| Author | Message | ||
     Zoedogg1 |
Does anyone know where I might be able to find a black center chin piece for my XB12R '04? Or do you think it will hold the dark gray Buell paint I have to do my frame. Don't want to have to paint it every month to remove nicks from front tire road debris. | ||
| Ft_bstrd |
I think the STT has an all black chin fairing. | ||
| Firebolt020283 |
All of the xb9s and all of the 09's have black centerpieces. So if you can prob get ahold of one some were. | ||
| Ulynut |
I painted mine with "rattle can black" from Home Depo. Lots of off road with about 15000 miles, no chips yet! | ||
| Firebolt32 |
+1 Ulynut Brake caliper rattle can paint will do the trick as well. I use it where there will be a lot of "traffic". Holds up really strong. When doing plastic it's not a bad idea to use Bulldog. It is a promoter for plastic painting. Helps the paint stick. | ||
| Oxygen151 |
I used Krylon Fusion semi gloss black. It holds up real well and is designed specifically for plastic, no priming necessary. | ||
| Sleez |
i used the same paint as Oxygen, looks ok, i even lined the back side with reflective tape to protect it from the heat, but i will be putting on one of these; M0698.02A8AMBE ,Chin Spoiler, center section, black. retail price $31.00 | ||
| Zoedogg1 |
Thanks guys.... I did use the Krylon Fusion Semi Gloss Black.. I figured it would be worth a try. If it for some it starts to look like crap too fast I'll hunt down the part Sleez came up with..Thanks Sleez, Thanks everyone for the ideas...It sure will be nice if the 5 dollar Krylon Job works out well... | ||
| Juniorkirk |
why dont you use that protective plastic stuff that is made for the front of cars. It protects from rock chips and debris. A 4"x12' roll is like $20 at Pep Boys | ||
| Zoedogg1 |
I think that stuff has to be used on smooth surfaces doesnt it? That would be super cool if they had that same stuff that had a slight adhesive then you hit it with a low temp heat gun and it bonded...I might be on to something huh? Sounds like the beginning to my millions..  | ||
| Juniorkirk |
well, the stuff im thinking of i used on my bike to protect my Gunny Ermey signature on the right side of my frame in front of the frame puck. Now i just need to find Eric and have him put his John Hancock on the other side  | ||
| Sleez |
it looked great at first, and looks better than the magnesium did on a day to day basis, but shows some scuffs that the factory part would be more resistant to, but then again, i could always just shoot a fresh coat of paint on for nothing!!!    | ||
| Zoedogg1 |
Nice!! Your bike is freakin clean in that pic. I have little nicks and scuffs in my plastic, but I have decided to take everything off and wet sand by hand. I am using a 400 grit wet/dry then a 1000 to finish. Its crazy looking after sanding...scary hazy, but after I buff it for a little with Novus I should be good to go. I was showing oxidation on my plastics and couldnt buff it out so... took the sand paper to it. My buddies xb9r had damage to the tail light area, due to another drunk buddy dorkin around in the driveway (Whole other story) But I reshaped with sanding and wet sanded and it looks brand new...couldnt even tell it happened. Should have taken pictures. Takes a while and plenty of patients but well worth the results.. I'll post some of my bike as I go... | ||
| Zoedogg1 |
So, I am done for now. I sanded and polished the cowling, and have now decided that it did nothing like I thought it would. It works great for fixed (large scraps.etc.) But to do the whole bike would be crazy and VERY time consuming. It did remove some scratches I had, I still see small swirls. I think I'll just Novus the rest of the plastics real well. To tired to take pictures right now, but will soon..I'd like to clean up the rest of the bike first. | ||
| Sleez |
yeah it's clean, it only had about 300 miles when that pic was taken. | ||
| Buellblastrider |
seez are those windscreen screws you used to re attach the center portion. i have a question for everyone. i have a buell carbon fiber chin spoiler. i panted the sides black. so it looks stock with a carbon center. well one of the holes wallowed out on the side to the point i cant tighten it down and it vibrates like crazy making a buzzing sound. what id like to do is cut the center out of my carbon spoier and put it in my stock one (replacing the magnesium part). what do you guys think? anyone done this? what can i use to cut carbon fiber? | ||
