Time to brake out the spray guns.
Most of the restoration threads, I have read opt for powder coating as their best friend. While powder coating does has some advantages. Like someone else doing the job. Powder coating frames on trail bikes might not be the best thing. Powder coating is tough, but brittle. Once a stone chip starts, it quickly spreads and starts lifting the rest.
I going for the tried and tested method that was done on frames from the 40's on through the 70's. If you own a airhead you might just recognize the color of the primer. I have gone for an epoxy based enamel. Not quick drying and takes a good week to cure. When properly dry, it is tough and flexible.
Shiny red paint. Just have to let it harden up for a week before putting the new steering head bearings in. Plenty more to get on with while I wait for the paint to dry.
After I finished painting the frame. I strolled over to Andy Gadget’s for a coffee. Might as well take over the lower triple clamps and press the bearing off. Feels like the bearing has been on for at least a million years. Nothing a bit of heat and a 30 ton press cannot handle.
A man and his castle or cave.
Living in Suburbia
Both Andy Gadget and I live in suburbia with our garages under the house. Our poor neighbors having to put up with us. KCRW.com blaring on the radio competing with grinders and welders etc.
Came home from work today and found this on my nature strip. Righto time to break out the sander and finish off the tank while the concrete truck is here. Next step. Try and remove some of the dents out of the tank with stuff lying around the garage.
Picked up some new head steam bearings for the XT on the way home from work. The head stem bearings are an over the counter bearing yippie. Part numbers 32005x & 32006X. $39 for the pair of Timken bearings
Sand blasted the triple clamps today and put a coat of etch primer to keep the finger prints off
After reading a few threads on XT's, about engine problems on old bikes . It is starting to make worry a bit about the engine and maybe I should be working on that first. As there is no point having good looking paint if the engine cases are wrecked.
Before I left. I painted a few bits and the tank is starting to take shape. Tried getting the dents out with different shaped levers. Got them about half way out. Very sharp crease was a hold up on the show. The more effort trying to remove the dents. The more the gas cap would buckle.
My work mates reckon I have been a bit slack on this project and I should pull my finger out and get on with it.
The tank is straight and covered in primer filler ready for some clean white 2 pack paint. Before that I need to POR15 of some material like that to line the inside of the tank before painting.
Tank with primer filler and guide coat.
New steering head bearings fitted.
Today, I found a way of sand blasting without making as much mess as normal. I had the bright idea of a big clear plastic bag. Like the one your dry cleaning comes in. I threw the fork leg in the bag. Pulled the rubber glove over my overalls. Put the blaster and your hand in the bag and close the entrance as much as you can. Blast away, still need to wear a mask and goggles. When finished, tip the grit back into your bucket and use again.
While I was doing the blasting. I put some marine clean to soak in the tank to start the process of relining the tank.
Fork legs blasted, etched, silver and clear.
A bit of work is cleaning up the barrel and side covers for painting.
Some times it is not healthy for your wallet working the middle of industrial estate. Came home with a small and expensive box of 2 pack be beer primer and colour. Sadly, you cannot buy small amounts of 2 pack paint. I have enough primer for at least 3 - 4 bikes and enough white to at least 2 bikes. Rubbed back the guide coat and squirted 3 coats of primer on the tank. Does not look to bad at all. All I could find is one small pin hole near the top of the tank and rest of the tank looks straight.
Paint, a decent face mask, swing arm bearings and engine seal kit.
Just the look for the local night club.
Shiny white paint. Sadly I have to redo it again. Each 2 pac has a different way in the secondary flow rates and I have not used De beer paint before. It is the fastest I seen. It was turning out to be a mirror finish with no orange peel. Instead of tacking off. It did the opposite and the secondary flow kicked in and ran. Looks like a lot more rubbing down to do. I won't get caught out again
Painting is such a fickle game and a very, very fine line between fantastic and fooked. Gloss off the gun with 2 pac is just stunning as you can see the reflection in the photo.
It is enough to drive a man to drink.
Just figured out why I stuffed up. I have just been reading the product sheet. The hardener, I was sold is a slow drying one. Meaning I need to allow a twice to three times as long between coats. Or spend $35 and get fast drying hardener.
After another joyous hour of rubbing the tank back. Take 2, of painting the Tenere tank. This time I will throw the instructions out the window. Increased the quantity of hardener a little and used no reducer. Still very thin and can run quicker than looking at it. Increased the time between coats to 30 mins. Thats more like it. Mirror finish with very little orange peel and only a couple flecks of dust that can be cut and polished out at a later date. De beers paint has to be the hardest paint I have ever used. It would be very hard for a back yard person to use this paint and get a good job... Glasurit is far easier to use. Pheeeew.
Bacon and eggs...A day's work for a chicken, a lifetime commitment for a pig.
