bead blasted handle bars and side covers

[Ken Talbot]

Originally posted by petejw
when blasting either bead/glass etc,
does it pit the alluminium,
after blasting, would the parts polish straight up
or would u need to rub them back and smooth them up.

In my experience, glass beading smooths out the pitting that you get from sandblasting, but it doesn't come up as smooth as polishing. I haven't tried it, but I think that is where blasting with walnut shells would come in. If you like a bit more of a satin finish look, clearcoating drectly over the glassbeaded surface would look good, and it is a lot less work than hand rubbing.

[petejw]

Thanks for the response Ken,
I like a shiny/polished look,
but those parts look pretty smick
especially the rim.

[leethom]

Ken, When you powdercoat wheel rims, do you powdercoat around the bead? Or do you leave the bead uncoated?

[Ken Talbot]

I had the powdercoat applied right across, so the bead areas and the 'tube' area are all coated.

[79XS11F]

Did you do the glass beading yourself Ken. I only have a home size / quality Compressor and it is very time consuming to do myself. i am wondering if I would be ahead to just buy a lager compressor or pay to have it done for me.
Rob

[Ken Talbot]

I got my BIL's old compressor when he upgraded, so I did my own sandblasting and bead blasting. It's a 2 cylinder belt-drive type running on 230v, putting out 7.3 SCFM at 90psi. It won't keep up if I keep the trigger pulled continuously, but with normal on-off operation as you move parts around and start and stop, it keeps up fine.

[jwoell]

How much we talkin' here?

I was just wondering if you guys know right off the top of your heads what the cost of doing a couple parts would be? I'm just looking for a ballpark idea, say if I wanted to do a couple parts like Yamahansolo did. (I'd call up the local media blaster but they're prolly closed since it's Sunday and now you all got me intrigued )

Also, if I were to blast a part that is currently chrome, what media would you recommend? Chrome is pretty hard stuff, but I didn't know if sand would pit it up pretty good or if something less harsh would be better.

Thanks,
Jesse

[79XS11F]

Well I paid 400 for "sand" blast and powder coat of a frame, main stand, side stand, gauge pods, swing arm,triple tree, brake bracket, handle bar clamp and a few other parts. Blasting is one of those things that has a minimum cost to the jobber regardless of the number of parts involved so it's best to gather up a bunch of parts you want done and do it all at once. Example ... if it cost $100 to do 1 wheel it might be only $125 to do 2 wheels.
Rob

[Ken Talbot]

Re: How much we talkin' here?

Originally posted by jwoell
Also, if I were to blast a part that is currently chrome, what media would you recommend? Chrome is pretty hard stuff, but I didn't know if sand would pit it up pretty good or if something less harsh would be better.

I took my chrome parts to a plating shop first and had them throw the parts in the tank with the electrodes 'reversed' to electrically strip off the chrome. Then I carried on with the sand and glass beading.

[Ken Talbot]

Re: How much we talkin' here?

Originally posted by jwoell
Also, if I were to blast a part that is currently chrome, what media would you recommend? Chrome is pretty hard stuff, but I didn't know if sand would pit it up pretty good or if something less harsh would be better.

I took my chrome parts to a plating shop first and had them throw the parts in the tank with the electrodes 'reversed' to electrically strip off the chrome. Then I carried on with the sand and glass beading.

[olebiker]

Ken I just gotta ask did you have all that done in Revelstoke?? Here I thought it was a smallish kinda place.

[Ken Talbot]

You are correct - Revelstoke is a smallish place. I worked with plating and powdercoating shops in Kelowna, which is about a 2 1/2 hour drive 'down the valley'.

[olebiker]

Know it well my inlaws live in Peachland. We were there earlier this year.