painting aluminium

[deano69]

Any ideas on painting ali anyone ? I tried o paint some rockshox lowers with cans but it was rubbish finish so taken them all the way back to bare ali but want to know if there is any tips for priming and painting bare ali such as how smooth and shiny should they be special primer etc etc...........

Any info welcome cheers Dean

 

[Cubist]

You want an aluminium primer, like Plastikote. What you DON'T need is aluminium primer... which is alu oxide primer for wood... Confused? Buy the Plastikote!
http://www.tools4trade.com/d-3803034-Plasti-kote-Primer-Aluminium-400-ml.aspx

 

[Globalti]

Make friends with someone who works in the aircraft industry and they will get the lowers etch-primed with that stuff.

 

[deano69]

Cheers for the info everyone but have spoken to an old friend who works in spray booth who does cars, motorbikes and other items and he going to spray my lower fork legs for next to nothing.......I done all the hard work a whole day wet and dry papering off old finish then several grades of steel wool to finish they look pretty good even if I do say so myself

 

[Night Train]

You could get them annodised, available in a range of colours.

 

[Zoiders]

If I am not mistaken are some of the R/S the lowers not magnesium?

As I had set of R/S lowers start reverting back to powder after a ferry crossing.

 

[HeliusFR1974]

Zoiders is correct, all Rockshox lowers since the 1990's are made of Magnesium which does have a habit of dissolving is left uncoated!

 

[abo]

How about just using clear lacquer?

 

[Zoiders]

I would also be carefull with anything like a flap wheel or wire brush in drill with the mag lowers

Magnesium stems, frames, cranks etc etc were the next big thing in the early noughties - until the factory in Tawain burned down.

 

[david1701]

I would also be carefull with anything like a flap wheel or wire brush in drill with the mag lowers

Magnesium stems, frames, cranks etc etc were the next big thing in the early noughties - until the factory in Tawain burned down.

they gotta be magnesium alloys surely, like my cameras. Straight magnesium

 

[Zoiders]

they gotta be magnesium alloys surely, like my cameras. Straight magnesium

Even if it's an alloy the fact you are turning it back into a powder with the flap wheel is the risky bit.

IIRC it was the Easton or Thomson factory that went up in flames when a spark got into a pile of powder and swarf during the final machining phase.

 

[deano69]

Its ok they're painted now, and I did all the hard work by hand with assorted papers and wire wools it took forever but result is worth it. I would never use any power tool or sander as they are too delicate for such abuse. They look great now just for the new rockshox decals which are in light blue to match bike decals

 

[david1701]

Even if it's an alloy the fact you are turning it back into a powder with the flap wheel is the risky bit.

IIRC it was the Easton or Thomson factory that went up in flames when a spark got into a pile of powder and swarf during the final machining phase.

true I spose being a fine powder it would ignite pretty easily, I know flour explodes if its properly aerated :S

 

[Angelfishsolo]

Looking very good indeed

Its ok they're painted now, and I did all the hard work by hand with assorted papers and wire wools it took forever but result is worth it. I would never use any power tool or sander as they are too delicate for such abuse. They look great now just for the new rockshox decals which are in light blue to match bike decals

 

[hotmetal]

true I spose being a fine powder it would ignite pretty easily, I know flour explodes if its properly aerated :S

I'm gonna take a flapwheel to a loaf of bread and see if I can blow myself up…
You are right though, flour really can blow up in the right circumstances.
Magnesium powder would be mental. I remember the fun (and subsequent temporary blindness) we used to have at school with a Zippo and the Mg ribbon in chemistry lessons. I bet they don't let the kids loose on that stuff now… Elf and safety, innit?