pics of polished bikes anyone?

Just in the process of polishing a Kona frame I have. I was going to get it clear coated but heard its not a good idea so its going to be left natural! Anyone got any pics of a polished alloy frame as I need motivation to get this dam paint off its the hardest paint ever to get off. Maybe the paint stripper being three year old is not ideal though!

Im thinking of having my Heckler polished and was going to get it laquered after. Why is it not a good idea?

I’d find a friendly local powdercoaters, they’ll strip it seal all the things that need done, and paint it all a nice colour that you want. It’s quite simple. any colour. it’s magic really. is that sufficent.

Mine from back in 2005.
It was originally black, but took the nitromors and wire wool to it and it came up fine.

I stripped my Maxlight with Nitromors and wire wool. It was not the easiest thing to remove all the paint. The frame now has an aged/industrial/distressed look which may look planned, or not. Still rides the same.

Here you go

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RFX rear end[/url] by james_ferguson[/url], on Flickr

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Turner DW 5 Spot[/url] by james_ferguson[/url], on Flickr

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Mike’s Custom 951[/url] by james_ferguson[/url], on Flickr

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Mike’s 951[/url] by james_ferguson[/url], on Flickr

Here’s mine:

Bead blasted then hand polished Ti. I’d never do it again by hand.

Looking a bit dull now though, it needs a re-polish.

Kevevs its not a good idea to lacquer onto plain polished or even dulled down alloy as even two pack clear lacquer is not designed to stick to it. From what I have heard from a few people in the spraying and painting trade it flakes of pretty quick and is not very strong at all. It needs an etching primer which is grey so kind of defeats the purpose of polishing and lacquering!

The only product I can find is a something called PC15 I think its called. It american stuff. Quite pricey here about 35 quid posted. It can be sprayed on with a spray gun and compressor or painted on as it says it does not leave brush marks!

The reviews about that product are mixed though and I don’t know anyone who as used it. So it could be a disaster. Clear powder coat is an option but the frame I have is scandium and I have heard its not a good idea to have that sort of alloy heated up! Also clear powder coat can look a bit yellowy. I do know though that the standard 2K lacquer is a definite no no though.

So is it best then to polish the frame and then as it dulls just repolish it it?

What about decals, I take it it would still be ok to whack some copter tape over them?

Well I’m thinking of doing that. Dunno about the coppter tape on decals. You can get them cheap as chips on ebay decals for My Kona so I figure lots of bikes have decals without being lacquered over and all the forks you buy are not lacquered over. Should last a year or two the decals if stuck down good and degreased well and no harsh jet washing of that area!

I cant see the point in shelling out for some of that special clear coat paint when I don’t know anyone who as ever used it. My mate polished up his swinging arm on his full suss and also he once had a Marin susser fully polished and that looked good after a few years. He just gave it a quick rub over now an again.

Just stripped the paint off my scandium tubed Kona,The King.Used plenty of Nitromors & reapplied it when the paint started bubbling,was surprised how easy it came off with a bit of wire wool…
Thanks for the info about getting it lacquered,was umming & ahhing about that but won’t bother with it now..

I wish this came off easy! mine is a Kula Supreme scandium and its the one with the two tone colours so it actually as four coats of paint on the back painted half, the etching lacquer, the top coat same colour as the front, then the white top coat as its white on the back then the lacquer!

there was a thread on nsmb about polished forks,some polished frame pics as well.