quesofrito

hello,

i recently had an Eddy Merckx frame autographed by The Man, himself. problem is i still want to ride this frame. any suggestions on how to protect the autograph? i had him use one of those industrial Sharpies.

lizard skins? enamel? any other ideas?

YoKev

My buddy had Joey Ramone sign his mountain bike about 15 years ago. He put some heavy duty clear tape over it and has ridden it ever since.

DRietz

You could just clear coat your whole frame, but that seems a little time consuming and a wee bit expensive.

beech333

Not that I think this is a good idea, but my brother had a recommendation to bronze an article of clothing that he had signed by some musical group. It was in his "hippie" days and I think it was a Phish hat, so maybe that explains a bit of it.


If you decide to clear coat it, make sure you try that on something else first. I would wonder if the clear coat solvents might ruin the sharpie ink.

longbeachgary

Any photos?

cudak888 

Bronze it, so the autographs will be sealed under the bronze?



That would make a for a fun Numbskull thread if the hat was put on eBay. "The signatures are there, you just can't see them!"

-Kurt

quesofrito

here's a pic.

YoKev

^^yep, you should bronze that!

kpug505

3M makes a great clear film that is used for protecting paint on cars and on their head lights. Good stuff.

longbeachgary

Thanks for the photo.

Otis

Just ride it. Eddy would. If 20% of it is left before you die you did ok.

mastershake916

Okay, this is what you do.
1) Mask of a box that encompasses the autograph. give yourself about a 1.5 centimeters of space from the closest point of the autograph.
2) Get some high quality clear coat and spray it down, make sure to get some that is at least a little tolerant of some oil & dirt, because you can't clean the area.
3) After giving it the appropriate number of coats, waiting long enough and cleaning the paint, mask off another area along the border of the cleared/noncleared area that that will create a thin line, half of which is in the cleared area and half of which isn't. Primer it, then spray it with some spray it with some gloss black paint.

And you're done. You're left with an autograph that's completely protected and has a nice "frame" around it.

kpug505

I wouldn't clear it...There would be no way the clear would stick without scuffing the paint unless it's not a catalyzed factory finish (which I seriously doubt)...It would flake off and probably take the sig with it...

retrofit

I mostly like mastershake916's suggestions. For number 2 you could probably use a tack cloth to clean the area. Not sure about number 3.



A possible solution is to use a clear primer like Dupli-Color® Adhesion Promoter that doesn't require sanding (its used as a primer on chrome surfaces for Dupli-Color's Metalcast Anodized Color paints). You might want to test it on your beater bike or some piece of junk frame first just to be safe.

stan

quesofrito

My beater is a Colnago. =)

crazyed27

Cling wrap it before each ride or buy a new frame...its just that simple!

kpug505

I'm well aware of adhesion promoters for both metal (like chrome) and plastics. The type you listed for use on chrome actually chemically etches the metal so that a top coat will adhere (kinda)...Even Dupli-Colors directions for the adhesion promoter states you must scuff the surface.

longbeachgary

I wouldn't mind having either of my Merckx's signed but I would just ride them. It's not going to add too much value to the bike and I'm don't plan on ever selling mine.

nivekdodge

Use the 3m plastic . Your biggest problem will be the marker fading. I had "Don Garlitz" on a dashboard ,protected with clear coat and it faded from the sun.