Zinc plating

[Shappers]

Yes, I used threaded bar! I also got a long stainless Allen bolt for the middle gearbox with no problem, here in the UK. It's the only long one on that gearbox and I paid approx £3 for it. Let me know if you want me to get you one and send it to you. Talking of engine mounts, you know the front one on the bike that goes through a metal tube? Yep... I removed the tube, cleaned it and.... zinc plated it. It comes up beautifully and I believe that that was the original factory finish. Really nice.

Good that you can get that kit to be sent to you in Finland. You need absolutely to remove all rust. I used a product called Expro32, available from www.expro-32.com It's excellent stuff and removed every trace of rust from my rear mudguard support bracket (which looked like something which had been buried for 50 years). You dilute some product into water and, if you heat it gently on a stove whilst the bike parts are in there, it quickens the chemical reaction immensely. Then degrease with something like paint thinners or similar solvent. Grease, or fingerprints will interfere with the galvanising process, so you have to make sure everything is clean.

Thanks for the tip, looks like I need some of that too! It's too late for this bike but I'm restoring a couple of XS650 engines on the bench.

Thanks for the offer of a bolt, I'll let you know next time I drag the bike out into the sun and see how the old one looks!

Sounds like you are making a nice job of your bike. I can't wait to see pictures when it's done

Here is one more picture. I had that tube you mentioned powdercoated black and then put it back in between solid engine mounts.

[James England]

Thanks for the tip, looks like I need some of that too! It's too late for this bike but I'm restoring a couple of XS650 engines on the bench.

Thanks for the offer of a bolt, I'll let you know next time I drag the bike out into the sun and see how the old one looks!

Sounds like you are making a nice job of your bike. I can't wait to see pictures when it's done

Here is one more picture. I had that tube you mentioned powdercoated black and then put it back in between solid engine mounts.

Why the solid engine mounts? Do you not find that you get vibration? I just replaced mine with new ones.... they're rubber. Other mounts are still available new from www.cmsnl.com

What size are the bolts which hold the engine mounting brackets to the frame?

[Shappers]

In normal use the engine "floats" in the frame rails. The solid mounts tie the engine solidly to the frame thus tightening up the frame, improving handling and the "tautness" of the ride. I fitted heavy bar-end weights but practically I haven't noticed any increase in vibration at all. Others have reported the same.

Those engine bracket bolts are M8 in sloppy holes (about 90/95mm long IIRC). Some people have even reamed out the sloppy hole to fit M10 bolts to take away any slack. I didn't as otherwise I never would have got the solid mounts to line up. Yamaha frames loops are not that precise.

[crazy steve]

After doing some looking around, finding a plating kit similar to James' in the US isn't all that difficult..... http://www.caswellplating.com/kits/zinc.htm .... but this kit lacks some of the 'goodies' that James kit has and has a few 'extras' that his lacks.
Pretty pricey though; even allowing for exchange rate, it's double the cost. James' kit is a pretty good deal.

I think if I were to spend this much money, I'd go for this kit: http://www.caswellplating.com/kits/nickel.htm. A few bucks more, but nickel will give a bit more durable finish over zinc.

One interesting thing I gleaned from all this was a cheap solution for controlling current. Rather than buy an expensive DC power source, some guys are using a common home lighting dimmer switch used with an inexpensive battery charger...

[b.walker5]

After doing some looking around, finding a plating kit similar to James' in the US isn't all that difficult.....

Steve, you're right and was the point I was making back here http://www.xs11.com/forum/showpost.p...9&postcount=25 This sort of stuff is readily available in the US and eleswhere in the world, as Pete found out here http://www.xs11.com/forum/showpost.p...9&postcount=28 and Shappers found out here http://www.xs11.com/forum/showpost.p...5&postcount=26 The mix might be slightly different but the end result is the same, but it is expensive. As said previously, most of the stuff required is "garden variety" and easily obtained, the only difficult bits are the brightners and fixatives. Caswell and others sell top up's to their kits so you can just buy the hard bits from them and get the rest from Wallmart and your local Drugstore. Should be heaps cheaper, possible even cheaper than Jame's UK price.

[James England]

One interesting thing I gleaned from all this was a cheap solution for controlling current. Rather than buy an expensive DC power source, some guys are using a common home lighting dimmer switch used with an inexpensive battery charger...

I asked the supplier of my kit about this as I thought a rheostat of some sort would be more reliable. I just used my battery charger. The other thing which I'm still not sure on, even after the reply from the kit supplier, is whether a dimmer switch lowers the amperage which goes through the circuit, as well as the voltage. Apparently both have to be adjusted for successful plating.

I must say, I regarded the DIY voltage thing which came with my kit as a bit dodgy but, having made it and used it, I have revised my opinion. It works really well and is easily adjustable enough for plating motorbike bits...

[crazy steve]

..The other thing which I'm still not sure on, even after the reply from the kit supplier, is whether a dimmer switch lowers the amperage which goes through the circuit, as well as the voltage. Apparently both have to be adjusted for successful plating..

As long as the dimmer's range in ohms is the roughly the same and it can handle the amps being put through it, it would work. To find amperage rating (if it's not given), take the watts it will be rated in and divide by it's 'design' voltage; the resulting number is amps. Here, a 'common' dimmer switch is rated at 600 watts @ 120 volts, so 600/120=5 amps.

Neither a switch nor the 'regulator' in your kit are capable of 'adjusting' the amps and voltage independently.

[James England]

Neither a switch nor the 'regulator' in your kit are capable of 'adjusting' the amps and voltage independently.

Yes, according to the instructions, the reduction in voltage should lower the amps.....mmm.... that's always been a bit beyond me but I did know enough to think a rheostat might just do it.... They sell cheap 12v ones on eBay...... I thought of connecting one from the battery charger ... mind you, having said that, the Frankenstein version that came with the kit works so well, it doesn't seem worth changing...

[James England]

I did the brackets and screws on the airbox too. They were very badly rusted before...

[justme1100]

Did you do anything blue? Just wondering how that looks. This is something I might invest in. I like your results.

[James England]

Did you do anything blue? Just wondering how that looks. This is something I might invest in. I like your results.

My kit comes with two 'passivators'.. I think they are a chemical which changes the state of the zinc coating from an active coating which gradually erodes (a sacrificial coating?) to a passive state which lasts even longer.

I've used gold and blue. You can vary the colour, dependent on the quality of the zinc coating/base metal etc. anything from a pale blue tinge to darker. You dip the plated item in the chemical for anywhere between 5 seconds to a couple of minutes.... a 5 second dip makes normal shiny galvanised look even brighter, so I've tended to use it for that, rather than achieving a blue colour.... I'll plate something later on and try to make it really blue... then I'll post pix....