And for some of those who might not know this, zinc plating is otherwise known as galvanization. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galvanization
T.C.
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I got it from eBay http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2514745201...84.m1497.l2648
The kit is mainly dry ingredients which you mix with demineralised water. It comes with two passivators..one bright and the other a goldy-yellow colour. You basically de rust the components, then degrease and final acid bath before plating. As with painting, the better the preparation, the better the results. I wore one kit out doing two bikes. The electrolyte gradually gets contaminated and the zinc anodes wear away, although they can be replaced once before the elctrolyte becomes too bad.
The power supply is a normal car battery charger and the kit has a primitive variable resistor to vary the current depending on how much is being plated.
All in all, it's quite an easy process and the results are impressive considering what the kit costs and the fact that it's a home-done process. Also, it's gratifying to see a manky old component saves and turned into a shiny, non-rusting part.Leave a comment:
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Looking good James ! I like your home zinc set-up, is it something you put together or is it a kit you can buy over there ? My last project I got all the fasteners gold zinc plated and looked very cool.Leave a comment:
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Update
Got the frame, swing arm and other bits powder coated....
I spent the afternoon with a small zinc plating kit....heres a few bits in the tank
Results were very good with the parts bright and shiny and the zinc plating 'passivated' which keeps them nice and shiny.....here are the carb bits..
I also did a few other bits..cable holder, headstock nuts, engine mountings and a brake pipe clamps etc...
I received four carb kits...just the needle valves and seats and float bowl gaskets. A packing error in Japan meant that three of the four needle seat washers were the wrong diameter! So I could only fully assemble one carb! A pain but these things happen and they are sending me three correct replacements......
Onwards and upwards
Last edited by James England; 04-11-2014, 04:26 PM.Leave a comment:
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Nice tip on the races, James
First time I've seen a rear steer Go-Kart
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Quick update
I've managed to get this far.....
Amazingly, the only OEM parts missing from the bike are the front cable clamp and one ignition coil which has been replaced with one from another bike, also the lift handle. Everything else, including all the little expensive things, are all there. That's quite reassuring.
The frame and swing arm will be going to the powder coaters next week.....
Onwards and upwards!
The steering head beating races were worn enough to warrant getting them out and not doing the tempting little cheat of leaving the races in the steering head. I used a small, primitive stock welder and welded an old bolt across each race. The heat from the welder helps and then a whack on the bolt from the opposite side with a metal rod popped them right out....
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There's actually a crossover on the exhaust, Steve... Not visible in the pix.....Leave a comment:
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James, looking at that exhaust it may be worth your trouble to have your local 'exhaust fabricator' fit a crossover between the two sides like the OEM exhaust. Worth a bit of power and should quiet it some too... just a thought...
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That seat was made just for him!Finally, here's a budding XSive...light of my life..... (The boy, not the bike)
From the pictures, it looks like you have a good one.
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Very nice starting point; every one I've bought used looked far worse than that...
Definitely has/had a fuel mixture issue on 3/4 judging by how discolored the right side exhaust is. And I still like those shorter pipes, gives the bike a bit less 'formal' look, more 'sporty'...
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