| Sleez |
Buellblastrider; i bought some button head SS hardware at my local true value, very similar to the windscreen type, almost identical actually, just a slightly larger head diameter. my limited experience with cutting CF, be very careful with the dust, and you will likely use up a cutter. i would suggest a dremel with a cutting wheel. maybe someone else has more experience??? | ||
| Sleez |
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| Sleez |
more; from http://www.robotmarketplace.com/store_carbon_fiber _faq.html contradicts my suggestion of a dremel... How do I cut it? For the thinner pieces (.020 and smaller), you can actually just use a good pair of scissors. Thicker material you may be able to use a tin-snips, but the optimal method is to use a band saw or scroll saw. Fast-cutting, as with a jigsaw or circular saw tends to make a lot of dust, and can leave a less-smooth cut, so slow-cutting is typically better. When using a saw, it is a good idea to protect the glossy finish from scratches, with some masking or similar tape. Finish up the edges with a 100 grit sandpaper to take the rough spots off, then detail with 400 grit. If you're really fancy, you can use a Waterjet or Laser-cutting service. (Although laser-cutting carbon fiber tends to really stink as the material burns!) What are the dangers? Much of what you may have heard about cutting carbon fiber is either flat-out untrue, or can be avoided easily. The main thing you need to know is wear protection! Whether you're cutting or sanding, you need to wear eye protection, mask, and long sleeves. Gloves are wise to use as well. Basically, the less exposed skin you have, the better. Don't breathe the dust (another reason to use slow-cutting methods- less dust). Basically the main danger is splinters. They are annoying and can be painful, so just be careful to avoid them. Did we mention DON'T BREATHE THE DUST. Click Here for a complete Materials Safety Data Sheet. | ||
| Sleez |
more ideas; from here http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=11 9660 Carbide will work fine. Spin it fast and make sure it has a positive rake ! HSS bits won't last long, but, will work. Dremel has some very "spikey" looking bits made of carbide grit. I have used these and they work VERY well in thin carbon laminates. Tape a vacuum cleaner hose near your cutter and save yourself a lot of black soot-y clean up! Also, keep in mind that you don't want to heat up your laminate or else the epoxy ( or whatever resin is used in your material) will get gummy. This is why I said use a positive rake in your cutting tool. But, if you are basically routing out shapes from flat stock,try the Dremel bit, you will like it. | ||
| Sleez |
more from here... http://www.protechcomposites.com/faq.html Carbon Fiber Sheets can be cut with standard tools, ranging from scissors and razor knives for thinner sheets, to abrasive cutting wheels and dremel tools. For cutting many carbon fiber sheets, we recommend the use of carbide tools, abrasive type cutters, or diamond crusted tools. Regular steel tools will cut carbon sheets just fine, but due to the abrasive nature of all carbon sheets, standard tools will wear down fast with heavy cutting use. The carbon fiber panels are easily edge sanded by hand or belt sanders allowing the fabricator to trim close and sand to final dimensions for a smooth, clean edge. (see our additional information below specific to each panel thickness) Carbon fiber dust is not toxic, however, it is a mild irritant to the skin, eyes, and lungs, much like fiberglass. We recommend that fabricators wear gloves and a dust mask to minimize any itching or irritation, especially when cutting or sanding in quantity. Carbon fiber sheets can be cut by machines to make difficult cuts and repeatable designs. Some people have used CNC machines to cut carbon fiber panels, but it can be difficult to hold the carbon fiber sheets in the machine. Most people use a water jet machine for complex, intricate shapes, or high volume parts manufacturing. Our 3M high performance adhesive can be applied BEFORE water jetting your carbon fiber parts, as the water will not harm the adhesive, leaving a nice clean edge on both the carbon fiber sheet and the adhesive. (check with your local sheet metal fabricators or machine shops if you want to water jet your carbon fiber parts) so...good luck, be safe and let us know how it works. | ||
| Buellblastrider |
thanks for all the info! |
