Rusting BB Shell.

[fossyant]

Thank you all for the helpful advice and opinions. Considering the hassle and expense of having it sandblasted and then repainted, I think it would probably be prudent to reluctantly scrap the frame. I wish I'd have paid more attention prior to purchase!

Under £50 for powder coating. Just check the tubes first.

 

[Cycleops]

I wish I'd have paid more attention prior to purchase!

It might not have been apparent then.

 

[Harril]

Under £50 for powder coating. Just check the tubes first.

That sounds pretty reasonable. Apart from the nasty patch underneath the downtube, the rest do seem ok. I'll look into that option before heading down to the local R.C. Many thanks for the tip.

 

[Harril]

It might not have been apparent then.

That is true. I was expecting to find a patch on the headtube lug, which the previous owner had photographed, but if I'd have managed to quell my excitement and poked around a bit more, I could have saved a lot of heartache, and cash! I've been handed a hard lesson here!

 

[fossyant]

That sounds pretty reasonable. Apart from the nasty patch underneath the downtube, the rest do seem ok. I'll look into that option before heading down to the local R.C. Many thanks for the tip.

Your issue is any rust on tubes, as they can be 0.6mm thick. Lugs are really thick. If you want to keep it, get out with a sander, or better, a dremel, and attack the rust to see what's happening. Reynolds steel is quality, but depends how long rust worm has been allowed to do it's worse.

I had a quote about 2 years ago for powder. I decided I was bored over Christmas (as usual) so sanded down my 653 (but it wasn't like yours for rust) and resprayed it myself - cost alot more TBH with rattle cans. PS resprayed my commuter last Christmas, and the one previous to them both, made an Arcade games cabinet...

 

[Illaveago]

The original finish was powder coat that is why it is peeling off.
I would keep working on the rusty areas with some Hammerite rust removing gel . It will eventually get it back to clean steel. Some people may use oxalic acid or lemon juice.
As has been mentioned previously it looks as rusty as an old Italian car. I can remember Fiat bumper brackets would rust in a similar way. A hard coating of powder coat surrounding fragile rusty steel .
Once the rust areas are clean the paint surface needs to be flatted back to sound paintwork leaving a feathered edge. If you decide to paint the whole frame it would need to be rubbed down , you could use a Scotch rite pad to key the surface. The bare metal areas would need to be treated with phosphoric acid and then etch primed . Primer filler could then be sprayed to help blend in the repaired areas . Top coat could be then painted on once flatted .
I wouldn't have it powder coated.

 

[Illaveago]

These 2 pictures show the same bike before and after treatment with the rust removing gel. it took several goes working at the rust with an old toothbrush. the metal is still pretty clean as it hasn't been painted since . all I have done is to coat it in some bees wax.

 

[Illaveago]

These 2 pictures show the same bike before and after treatment with the rust removing gel. it took several goes working at the rust with an old toothbrush. the metal is still pretty clean as it hasn't been painted since . all I have done is to coat it in some bees wax.

View attachment 708723

View attachment 708724

 

[Harril]

Your issue is any rust on tubes, as they can be 0.6mm thick. Lugs are really thick. If you want to keep it, get out with a sander, or better, a dremel, and attack the rust to see what's happening. Reynolds steel is quality, but depends how long rust worm has been allowed to do it's worse.

I had a quote about 2 years ago for powder. I decided I was bored over Christmas (as usual) so sanded down my 653 (but it wasn't like yours for rust) and resprayed it myself - cost alot more TBH with rattle cans. PS resprayed my commuter last Christmas, and the one previous to them both, made an Arcade games cabinet...

I paid £12.99 for 250ml of Hammarite back July, ridiculous price for such a small can of paint!

 

[Harril]

These 2 pictures show the same bike before and after treatment with the rust removing gel. it took several goes working at the rust with an old toothbrush. the metal is still pretty clean as it hasn't been painted since . all I have done is to coat it in some bees wax.

View attachment 708723

View attachment 708724

That's a remarkable improvement.

 

[Harril]

The original finish was powder coat that is why it is peeling off.
I would keep working on the rusty areas with some Hammerite rust removing gel . It will eventually get it back to clean steel. Some people may use oxalic acid or lemon juice.
As has been mentioned previously it looks as rusty as an old Italian car. I can remember Fiat bumper brackets would rust in a similar way. A hard coating of powder coat surrounding fragile rusty steel .
Once the rust areas are clean the paint surface needs to be flatted back to sound paintwork leaving a feathered edge. If you decide to paint the whole frame it would need to be rubbed down , you could use a Scotch rite pad to key the surface. The bare metal areas would need to be treated with phosphoric acid and then etch primed . Primer filler could then be sprayed to help blend in the repaired areas . Top coat could be then painted on once flatted .
I wouldn't have it powder coated.

Interesting. Maybe not a good idea to go down powder coat path then. The process you've described above sounds like it would be suited to someone with more skill and expedience than myself, but It is an option. I will weigh up and see if I have the nerve to attempt it!

 

[Fastpedaller]

Hammerite paint......... something I'll never use as it peels off in sheets after water gets under it (hmm, that's familiar!)
Use a red oxide primer, undercoat, then a gloss (all brushed on) it will last years. Our steel garden gates are out in all weathers and have lasted 15 years without a blemish so far.

 

[Chris S]

I paid £12.99 for 250ml of Hammarite back July, ridiculous price for such a small can of paint!

I bought this bike in 2012. The chainstay was rusty so I gave it a coat of Hammerite. It came off so I gave it another one. That came off as well so I left it. This is what the chainstay looks like after nearly 10 years of all weather use.

The rust won't get any worse providing it's not in a water-trap.

 

[Gillstay]

Thank you all for the helpful advice and opinions. Considering the hassle and expense of having it sandblasted and then repainted, I think it would probably be prudent to reluctantly scrap the frame. I wish I'd have paid more attention prior to purchase!

I have had three sandblasted and it was very easy. Then you have confidence in your frame as you can check it over. Then you can paint it how you like it. Spray primer it and then and undercoat and topcoat. Careful hand painting with good paint, brush and warming the paint can lead to a good cheap job.

 

[Harril]

I have had three sandblasted and it was very easy. Then you have confidence in your frame as you can check it over. Then you can paint it how you like it. Spray primer it and then and undercoat and topcoat. Careful hand painting with good paint, brush and warming the paint can lead to a good cheap job.

I recently spoke with Geoff Roberts- A frame builder here in East Sussex- and after viewing the pictures his verdict was that my frame wouldn't survive the sandblasting treatment.