Ugly thick powdercoat

[frostype400]

How much does the stock tm400 frame weigh Firko I think it is nearly a tonne I have to get mine under way I want to race it this year if possible I think I will go spray painted frame only because that is what it was originally.

I think powder coated may be better wearing too on those parts of the frame where your boots rub my pe400t has a few spots where your boots will wear off the paint I have a 85 cr250 so looks like it will have a powder coated frame.

[DR]

Frosty, Lose some unsprung weight. Solid mount sprocket '77 onward TS100/125/185 or RM125M-B type rear hub for example can be used and weigh far less shhh..this is not a hi-jack! Just a passing comment  

[Rossvickicampbell]

Geoff - there is only one football team!!!!  As far as the painting/powdercoating debate goes must admit I had one pc job cocked up over several months by must be the worst powdercoater in the world!!  But after asking around have found a guy who is absolutely brilliant - even knows the early Honda colours and I just keep going back.  Have not had a problem with his work on the bike ever and it looks smicko.  And like Firko - I have done the home job as well but must confess I lean towards the powdercoating.

[YZ250H]

If it's the one you recommended to me Rossco, I fully agree.  Brilliant job.  My first PC experience, I'll be interested to see how it compares.

[GMC]

Geoff - there is only one football team!!!! 

Yes but is that your football team or your religion

[GMC]

If we can get a few people to buy one of these then we can compare how thick the frame coatings are.
We can then add them into a new thread like the ‘weighing in’ thread.
We could call the new thread “How thick are we”   

[Davey Crocket]

I'm sure your employee Ji has one Geoff.

[middo24]

the only problem I have with powder coating is the damage the rock blaster does to the frame, I worked in the bike shop for many years & still help out mates with their bikes now & have seen dozens & dozens of powder coat/ sand-rock blasting jobs from many different powder coaters the damage they do can not undone even though the coating may look good the frame may be damaged , cheers middo

[Davey Crocket]

If it was that bad then why do manufacturers do it?....lets think about it....what do you do with a crusty old frame?, chemical dip it?....how do you get the acid out of those nooks and crannies?...is it washed out properly?, was the frames bare metal not touched with bare hands before painting/coating?....wire brush it...yea right, thats gunna clean the rust/scale off properly, especially in the weld areas and the insides......grind/sand it with the wrong type of abrasives (no offence but most of you guys wouldnt know the correct grade or types available NOWDAYS and the type of tools available, which goes hand in hand with the cost), Grinding will do more damage to a frame than you think...sandblasting actually takes off alot less than you think and leaves a good surface for any repairs that need doing....BEFORE painting/coating (I have 2 frames at the moment I have been working on, both on "restored" bikes and its clear to see the dickheads just stripped the frames and sent them off to the blasters/coaters without repairing the stripped bolts/bent subframes etc). Your plan of attack should be if its hard to pick all the faults, get it blasted, then get it back and go over it with a fine tooth -comb, repair it, then send it away for whatever you want it covered in....alot of mucking around but the end result will show.......amature.....professional?.....now all the rattle -can restorers will be up me like a rat up a drainpipe (by the way...rattle-cans are perfectly OK to use in the right place, but thats another story). You need to find quality trades people to do your work that you cant undertake yourself and the best way to do that is to ask around....if you see a bike thats been done, ask old-mate who did what...its alot cheaper/easier than paying twice or three times. Anyway, thats your Sunday school lesson for the day, now all you kiddies go outside and play....fairly ofcourse.

[firko]

We could call the new thread “How thick are we”

Call me foolish and old fashioned but I like rattle cans and nickel plating. 

[STW996]

Firko, You are foolsh and old fashioned

Well you said to call you that!

[DR]

I have no complaints with rattle can jobs either if done with the proper care and attention. Never gone any other way and never been disappointed with the result or durability. It's what I can afford Money I save on pins and paint I spend on mechanicals. Can't remember last time I had any sort of blow up or mechanical issue from running flat out excepting a broken brake stay arm judge a book by it's cover if you wish but it's a bit of a shallow perspective  

[Mick D]

If you have seen or had a bad job? Common sense tells you not to go there again. Doesn’t matter if it was a Doctor, Builder, Tiler or powder-coater.

It is a bit harsh to generalise and slag a whole industry because you or your mate had a bad result with an amateur.

This was done by specialists at Pro Strip at Redhead near Newcastle.

They know what bike owners want, because they are all bike owners. They all compete. The owner has even competed overseas. The foreman has a road bike he did twenty one years ago. It still looks like new.

A lot of the beginning of frame cracks are not visible until blasted or Dye checked. They control gun pressure to use a soft Garnet blast, just enough surface disturbance to create a strong foot hold for the bonding. A lot of cracks don't show until blasted, they tell you via your mobile. If you too busy to pick it up and weld it yourself? They will wizz it over the road to a specialist welder and have it repaired for you dirt cheap.

Everyone that comes here and see’s my stuff, comments how good it is. No one picks it for powder coat(too thin).


First place I look when buying a bike or frame is the condition underneath the engine craddle. With powder coating this thin, there is no hiding anything, especially all rust pits or dings so easily bogged up and hidden by the spraying painters or rattle caners. Would any one of you know sprayers or rattle caners to paint something without bogging or spray puttying the dents and imperfections first? I think not.     
 
Tin snip or guillotine a flat square of metal for them to powder coat at the same time. Its great for a computer match of touch up thimble, if your bike actually does get used.

Horses for courses. Refresh for ride protection. Or restore for show or profit.
 
 cost out;
paint stripper
gloves, goggles
wet and dry
packet of finger band aids
primer
thinners
enamal(for a wall hanging)
more thinners and cleaning up
or two pack and hardener and yeah specialized thinners and more clean up
rubbing back the fingers between coats.

For me me it spells, "false economy"

How is your Life measured when you have to do things that shit you?
Life is time and time is money, lets see the costing figures on that. Me, I do frame repairs and then hand it professional powder coaters. Blast and one super tough thin bonded coat please. Thank you.

Between 10 and 23 years, I owned 128 bikes, 97% were purchased broken. Repaired, rattled caned and sprayed frames etc, buffed and brassoed. Then sold as profit to fund the bikes I really wanted. Or just to see the finish come off and expose the bare metal to the elements again. Usually the first time you slip it onto any sort of stand. Not for me at this stage of life. NO Thanks.

[GMC]

the only problem I have with powder coating is the damage the rock blaster does to the frame, I worked in the bike shop for many years & still help out mates with their bikes now & have seen dozens & dozens of powder coat/ sand-rock blasting jobs from many different powder coaters the damage they do can not undone even though the coating may look good the frame may be damaged , cheers middo

If your talking about blasting the frame before powder coating then it comes down to what it’s been blasted with and how they treat it.
They don't actually use sand anymore as it was outlawed years ago.
The common abrasive is either Garnet or Glass, both of which come in different grades.
If you go to a place that blasts large industrial beams then there’s a good chance they will blast a frame into oblivion.
Painters also get parts blasted.

[Mick D]

If your talking about blasting the frame before powder coating then it comes down to what it’s been blasted with and how they treat it.
They don't actually use sand anymore as it was outlawed years ago.
The common abrasive is either Garnet or Glass, both of which come in different grades.
If you go to a place that blasts large industrial beams then there’s a good chance they will blast a frame into oblivion.
Painters also get parts blasted.

Spot on Mr Morris. Thank you