| Author | Message | ||
     Indy_bueller |
Since there seems to be some disagreement about if polishing the frame and swingarm will damage it or not, I've been looking into powder coating mine in chrome. I've searched through the board, and now I find that some people say that the temperatures required for baking the coating on can damage the aluminum as well. Does anyone have any experience with this? Care to comment? | ||
| Cmm213 |
I have never heard of chrome powder coating???? Chrome dipping yes- its usually a three step process bronze then nichel then the final chrome dip. But the stock powder coat that is on the fram must be sanded clean!. If you send the frame and swing arm out to be dipped, the labor of doing this is added in the price. Most good chrome and polish shops know the in and outs of frames. The welds on all frames are there for a reason one should never grind them flat, but you can smooth and pretty them up without worrying about damaging frame strenth. My buddy and I stripped his brand new 929 down to the frame a few years back and sent it and the swing arm out to be dipped. The price for both were I think 1100 even. That may sound high but the finish product was sweet. Also maintaining it was simple, bottle of windex and a paper towels serious. I will never have a polished frame again! My next machine will be dark and mean. Good luck with whatever you decide! | ||
| Thepup |
I don't see how polishing the frame will damage it.I did mine and there was not much heat generated during the process,the frame gets alot hotter from the engine when riding it. | ||
| Madbandito |
Cast aluminum currently has to be heated above the cure temp of most powders (usually 350 to 400 degrees F)for ten to twenty minutes to release trapped gasses which show up in the finished coating as bubbles or pinholes. This outgassing is a problem with cast porous metals but not with billet items. There are powders coming on the market to eliminate the preheating but they have mixed reviews. As far as problems with the temperature, I have heated and coated aluminum items, including wheels and manifolds with no problems. You can polish the frame or just coat it with a chrome like silver, then top with a translucent candy,pearl, or clear topcoat. The results are amazing. The coatings are 2 to 4 mils thick so any imperfections in the surface before coating will still be visible after.. (Message edited by madbandito on June 11, 2005) | ||
| Norrie |
I have just had my frame polished with no problems. I also have my swingarm done and rear end done. I don't see how you could chrome or powder coat the frame as you would damage the plastic sleeve inside. Norrie. | ||
| BadS1 |
You won't damage what won't matter.Its not a plastic sleeve its just a coating.And to whats Hal's has told me theres area's that the coating did not get into anyway's from the factory. | ||
| Daveinm |
Chrome powder coat does not look like chrome. It's just a metallic gray. I don't think you could chrome or powder coat the frame either...same reason as Norrie stated. I think your only option are polishing or painting. However, there have been rumors on bad web that polishing the frame voids the warranty. | ||
| BadS1 |
Davenm you are incorrect.They do produce a coating that they call chrome.It looks exactly like a set of pipes that you would have Jet Hot coated. | ||
| Daveinm |
Trust me, I'm right...at least for the chrome we ordered. We ordered some of the "Super Chrome" and "Near Chrome" from here...http://www.caswellplating.com/powder/powder_colors2.html. Here are links to the photos they show of a finished piece... Near Chrome: http://www.caswellplating.com/bbs/album_pic.php?pic_id=338 Super Chrome: http://www.caswellplating.com/bbs/album_pic.php?pic_id=265 Neither come out even close to what a chrome plated piece looks like, or even a nickel plated piece for that matter. My brother has his headers and D&D Jet-Hot coated with the silver/chrome. It's still just a metallic silver. They're all reflective, but nothing like chrome. Chrome is like a mirror. | ||
| BadS1 |
Reread my post ..... much like Jet coat.I also said they call it chrome.Believe me I'm very familiar with chrome. | ||
| Daveinm |
Gotcha...I'll definitely agree with that now that I read your post again. I still stand by my original statement though... "Chrome powder coat does not look like chrome."  | ||
| BadS1 |
No not completely but they do look good.Heres a pic of Spideys bike that was coated and looks really nice.  | ||
| Daveinm |
Yeah, no doubt about it. I never said it doesn't look nice, but if you're expecting a look exactly like chrome (like we were), you're definitely going to be disappointed. If you want a shiny, metallic silver that is somewhat reflective, it's fine. That was my main reason for posting that. Main point being that polishing would come out much shinier than the chrome powder coating. | ||
| Indy_bueller |
Yep, I know that the "chrome" powder coat doesn't look exactly like chrome. My main concern is if the frame and swingarm will stand up to the powder coating process, or if they will be damaged by it. | ||
| Daveinm |
I would bet that they'll get damaged. | ||
| Captainplanet |
My understanding is that this bike is nickel plated. Can't verify that, and I am also not sure that it is actually riden, not just shown.  | ||
| Daveinm |
Yeah...this question always goes back to that bike when I think about it. That is definitely a show bike. Whether it gets ridden or not is a good question. I am curious. | ||
| Xbcrazy |
You can definitely powdercoat a frame and swing arm.  |
