Frame preparation / stripping what's best?

[McCabe-Thiele (Ted)]

I'm just part way through stripping the rear forks on my 400 four - it's a pretty tedious process. I've already sent an enquiry to a local firm about the cost of shot blasting the frame. Got me thinking is that too harsh would bead blasting be better?

[MrDavo]

I didn't get it done myself, but when I bought my Z1 project the seller told me that the frame had been 'shot blasted' before professionally painting with gloss black. I was a bit alarmed at the thought of such a coarse media being used to blast a frame, but the finish is perfect, showing every tiny detail but no imperfections. It's also much more original looking than a thick powder coat.

Where it had been masked before paint, such as the threaded studs that the rear shocks mount on, there is very little metal 'missing' but a uniform matt grey finish. You can just about see that in the photo. Sadly I have no more information about who did the job, what it cost or what was used, but the end result was excellent.



 I'm more of a wire brush and rattle can man myself, that's what my CL450 got. Cheap but factory looking, although original Honda frame paint always struck me as not that great, I've never noticed any primer under what appears to be one coat of gloss black.

[hairygit]

Proper shot blasting is the best thing for a frame/swing arm. Bead blasting is more suited to softer metals like alloys etc.

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[philward]

I'm like Dave, rotary wire brush (wear goggles - them bloody wires go everywhere), etch primer and rattle cans. The amount of bad weather my bikes see, the paint will last 10 times the amount of time I have left on this planet. I do like doing as much of a resto as possible myself too.

[SumpMagnet]

I went with paint stripper, wire brush, and much elbow grease! Top coat paint of choice is Hammerite smooth black

[Charlie J]

+1 on the diy method.
Paint stripper and wire brush followed by rattle can red oxide primer, PJ 1 satin black paint and a couple of coats of satin clear coat. I wasn’t aiming for a factory type finish and like the satin look. Obviously it won’t be as hard wearing as powder coating but not too worried as bike won’t see much rain/salt etc.

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[Laverda Dave]

I took the Z400j frame, swing arm, upper and lower yokes, headlight bowl, battery box, main and side stands plus 32 various brackets to Microblast in Windsor for shot blasting and powder coat. Some parts were gloss black and some satin black. I put old bolts into threads to protect them and bungs into the steering head and swing arm pivot with through rods and nuts. Cost was £280 for everything, job done. They have coated three frames for me in the he past and never had any runs etc, class act.