Fix Blemish On Clear Coat Aluminium Frame

[Jet Black]

Been riding a cirrus for over twenty years now and after posting have got the bug to make sure it's looking and running good. Over the years it's received the odd ding and blemish from riding, which isn't generally a problems, but today I decided to remove an old Oakley decal from the tube where there was a fairly well worn 'dirty' spot. I thought the decal was over the dirty bit, but as it turns out it was below and now my bike clearly says Oakley but there is no decal

Any idea how to safely polish up the tube and smooth things out? I'm a refinishing amateur but willing to learn.

Edit: anyone ever hear of using a clay bar to remove these typed of things? It's almost like dirt baked right into the frame (and while I'm proud of my dirt, it would be nice to clean it up for new dirt ).

Here is a link http://reviews.canadiantire.ca/9045/039 ... eviews.htm

 

[tonedeaf101]

Could try some car polish or neutral paint restorer.

 

[Jet Black]

Could try some car polish or neutral paint restorer.

Tried polish and that did nothing. The clay bar sounds promising... I'll repost after I try it to say whether or not it worked.

 

[jonrock]

Re:

Have you got a picture fella?

J

 

[slmracing]

Re:

Give it a light flat with some 3M 2000 production paper then a good rub with some compound, it will make it look better, the problem is the decal has caused the coating on the frame to fade at a different rate, did you say it was clear anodized?

 

[Jet Black]

I'll post a picture of it tomorrow, but the irony is that the decal protected the original look of the aluminium but the exposed part is rough to the touch and instead of being silver or grey it's coloured brown.

Will update in the morning.

 

[Jet Black]

Re:

Ok got out of bed and took a photo:

Image

 

[legrandefromage]

Thats lifting lacquer (Lifting Lacquer playing at a venue in your town soon) - the aluminium is oxidizing underneath discolouring the coating.

Only way around it is to strip, polish and start again. Lacquering aluminium always ends in tears as it just doesn't want to stick. Ball burnished is better but in your case, bare aluminium, a polish and new decals will be easier to look after.

A note on polishing - dont use abrasives but if the oxidization is really lumpy, the finest grade of wet & dry sand paper will remove this. Elsewhere, a cotton cloth will be enough to bring up a shine. Twisting the cloth around the tubes and pulling back and fourth vigorously polishes up a frame nicely. Abrasives will just remove layer upon layer over the years (microns, yes but thinning the tubing all the same).

 

[slmracing]

Re:

it looks like the anodising is damaged, shame it is discoloured, there is one way of doing it, remove the old decals, flat the frame with 800, 1200 production paper, then take it to a body shop and ask them to lacquer the frame (2k). The other option is to have it re anodised. This option could be expensive.

Hope this helps

 

[Jet Black]

Re:

Thanks for the info. Those are steps I'm not prepared for yet (pretty new to this whole process), but in the future I'll clean it up. It's still a great ride, it just happens to look its age.