Clear coat for aluminum
#12
12-19-2013 | 09:04 PM
Former Sponsor
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 452
Likes: 5
From: Westminster, CA
I would say if you want to undertake the task of properly polishing your own parts, you will need to spend a bit of time and a few bucks to set yourself up properly. Otherwise it's just not worth the time and headache to do it on your own. But if you're in need of a new hobby and have a few bucks to burn I can point you in the direction of setting yourself up even on a small budget.
#14
12-19-2013 | 10:02 PM
Former Sponsor
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 452
Likes: 5
From: Westminster, CA
Big budget.
Stand alone polishing lathe and a trip through the Eastwood catalog.
Little budget.
Harbor freight has everything you need to polish and you can get a cheap bench mounted buffer and be done inside a couple hundred bucks max. Good enough for a home workshop setup.
youtube has tons of tutorials, some are actually good.
Stand alone polishing lathe and a trip through the Eastwood catalog.
Little budget.
Harbor freight has everything you need to polish and you can get a cheap bench mounted buffer and be done inside a couple hundred bucks max. Good enough for a home workshop setup.
youtube has tons of tutorials, some are actually good.
#17
12-20-2013 | 06:12 AM
Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 13,389
Likes: 26
From: Windham,Maine
You learn how to polish aluminum and keep it that way, amazingly it is much easier to maintain then chrome, powdercoat or paint. The best thing is if it gets a little off color it is very easy to renew, nothing like the other three. Metal polish is personal preference mine is AutoSol.
#18
12-20-2013 | 07:42 AM
Thread Starter
|
Tourer
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 363
Likes: 1
From: New England
What aluminum on your bike are you wanting to clear coat?
The factory clear coat on the fork lowers is what gives them the grayish appearance, which is why I stripped the clear coat off and polished. If you polish aluminum smooth & use a good metal polish, such as Blue Magic, then follow it up with a good carnauba based wax job, your aluminum will stay perfect with minimal maintenance and cleaning & stuff will just wipe right off.
It's actually easier to keep my fork lowers looking nice now that they are bare polished aluminum then it was from the factory with the clear coat....and it looks 100 times better. Nothing looks better than polished aluminum, not even chrome, and if you do it right it's not that difficult to maintain it. Another good thing about it is that if you do get a blemish, such as a rock chip, you can polish it right out as opposed to having something clear coated...once it's chipped, it's chipped.
Just my $.02
The factory clear coat on the fork lowers is what gives them the grayish appearance, which is why I stripped the clear coat off and polished. If you polish aluminum smooth & use a good metal polish, such as Blue Magic, then follow it up with a good carnauba based wax job, your aluminum will stay perfect with minimal maintenance and cleaning & stuff will just wipe right off.
It's actually easier to keep my fork lowers looking nice now that they are bare polished aluminum then it was from the factory with the clear coat....and it looks 100 times better. Nothing looks better than polished aluminum, not even chrome, and if you do it right it's not that difficult to maintain it. Another good thing about it is that if you do get a blemish, such as a rock chip, you can polish it right out as opposed to having something clear coated...once it's chipped, it's chipped.
Just my $.02
#19
12-20-2013 | 08:07 AM
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 2,325
Likes: 6
From: SE Illinois
Hey thanks for your .02 cents , that is actually what I'm doing the lowers on the forks . They weren't pitted bad , but just enough to notice , got one done and it does look great . I used mothers metal and wheel polish ! Think I'll try not clearing for a season and just keep them polished ! Thanks for all the input !
IMO, if you do this you'll be amazed how easy they are to take care of and keep looking good. Again, the great thing about it as compared to chrome, power coat, paint, clear, etc. is that is you do get a blemish, you can polish it right out. Just don't let it go to the point you get pitting. A little quick maintenance goes a long way. I wish all my chrome was aluminum..
Another great polish is Blue Magic metal polish. It contains ammonia which is great for cleaning and polishing & it also contains Silicone, which helps seal the metal. Just another product to consider that's I've had good results with. The Mother's metal polish & mag & aluminum polish works well too, I just prefer the Blue Magic once I tried it.
Last edited by Sharkman73; 12-20-2013 at 08:10 AM.
#20
12-20-2013 | 08:56 PM
Tourer
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 265
Likes: 11
From: Houston area
Okay, I am hearing that you can use a metal polish to take the clear coat off the front lowers and polish the forks on a fatboy? I have a 2008 and would like to get the lowers polished or chromed. Metal polish can get this to being shiny like chrome?
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