Triumphrat

customcafe · 01-09-2007

So if I were to cut a piece of aluminum stock (1/8" thick 6061) how would I go about getting it to look like the aluminum bits on the bike already?? Would I need to paint, and clearcoat? Powdercoat? Will bare aluminum rust if exposed to the elements? Metal experts I need your sage like advice here. Keep in mind I am a cheap bastard.

cheers, jason

Motley · 01-09-2007

You'd need to dress (grind, buff, sandpaper, etc.) the finish to look like whatever finish you're trying to copy. Yes, aluminum will oxidize so you'll need to clearcoat the piece(s).

meanchuck · 01-09-2007

I'm no expert but I have been working with metal all my life and I also am cheap. Aluminium does not rust but it can corrode when it does it gets a chalky look to it. Factory finishes are usually brushed you can achieve this by sanding it smooth and using scotchbrite to get uniform scratches in the surface. This is very time consuming and very tedious work. When you get the desired look you should clear coat it or get clear powder coat or anodising to protect it. You can polish it to a mirror finish by taking emory paper and wet sanding. I usually use 220, 400, 600, 800, 1000, 1500 and 2000 grit papers in that order. Then get some Mother's polish and buff the heck out of it. I would recommend a clear powder coat on that also to keep it nice. It's alot of work either way but if you like doing it yourself it can be rewarding. I can go into more detail if you wish.

[ This message was edited by: meanchuck on 2007-01-09 07:51 ]

mshelton · 01-09-2007

Is there anything available in a rattlecan that would put a decent protective finish on it?

meanchuck · 01-09-2007

You can get clear coat in a rattlecan but I do not know how well it would hold to bare aluminium or if the finish would look good. The clear is not degsined for bare metal and might fisheye real bad. I have a friend that has a powdercoat shop so for me it is cheap to go that route.

customcafe · 01-09-2007

So I could probaly get away with rattlecan clearcoat after scotchbrite on the surface? I would powdercoat, but I am already looking at about $70 for cutting the piece, and about $25 for the aluminium. I can only imagine having it powdercoated would cost at least $50?

What about taking the bare cut piece of aluminium and rattlecanning it "aluminium" with paint and then clearcoat from a rattlecan. Would that have a similar effect to buffing, and all that?

Whitehurst · 01-09-2007

Just wax and polish it once in awhile - it will work!

meanchuck · 01-09-2007

That would work too and would save you some work, it would look like the silver finish usually on factory cast wheels. I recommend Dupli-color, it's pricey but it's the best rattle can I found. They have have wheel paint that works well on frame parts or whatever you are making and is a little tougher that the standard stuff. I used it to paint a rollbar for my Miata and four years later it still looks great. They also have a graphite gray in the wheel paint that looks really trick. If you use this stuff go exactly by the directions or it will run.

OldSkoolFool · 01-09-2007

I've done quite a bit of wetsanding and aluminum polishing in my day. I highly recommend not putting any kind of clearcoat or powdercoat over the aluminum. Aluminum oxidation is nothing close to as bad as iron oxidation. As stated before, aluminum just turns kind of chalky but that is over many years and if not taken care of, could pit from salt as well. A big problem with putting a clearcoat over aluminum is it usually will pit/peel. Look at some aluminum rims on some of the cars here in WI, most of them look like ***** due to the clearcoat peeling, which can be started from just a knick. The clearcoat on the valvecovers of my Thrux aren't really peeling but looks like it might start soon right around where the gasket is, I'm assuming that is due to the heat. Keep the aluminum bare, polish it with Mothers metal polish everyonce in awhile to brighten it up, that is all you have to do!

What are you making now by the way? If you wanted the aluminum to exactly match the look of the stock engine covers, headlight brackets, etc... then you'd have to create some minor scratches in the aluminum (using a more coarse sandpaper such as 800 or something) to give it the "brushed" look and then clear coat it.

Motley · 01-09-2007

Quote:

On 2007-01-09 15:50, OldSkoolFool wrote:
I highly recommend not putting any kind of clearcoat or powdercoat over the aluminum.

........you'd have to create some minor scratches.......... to give it the "brushed" look and then clear coat it.

Huh??? :???: :???: