Detrimental to my health

[Rasputin]

I have brake rotors off an 81LH that I want to repaint. Can I safely use a sandblaster with 220 grit aluminum oxide sand to remove the existing paint? Will the sandblaster over spray damage the rotor? I do not want to end up with grabbing brakes that will be bad for my health. I tried it on an old brake rotor I have handy and it looks ok and mic's out within spec after doing it. I guess I could use some kind of tape that would hold up temporarily to the sand, but if it fails....well you know the picture. Thoughts, Yays, Nays, all appreciated.

[XS1100_OEM4ME]

I wouldn't

I wouldn't, the rotors are not ment to be turned so I wouldn't blast the brakeing surface. If you do, the pads will polish it back in time with some use, at the expence for wearing down you pads faster. You can easly scotch bright the black centers for repainting them, then cut a whole the size of the black part of the rotor, in a big pice of cardboard to cover the braking part of the rotor to paint it

I have brake rotors off an 81LH that I want to repaint. Can I safely use a sandblaster with 220 grit aluminum oxide sand to remove the existing paint? Will the sandblaster over spray damage the rotor? I do not want to end up with grabbing brakes that will be bad for my health. I tried it on an old brake rotor I have handy and it looks ok and mic's out within spec after doing it. I guess I could use some kind of tape that would hold up temporarily to the sand, but if it fails....well you know the picture. Thoughts, Yays, Nays, all appreciated.

[jetmechmarty]

Didn't I read someplace that it was OK to work the braking surface with garnet paper and garnet paper only? Aluminum oxide will imbed in the rotor.

[XS1100_OEM4ME]

Yes

Yes, I am talking scuffing the painted center to get it to hold paint better, I wouldn't do anything to the braking surface of the rotor

Didn't I read someplace that it was OK to work the braking surface with garnet paper and garnet paper only?

[jetmechmarty]

Here's what I think. Bear in mind what I think might not be worth a ---.

Go ahead and blast them in the center if you want to. When you're done work the braking surface very well with a block and some 100 grit garnet paper. That sanding should get any aluminum oxide, as well as remove whatever your brake pads have left behind.

If it was me, I wouldn't bother with the blast cabinet, but rough up and clean the center as suggested by others. I'd work the braking surface with the garnet paper anyway.

[bikerphil]

I have removed the center paint from the rotors on my 79 Special with no ill effect. I have also scuffed the braking surface with 100 grit to remove glaze with no ill effect. They are not that delicate, JMHO, YMMV

[ViperRon]

Brake rotors

My Rotors front and back had issues where they would shutter. I used a micrometer and could see differences in the thickness in the rotors. I have a lathe and milling machine so I turned mine down and final polished to a factory finish. They seem to work great now but I did not remove much surface metal. I would not advise this just to remove wear and scratches in the rotors as they will eventually return.

[XS1100_OEM4ME]

I will go with that

Phil has had much more experance with these bikes then I, and been a big help to me and others, so, If it worked well for him, should do the same for you

I have removed the center paint from the rotors on my 79 Special with no ill effect. I have also scuffed the braking surface with 100 grit to remove glaze with no ill effect. They are not that delicate, JMHO, YMMV