What polish and laquer for bare metal?

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  • Autosol, and no, there is no need to lacquer.

    CHeers!

  • Thread from the dead!
    I know this has been discussed to death and I've read it all but we live in fast times.
    I was wondering if somebody found a way lately to properly clearcoat or lacquer a bare metal frame.

  • Thread from the dead!
    I know this has been discussed to death and I've read it all but we live in fast times.
    I was wondering if somebody found a way lately to properly clearcoat or lacquer a bare metal frame.
    Media blast and clear powdercoat.

    Click on image to enlarge. this is more than 2 years old,but it's a dry weather only bike. powdercoaters can apply extra coats if you like.

  • My old Claud Butler was clearcoated in cellulose lacquer (from a gun, not a can). Looked fantastic for about a month but then it started peeling and flaking quite badly.

    The new owner polished it and got a clear stove enamel done on it (I'm sure he won't mind posting the picture, he has posted it on the forum before)

    I will send him a PM to ask how durable it is.

    Anyway. I've been thinking about my summer bike - I've got a Carlton frame which I'm thinking about bare-metalling. Linseed oil inside the tubes, and using a solid car wax on the outside to protect from rust. If I re-apply it every few days it should hold up well, I think. I think a heavyweight oil or grease would also give good protection, but dust would stick to it and you'd get it all over your clothes...

  • Just found this stuff:

    http://www.holden.co.uk/displayproduct.asp?pCode=094.987

    A clearcoat that's designed to go over bare metal. And it's brushable. Too good to be true?

  • Also found this:

    http://www.frost.co.uk/automotive-paint/eastwood-clear-coat-gloss-finish-for-bare-metal-surfaces-aerosol.html

    An aerosol clearcoat designed to go over bare metal. The POR15 brush-on stuff has loads of great reviews though.

  • love this:

  • Good work. How did you manage to leave the DA logo intact?

  • ?
    didn't do it. But as its pressed in you just need a light touch around it.

  • peeking eraser. sloppy.

    great stem.

  • That will fall off within a month. Not designed for bare metal. I speak from experience.

  • Anyone tried using linseed oil? It's interesting because it dries into a gummy layer - people have been using it for centuries to protect metals and woods. If you heat up the frame with a hairdryer, then oil with hot oil, it should soak into the pores a bit better (like seasoning (oiling) a cast-iron pan).

    Will have to do some testing soon.

  • I've tested out the linseed oil and I think it's great. I soaked a rag in it and scrubbed it over the frame about a month ago and there are no signs of new corrosion. Within a couple of days it dries on to a reasonably hard satin (well, somewhere in between satin and gloss) finish - you can just about scrape it off with a fingernail, but obviously if you scratch it, you can just wipe a bit more on. It doesn't rub off on clothing. It does have a slightly amber finish which some people might not like - I'll get a photo up later.

  • love this:


    How is this done?!!?!? Its amazing!
    I want to do it!

  • http://www.lfgss.com/thread6104.html

    First hit when you search for "polishing".

  • Guess the search for laquer wasnt the right one then ;-)

  • No... no it wasn't.

    FWIW if you polish it up like that, I don't think you can use a laquer on it - it'll make it dull.

    You might be able to get some sort of anodising to protect it. Altho I think you loose a little bit of the depth to the shine. But then you wouldn't have to polish it all the time.

  • You'd only have to polish it every couple of weeks to keep it looking like that. It's not like you'd have a mirror finish stem on a daily anyway.

    Here's what the boiled linseed oil looks like:

    I applied one coat about a month ago and haven't had to do any more since then. It looks a bit glossier in real life - bad photos.

  • ive just gotten hold of a raw sandblasted frame, nothing too special about it, i initially planned to paint it but up close i just love being able to see the brazing and stuff... question is do you think the linseed oil approach would work over the winter or during the rain? i really want to leave it raw but is it gonna be loads of work? im not fussed about a little bit of rust i just want to keep it at bay so it doesn't get structurally dangerous! any thoughts?

  • I stripped my frame nearly 2 years ago. Scrubbed it up with steel wool, or use a scotchbrite, to a nice shiny fine brushed look. Clean it with meths. I got it gloss clear powdered at armourtex. It still looks amazing today. Some bits of rust vein developed in the first month here and there under the clear but since then has remained constant. The coating is hard as nails I've battered the bike a few times and it's not even scratched. Bike has been used well too. Really durable finish.

    Just adding this info for the record. :-)

    Google "raw steel project" to see the frame, it's on bikeradar.

  • if clear powder coating, do you put decals on before or after?

  • after, the curing process for the powder would burn them off

  • so, I would then need to clearcoat decals?

  • after a fair bit of nitromorsing and wirebrushing... the paint on Les was coming up pretty damn stubborn. Kind of settled on this look and just coated him in GT85...

    ...but have got a stock of brillos and am trying decide whether to get my polish on.

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What polish and laquer for bare metal?

Posted by Avatar for eddie @eddie

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