general restoration question

[OhioTed]

In many cases it is easier to "over" restore to than to "accurately" restore.  One example involves proper restoration of alloy components.  

Can anyone comment on how to achieve the proper "satin" finish on fork legs and aluminum rims, for example?

By comparison, basic polishing of such pieces is relatively easy.  So, how do you get the right look, without going too far?

[Kip Kern]

Ted

All aluminum polishes, finishes differently.  I send my rims out to be polished as it takes forever and can be dangerous too.  If too bright, no worries as they will fade over time and look correct as corrosion sets in quickly if not clear coated.  Small hardware is polished here in my shop and I try to leave a few nicks and scratches in the pieces to give them the original look.  As with the rims, if not coated, will eventually corrode back to original with time. Have fun!

[iyaoyas]

Hi Ted,

By the way thanks for the tip regarding Reckon Plating...
I recently refinished my CB400F outer fork tubes and am quite pleased with the result.  I began by stripping the clear coat with Aircraft stripper (forks completely disassembled) followed by a wipe down with brake parts cleaner.  I then chucked the fork tube in a small heavy machinist vise and used a 3M scotch bright wheel in a hand held drill to 'polish' the tubes.  I made sure to apply the 3M wheel circumferentially around the tube so as to maintain a 'turned' machine finish.  The tubes look great!  For the interim I decided not to clear coat them and instead used polish for corrosion protection. Hope this helps...any one have a recommendation for what clear coat system to use?

[Keith Meatyard]

I, too, just finished detailing the lower sliders on my 73 JP using the Scotchbrite method by chucking them in a lathe, and while turning them, held medium grit (brown) Scotchbrite pads against the round surface until they looked new again.  The areas where the raised bosses for the brake stay, etc. had to be done with pad and fingertip.  I haven't noticed any of my three sets having any clear coating on them.

Keith Meatyard

[OhioTed]

Thank you for the responses, guys.  This is good information.  Couple of questions, though:

I hear the term "Scotchbrite pad" all the time, but is that specifically a brand-name of product, or a type of product, or  Are those the things that look kind of like a kitchen sponge/scouring pad, usually green in color?  

Keith, since you mentioned a "medium grit", brown-colored pad, there are evidently different grit levels available.  Can you give a run down of what applications you use the different levels for?  I really like the idea of using a lathe for working fork tubes.  Bet that works out great for recreating the horizontal, rough-polished pattern on tubes.  For those of us who are lathe-less though, the drill-mounted pad sounds good, too.  I've also heard of working the tubes with a length of SB-type material, in the manner of old-style shoe-polish buffing.  

I've yet to try clear-coating over top of polished surfaces.  I can only presume you would want to use a quality, catalyst CC.  Anyone who has ever sprayed clearcoat knows how hard it is to do, though.  It's like trying to spray water.  A ha'r too little and you've got orange-peel city, and a ha'r too much and it runs like nobody's business.  

With due respect to Kip's experience, all the stuff I've polished over the years has held up quite well, with little corrosion or deterioration.  Note though, that said machines on which these polished surface exist are exposed to the elements only sparingly, and stored in a climate-controlled environment.  Kip, do your comments relate more so to "ridden" bikes?    

[Keith Meatyard]

Ted, I just tried the brown medium grit and thought it looked about right, but I don't know exactly what the factory mat finish would look like.  The grits are green, brown, gray, white which are rough, medium, light, and fine.  I use fine to go over primer before applying color paint.  The white had to come from an automotive paint supply store.  White will also make aluminum look pretty polished, but not so much like chrome.  The lathe was just a good way to eliminate elbow grease and ensures the finish marks are perpendicular to the tube's centerline, and even.

Keith Meatyard

[Kip Kern]

Ted,  Uncoated aluminum will eventually oxidize over time whether a sitter or rider.  I usually clear coat unreachable places,i.e., the centers of finned hubs.  I leave most of everything else uncoated so I can use Mothers Cream to clean up if needed.  Being a former Marine, we love to polish metal, it's in our blood![]