yea I'm going black eventually but I was starting to get rust by my back brake lever so I figured I would polish it. But I'm going black with it eventually.

Quote from: sci_v_ici on June 27, 2008, 11:37:38 AM
yea I'm going black eventually but I was starting to get rust by my back brake lever so I figured I would polish it. But I'm going black with it eventually.

Much Much better idea....

Quote from: ohgood on June 27, 2008, 10:37:29 AM
...

AHA ! Someone here knows something about tool steels and SEMI stainless ! Caught you ! Now every question asking about 'billit aircraft aluminum' will be directed to your email box ! I'm kidding, but you're so right.

Stainless is interesting stuff. You can polish it to be as beautiful as chrome, or watch it turn to mush in the right environment.

Tool steels = the awesomeness. Surface rust wipes away with a fine stoning and comes back to like new with a little oil. My vises/plates/sines/tooling always gets a very thin layer of rust, no matter the preventative. A quick once over with a stone, and they're as good as new. Still less than .0003" out of square after 12 years.

...

I work for a plastic injection molding company. We make valves and accesories for aeresol cans. My experience is limited to handling the drawings and tooling for the molds, still learing. Most fits are high tolerance, especially with nylon. I have had a few bike parts made from S7, just something we had lying around. Not much professional experience with aluminum though.

problem with clear coating after polishing, especially after you get the mirror finish.....No tooth for the coating to adhere to.  Eventually flakes off.

I've done a rough finish, 320 grit finish sander on steel and then cleared it, looked industrial. 

Powder coating still is the best reliable finish if you don't plate it.

r

Quote from: birdman on June 27, 2008, 02:40:34 PM
problem with clear coating after polishing, especially after you get the mirror finish.....No tooth for the coating to adhere to.  Eventually flakes off.

I've done a rough finish, 320 grit finish sander on steel and then cleared it, looked industrial. 

Powder coating still is the best reliable finish if you don't plate it.

r

Ya, that would look badass. Basicly you're burnishing (spelling?) the steel, then protecting it with some paint. If the paint would stick, it would look waaaay cool. Have to get all the swirls to go the same way...

OH  oh oh ! And then get your tag personalized to say "BLNCHRD" for those fantastic old blancard grinders

I was thinking going for a sliver plating on my frame and swingarm. I used to do that to the parts I made for V&H Racing and other companies and in the sun it shinned like chrome

Copper plating on the frame,tank,and swing arm.Paint the rest black. 

copper not my style, If I had the moolah I would dip the frame and SA in chrome along with the triple clamp

Quote from: ben2go on June 27, 2008, 04:27:05 PM
Copper plating on the frame,tank,and swing arm.Paint the rest black. 

holy shaZam! that would look awesome !

if you could keep it perfectly shiny anyway.

the few customized machines i've seen with shiny cable keepers made of copper were so incredibly pretty. the look lends an look back in time at how things used to be done. no hurry, just making beautiful machines

Quote from: birdman on June 27, 2008, 02:40:34 PM
problem with clear coating after polishing, especially after you get the mirror finish.....No tooth for the coating to adhere to.  Eventually flakes off.

I've done a rough finish, 320 grit finish sander on steel and then cleared it, looked industrial. 

Powder coating still is the best reliable finish if you don't plate it.

r

Yup OK so I am not completely crazy ... now you're not Birdman of alcatraz right. OK then.
Yes, tooth, and powdercoating needs to be a completely frame off job, cant do it with the motor in the frame. or tires on the thing. Ergo, this has to come apart 1000 pieces, then powdercoat it. THose guys will first sand blast it till it looks porus like a casting. Then they get the tooth they need to powdercoat.
Cool.
Buddha.

Quote from: ohgood on June 27, 2008, 03:12:55 PM

Ya, that would look badass. Basicly you're burnishing (spelling?) the steel, then protecting it with some paint. If the paint would stick, it would look waaaay cool. Have to get all the swirls to go the same way...

OH  oh oh ! And then get your tag personalized to say "BLNCHRD" for those fantastic old blancard grinders

Ohgood's a Blanchard man...  Shoulda known!

You should do some engine turning.   

Buddha, missed your earlier comment on adhesion to smooth surface.  Birdman=redundant.

I escaped Alcatraz.

I am the Birdman.  Here is my custom ghost flame job on my old 1995 Bird.
CLICK http://home.flash.net/~rfm2/newcar/cornerview.jpg

I am nearly finished with polishing my tank and i plan on eaving it that way. I plan on purchasing a product called Bulldog  from the local paint suplier, which is clear and will allow the clear coat to adhere to it. When I get it done I will post pictures. -- Best of luck JIm

I've seen those, however they dont look shiny, they look like they're brownish ... bronzed color. In fact there was a guy that did that and posted on here 2-3 years ago.
Cool.
Buddha.