1977 CB750F2 Comstar wheels

[Rjgordon0]

Hi everyone I'm new on here & live in Halifax UK. I Recently bought two CB750F2 super sports to restore one to 100% original & the other to a cafe style racer thingy 😂
Has anyone tried to strip the lacquer off the comstar rims ? Various types of paint stripper won't touch it, it's like bulletproof!! There must be something out there to get this lacquer off ?? I want to re paint the spokes & polish the rims & then lacquer the whole wheel.
Regards
Bob

[Laverda Dave]

I would be tempted to get them vapour blasted (make sure you protect the wheel bearings first though). Vapour blasting will remove the old lacquer much quicker and more efficiently then you can with a brush and paint stripper. It will cost more but I guess it depends on how valuable your time is.  Most paint strippers you buy in this country really are rubbish these days, Nitromores used to be great but it’s so weak now it doesn’t even sting when you get it on your bare skin!
I assume you are taking the tires off as well?

[Rjgordon0]

No tyres on & no bearings, just naked wheels. I've loads of time so no rush. Thanks for your advice. 😎

[hairygit]

The spokes on constant wheels are NOT painted or lacquered, they are cadmium plated, so paint stripper etc won't touch them!

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[Rjgordon0]

Hi, yes I had heard that but as they are pitted in places with a bit of rust I'm shot blasting the spokes then spray painting in a colour very close to the cadmium colour then polishing the rims & lacquering everything. Thanks for the advice 😎

[Rob62]

They would have been anodised from the factory surely?

[hairygit]

They would have been anodised from the factory surely?

No, the spokes of comstars are steel, not aluminium alloy like the rim.

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[SteveW]

Just a word of warning, I think Cadmium is very highly toxic and plating with it is now banned.

Could be dangerous if you try to remove it.

[Rob62]

They would have been anodised from the factory surely?

No, the spokes of comstars are steel, not aluminium alloy like the rim.

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Depends on the model I believe.... not an expert though. Should be easy enough to determine on the actual wheel in question.

[K2-K6]

I believe that the F2 has steel spoke (well I know that's true) but they are satin chromed to finish them.  So in effect chromed over a sandblasted type metal surface structure, and not polished. If you use an abrasive then you'll have to refinish as for bare steel.

The rims are rolled / forged aluminium alloy that appears to be hard anodized but not lacquered originally.  If this surface is corroded,  then youve no real option but to use abrasive refinishing to reclaim as far as I can see.

They went to aluminium alloy for spoke material certainly on the 900 model that followed. Not sure if the CX and KZ bikes were steel or aluminium spokes though.

[Rjgordon0]

Thank you for that. I've now managed to get the lacquer off the rim using a scrubber disc that has a backing pad & mandrill to fit a drill. If careful it will leave a finish of about a 180 grit. I've then polished the rims to a nice high shiny finish 😎