I tried a couple of the more well known companies to see if they would strip and then clear coat my frame to create a raw finish but they won’t. Apparently you can’t do it as the metal will corrode? Seems strange to me as surely it’s no different than buying a new raw frame?

And before you say “do it yourself” I just wouldn’t have the know how or time.

ESP in Glasgow will do a clear powdercoat…

Because it will look shit unless it’s polished before the clear coat

There are a couple of issues when using clearcoat powders compared to solid colours, and a lot of coaters simply can’t be bothered with the hassle.
They have a tendency to craze (micro cracking) due to thermal shock if cooled down too quickly, and adhesion can be problematic.

Because it will look shit unless it’s polished before the clear coat

I don’t want a polished finish, I want a bare rough aluminium finish.

I don’t want a polished finish, I want a bare rough aluminium finish.

Then don’t PC it? Rims etc aren’t coated and don’t corrode too quickly, it’ll look dull through as aluminium oxide is white/gray.

I want a bare rough aluminium finish

Then just strip the frame and leave it bare. It will develop a thin layer of oxidisation which will protect it. That is what Intense do with their bare frames I believe.
To strip it your could do it yourself with a chemical stripper or get it done professionally.

Have a look at my Enduro on this thread. All i did was use Nitromors and wire wool to remove the paint and it has been left as bare metal for about 21 months now. Looks fine with no obvious corrosion, if it does go a little white with oxidization I can just rub it down with wire wool again, easy.

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/powdercoating-time-yellow-orange-or-baby-blue

I did my old rocklobster frame the other day – took about 30mins with some nitromors.

I did an old Mongoose frame with Nitromors – it looked awful.

I’m sure it did when new, though.

I want a bare rough aluminium finish

Aluminium doesn’t need coating.

I did my old rocklobster frame the other day – took about 30mins with some nitromors.

You most have access to the old style Nitromors the new EU regulated stuff is rubbish, tried doing a frame with it but gave up after a days work because progress was so slow.

You most have access to the old style Nitromors the new EU regulated stuff is rubbish, tried doing a frame with it but gave up after a days work because progress was so slow.

Dpends on the paint, newer water based paints are rubbish with any nitromors (newer nitroors being slightly worse), older solvent based paints practicaly run off!

Thanks all.

So I could basically just strip it bare and leave it, sounds good.

Will new transfers adhere to bare aluminium or is it better to just not bother?

That’s what I did. I also used cut vinyl stickers and they are holding up just fine.

Yup, I rawed my old aluminium STP frame. Got most of the paint off with Nitromorse, but it looked pretty bad so gave the local powder-coaters a tenner to sand blast it. Had a pretty textured finish so quick bit of wet and dry all over.

Hate nitromors

You shouldtry a water based product called removeall it doesn’t dissolve the paint just debonds it from the metal

Falls off like the skin on a rice pudding

Will even remove 2 pack from carbon without touching the epoxy

Took it to a bead blasters in the end and then polished it by hand with autosol. This was just to remove the odd looking finish that bead blasting leaves. I think this gave me the closest to what I wanted which was a rough, dull and bare aluminium finish as everyone else seems to go for polished. The bead blasting gave it a nice textured finish that’s similar to anodising. Seems to be holding up well so I can’t imagine oxidisation is going to be a problem so as advised above it will be fine as bare metal.

Ask sprocker off here how he did this

if a uniform look to the frame finish is important to you you may well end up polishing it yet. sections (stays and toptube mainly) will self-polish from heel/thigh rub as you ride.

duir that looks awesome, nice one 🙂 Raw or polished is my favourite colour for a bike.

anyone stripped a cro-mo frame and left it bare..? I’ve seen it on a few BMXs

how long would this hold up..?

Years on most BMXs.. not quite as long on a pansie mtb.

My steel profile BMX cranks have had surface rust for 15years with no problems.

You could get it clear lacquered rather than powder coated

Shiny Ti is the way to go 😆

if a uniform look to the frame finish is important to you you may well end up polishing it yet. sections (stays and toptube mainly) will self-polish from heel/thigh rub as you ride.

I think any marks will just make it look more interesting and characterful over time and I won’t care about that. I don’t really care about a uniform finish because I didn’t make it bare to be pretty, more so it doesn’t need re-painting and is more hard wearing.

Polishing just seems like far too much effort to me but I suppose that option is always there in the future.