Steel Frame : Stripped/Raw Look
04-30-23, 08:16 PM
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Originally Posted by Jeff Neese;[url=tel:22827985
22827985[/url]]I've had two bikes powdercoated, by someone that has a lot of experience with bicycles. (Bean's Best, in Ann Arbor). I asked him about this very thing and he said yes, there is a clear powdercoat and he's done it, but not to expect it to look good. He strips the old paint by sandblasting and says that after clear powdercoating, the frame just looks kind of a uniform, drab grey color. That's what you have now though, right?
and did they break out the blasting price separate?
Thanks.
04-30-23, 10:54 PM
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I agree with most of the experiences and opinions here. I have cold out of a can blued a couple of frames with clear rattle can after, but one is already replaced/gone and the other doesn't see much use anyway. Were I to be a better brazer, frame finisher, I might a raw frame to last a while
Andy
AndyI have used room temp bluing solutions on a couple of frames with varying cosmetic results. Clear coated with rattle can to protect decals. One is crashed and gone. The other sees little use, so has no obvious rust as yet. Were I a better fillet brazer I might take the time to learn how to blue a frame better and then pay to have a pro add a wet clear coat. Were I really good at surface finishing (and the during the build taking care to not produce those file marks to begin with...) I would consider Cerakote. Andy (hoping this reads better)
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05-01-23, 04:57 AM
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I don't remember exactly, but it was around $160-180, something like that. I didn't ask him to break down the cost between blasting and coating. It was a few years ago so I imagine prices have gone up, along with everything else. I'm sure if you call him he'd quote you a price to do just the blasting.
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05-01-23, 07:50 AM
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I love the look of raw steel!
05-01-23, 09:56 AM
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I don't remember exactly, but it was around $160-180, something like that. I didn't ask him to break down the cost between blasting and coating. It was a few years ago so I imagine prices have gone up, along with everything else. I'm sure if you call him he'd quote you a price to do just the blasting.
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05-01-23, 10:50 AM
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The local powder coater that I use has/had about the same cost to media blast and coat a frame, offers a Phosphate solution application for only a few $ more. The racks they have done for me lately cost $10-25, although I deliver a pretty clean item to them so the blast is more to etch then to remove stuff. It's smart to find a PCer who is bike friendly. Andy
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05-01-23, 03:21 PM
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I don't remember exactly, but it was around $160-180, something like that. I didn't ask him to break down the cost between blasting and coating. It was a few years ago so I imagine prices have gone up, along with everything else. I'm sure if you call him he'd quote you a price to do just the blasting.
As I consider powder again.....
$150 ~$200 seems to be about typical for a single color - no fade.
So my trade off is:
$15 for Ox-acid and 3 hours(?) to soak and rinse and repeat (plus dealing with nonchalantly letting the bath drain down my driveway as I chase it with a garden hose to dilute)
3 ~ 5 hours: chemical stripping decals and mechanical sanding smooth (but ain't no way am i stripping to bare steel.....)
$80 (?) for primer / duplicolor / 2K clear coat + (?) 5 hours of garage painting / basement curing (taking several weeks....)
Right - probably a pro-powder coating is what I'll do....
cheers Thanks all! Now back to your Original Topic.....
