XBR stripdown

[guest288]

Hi all, 

I bought an XBR that had been used as a winter hack with the intention of tidying it up a bit and putting it to good use.  However, as usual, I've gone way overboard, and currently the bike is sitting there completely stripped down to the frame and a pile of bits on the floor... 

I'd like to paint the chassis- I've got rid of the rusty bits, going to prime it with a filler/primer from an aerosol, flat it back, then use Hammerite Gloss Black in spraycans.

Has anyone else used aerosols for this sort of thing?  As the bike has been well used through winter weather I don't want to spend a fortune, I'm looking for the best effect from little outlay.

Also, has anyone got any tips for cleaning salt crud off the engine/gearbox casings?

Any help or tips would be greatly received.

Cheers, Dave. 

[guest7]

I've used Hammerite silver for things like my old VX800's swing arm, and the results were fantastic.

Cheers
GC

[guest27]

Hi

I am a great fan of Japlac brush on lac.  Produces a lovely finish - especially if a couple of three coats are put on rubbed back between.

Aerosols - hint from a pro sprayer - mind he could not see why anyone would want to use them when you could have a few grands worth of spray kit instead...

Try and work in a still warm atmosphere - he recommended pinning some plastic over the doors to keep out the wind and running a fan heater for an hour or so before starting to make the shed nice and warm - mind he may have been trying to make me high as a kite.  Secondly the quality of spray is dependent on the pressure in the can - so puit two or three cans in a bucket of bloody hot water for half an hour before you start - not boiling.  keep an eye on them - if the bottom starts to burn out or they start to bulge you have turned your spraycans into bombs - dont lift them out of the water just turn a hose on in the bucket to cool them right back  Water so hot you can just stand it should be fine.

Spray a few passes from one can and then return it to the hot water and use a second - numbering then is good for this - keep the hot water hot and try to keep the water away from the paint - dry the cans as they come out.

Keeping the pressure up makes the cans work so much better, the warm shed keeps the paint flowing.

Remember with Hammerite, if you do not re-coat it within 6 hours (I think) you should leave it a couple of weeks before re coating.

Hammerite do a nice primer - Finnegans No 1 is it (added to Pimms No1 for a real fine finish)  this works well with hammerite and helps produce a real nice finish which is real durable.

R

[Andy M]

And don't forget that spraying over brushed on Hammerite will give a spray like finish at lower cost. Something to do with surface tension.

Andy

[xbruby]

Re cleaning the engine casings try Wonder Wheels. Sold to clean alloy whels it makes a reasonable job of cleaning up salt marked engine casings.

Regards,

Andy

Hi all, 

I bought an XBR that had been used as a winter hack with the intention of tidying it up a bit and putting it to good use.  However, as usual, I've gone way overboard, and currently the bike is sitting there completely stripped down to the frame and a pile of bits on the floor... 

I'd like to paint the chassis- I've got rid of the rusty bits, going to prime it with a filler/primer from an aerosol, flat it back, then use Hammerite Gloss Black in spraycans.

Has anyone else used aerosols for this sort of thing?  As the bike has been well used through winter weather I don't want to spend a fortune, I'm looking for the best effect from little outlay.

Also, has anyone got any tips for cleaning salt crud off the engine/gearbox casings?

Any help or tips would be greatly received.

Cheers, Dave. 

[guest146]

Save yourself a lot of trouble and get the lot sand blasted and the engine/forks bead blasted. Done mine it came up realy good Self etching primer, paint, and a laquer on top. £35.00 to blast the lot it cost. Be sure the realy block off all ports and openings well.

Ken