I was looking at my Kinesis Maxlight after cleaning it earlier, and decided it needs a bit of TLC. The paint is scratched and missing where things like batteries have rubbed it off so was thinking of stripping it and leaving (hopefully) a shiney, polishing alloy frame. Some new decals and ta da, looks like a new bike.

Has anyone stripped the paint from an alloy frame? If so any suggestions? Best products to use etc? Or should I not try at all?

Thanks

my hand takes ages!! especially the joints between tubes.

did a cannondale years ago – took ages

if you are going to do it it it blasted to remove the old finish.

in my book, you would be better getting ti blasted and powdercoated then affix some helicopter tape to the rubbing points

Agreed. Did this with an A-Stars frame a while ago and although it looked OK at first, tarnished quite quickly to the Grey Rat look.

yep
stripped my nrs
best to use a decent stripper (ooer) like nitromoors.
get some gloves/glasses then use wire wool .
not sure re the polishing …I loved the industrial alu look and it's still fine 6 yrs later

Was thinking of using Nitromors, but was wondering how the frame would look. Any pics kaiser or OGS?

kaiser – got a photo of that NRS?

best I can find I'm afraid as it's a few years back

That looks good, certainly better than my scratched, chipped paint job at the mo.

Thats my weekend sorted. just need some decals for a Maxlight, and my Fox 100RLCs while I am at it.

Thanks.

this is a friends pride and joy,
he got a antique polisher to do it, he only charged him £50

would a angle grinder with a wire brush cup be too abrasive for an ali frame?
have done it on a steel frame and it came up lovely and very quick,
you can also get polishing mops to buff up,

Once you polish it, give it a thorough going over with a quality wax polish. Then an occasional touch up with Solvol Autosol keeps it gleaming.

I stripped a Trek frame a few weeks ago, for re-painting. Paint came off easily with Nitrimors. Just use it liberally, I re-applied 3 times to make sure it all came off. I'd shy away from hitting an alloy frame with a wire brush, especially in a drill. Its just too abrasive.
For polishing a kit like THIS will do a great (& somewhat easy) job of it.
It will dull, & pretty quickly if really polished, so unless your going to be buffing every week I'd be giving it a few coats of Plasti-Kote lacquer. Its a bit thicker than normal knacker-lacquer from Halfords. Will take a week or so to harden, & it does take the edge off the shine slightly. It will protect your new decals also.

Whatever you do though, don't go stripping the fork lowers. They are usually magnesium can corrode badly. There's a pic of a nice El-Ciclon on the Ventana gallery, looks like its been stripped & polished, might be worth a look.

You could try speaking to an alloy wheel polishers, they sometimes use ball burnishing machines, that would be less work…!!!