first before slathering it on the whole frame.

If the paint is of the 2 stage/epoxy/polyurethane variety, you should consider the types made for epoxy/marine removal. Home Depot etc have them.

[biker72]

I just recently emailed Serotta about this very question. Their response was that they could repaint my titanium frame but could not just strip it to bare metal. No reason given.

Apparently there is some special process that's required for painting titanium.

[buck-50]

Tal-strip will remove the paint (and clearcoat and primer in one step) from about any metal surface. And the fingerprints from your fingers if you aren't careful...

One thought on removing paint- I've stripped the paint off a couple frames that were fully chromed- turns out they really only bother to polish the chrome where it shows- lugs might be almost completely unsmoothed knowing they were never going to see the light of day without a heavy coat of paint.

That might be what's waiting for you under your painted Ti frame- Sure, the chainstays or seatstays are nicely finished, as they were never meant to be painted, but under the paint could be a totally different story.

[rphetteplace]

It depends on what type of finish the bike has and what you are looking for. Most ti bikes these days are just media blasted and then scotch brited so I'd say have a go at it. - unless the bike is powdered which is a different story.

[wasfast]

I just recently emailed Serotta about this very question. Their response was that they could repaint my titanium frame but could not just strip it to bare metal. No reason given.

Apparently there is some special process that's required for painting titanium.

Likely they roughen the surface (mediablast perhaps) to get good adhesion.

[PoppaWheelie]

Couple years ago there was a good thread about this....wish I could remember the details but the prep for paint is different.

[onsight512]

I was wondering what may be waiting for me under the painted portion of the frame. I'm going to look at the bike on Sunday. I suppose that if it's a mess underneath I can always repaint it.

[forrestw]

I'd go the chemical paint remover route. Shouldn't bother the ti at all and the paint will come right off. Mediablasting will change the look completely and make cleaning more difficult. ...

Tal-strip will remove the paint (and clearcoat and primer in one step) from about any metal surface. And the fingerprints from your fingers if you aren't careful...


I would not expose Ti to the kind of solvents that can dissolve a urethane paint finish. Methylene chloride can result in stress corrosion cracking (SCC) in some Ti alloys (not 3/2.5 Ti but still why go there?).

A painted frame will have already been sand blasted, so what you've got under the paint will be a matte finish (which is one of Serotta's finish options).

Assuming the frame in question has no carbon parts, bead blasting will be simple and cost effective. If it does have carbon (all the more reason to NOT remove paint with solvent (the solvent will also attack the carbon bonding points). You might prefer the finish left by sandblast but bead blasting will actually give some extra protection from fatigue stress cracking.

[buck-50]

So, what was under the paint?