Rusty Tank Rejuvenation

[Willyboy]

Hello all, I have a radical but potentially revolutionary idea for my pre 2001 tank repair. Like so many before, I have a tank full of rust and pinholes. I've tried all the traditional techniques for removing the interior rust and I just cant get the thing clean. I'd hate to take my bike off the road over something so simple.

Here is the idea, I will cut a surgery hole in front of the cap a few inches wide that extends most of the way forward on the tank. It will be somewhat elegant and follow the crease/bodyline on either side with some margin. This area also happens to be where a majority of the pinholes live. With this gaping hole, I will then take my time getting the tank spotless and have a very easy time repairing pinhole that don't live in the cutout. After I will coat the interior of the tank. I am an engineer by trade, so I am pretty good with the fab stuff, I will sketch a semi attractive aluminum patch panel and have it laser-cut along with a gasket. This panel will get riveted in place.

I'd love to hear some nay sayers and yay sayers, it helps me tweak the project to get the best result possible. 

[The Buddha]

That's an interesting idea. I have cut the hole in the bottom of the tank, got in there and cleaned up and painted POR-15 gas tank sealant on it leaving ~1" masked off around the cut. Then weld it back in. Then get to it with a brush through the cap. No need to even paint the tank if its nice.
Cool.
Buddha.

[herennow]

Ive always wondered if one could just get the tank really clean and then deposit a layer of hard chrome on the inside electrically. Will try to makew my millions form that when I retire

[The Buddha]

Hard chrome vs soft chrome. The difference is hard chrome like fork legs and hydraulic plungers etc etc are coated with hexavalent chromium. Its toxic, and hence very very hard to get and it needs serious special equipment.
Regular chrome is bivalent chromium. Now those all work line of sight. Liquid coatings work by gravity and mechanical movement. In the case of the GS tank line of sight will leave the most vulnerable parts (the crap pockets) with the least thick coating. A liquid coating will do the opposite. Most coating where its the most vulnerable.
Chrome also if you put it in the thing long enough to get the crap pockets coated well enough, in the entire rest of the tank it will be too thick and it will peel off. Chrome also needs a base of nickel. The chrome plating places put it in the nickel tank for an hour and in the chrome tank for 2 mins. That's how light the chrome has to be for it to stay.
The best bet is actually to put 2 nice big ~3/8" holes on the top preferably where you can sort of bolt a hatch or even put a big bolt with O rings and get it hot dip galvanized.
However it wont work with a tank that's already got rust holes. I think.
Cool.
Buddha.

[herennow]

I was wondering if with a clever electrode design in the tank , think some kind of frame with points towards the "hidden bits" on could get decent coverage Would not need to plate chrome or hard chrome, could just be copper in the end to make a waterproof lining. (or lead 😜😂).

One day Ill speak to a plater, just to hear him laugh about my silly idea...