Anyone do a brushed steel frame?
06-13-22, 07:23 PM
#1
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Anyone do a brushed steel frame?
I am kind of thinking about a DIY brushed steel frame. I don't have a frame yet and it would have to be one where the paint was shot so this might be a while. Has anyone done this? If so, how did you go about doing it? Post a picture of the finished bike if you can.
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06-13-22, 07:40 PM
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MCB offered frames of INOX tubing with a brushed finish in the seventies and into the early eighties IIRC; forum member styggno1 is sure to be able to expound upon them...
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MCB offered frames of INOX tubing with a brushed finish in the seventies and into the early eighties IIRC; forum member styggno1 is sure to be able to expound upon them...
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06-13-22, 08:01 PM
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Are you asking about a brushed steel finish or a paint applied with a brush? I've brush painted a couple of bikes many moons ago with 2-part epoxy.
06-13-22, 08:17 PM
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Unless the tubing is stainless steel, it will rust, even with a clear coat. We (Trek) built a brushed stainless steel tubed bike for the bike show circuit back in the early 80s. It held up well, except for the silver brazing material at the lug shorelines, which tarnished fairly quickly.
06-13-22, 09:29 PM
#5
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Looking to take a bare steel frame and give it a brushed look (not paint applied with a brush). I am thinking that maybe a wire brush drill attachment for a swirled look would look good but I would like to hear how others have done it.
06-13-22, 09:42 PM
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06-13-22, 09:45 PM
#7
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Titanium is much more amenable to this.
06-13-22, 09:45 PM
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06-13-22, 10:06 PM
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Not sure if this is what you mean, but I did this with a red 3M scotch brite drill disc. It's been like this for almost a year and hasn't rusted at all.
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06-14-22, 01:29 AM
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No amount of clear coat paint will protect the steel from eventually rusting.
Paint is organic, thus will eventually let in a certain amount of just ambient moisture.
Paint is organic, thus will eventually let in a certain amount of just ambient moisture.
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06-14-22, 03:30 AM
#11
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Gibbs Penetrating Oil. Find it on eBay. Couple applications a year and zero corrosion. Dry to the touch after 24-48 hours, not like WD40 or other silicone lubes. Gives the metal a beautiful natural look, too, unlike shiny clear coats.
Moisture WILL find its way through a clear coat. Everything is decomposing constantly. Oil prolongs the inevitable.
Moisture WILL find its way through a clear coat. Everything is decomposing constantly. Oil prolongs the inevitable.
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06-14-22, 04:02 AM
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The end result was a distressed and patinated result but needed more work as it was trying to start rusting immediately.
Was going to need wipe down with oil, linseed, cosmoline or the like would likely have diminished the cool factor.
I may try to do it on a big Stumpy frame I have that is also very rough.
06-14-22, 05:36 AM
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I had a steel frame soda-blasted and then powder-coated clear about 10 years ago - it looks like this now:
I picked clear after it came back - the brazing looked so tidy:
I picked clear after it came back - the brazing looked so tidy:
06-14-22, 05:41 AM
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Gibbs Penetrating Oil. Find it on eBay. Couple applications a year and zero corrosion. Dry to the touch after 24-48 hours, not like WD40 or other silicone lubes. Gives the metal a beautiful natural look, too, unlike shiny clear coats.
Moisture WILL find its way through a clear coat. Everything is decomposing constantly. Oil prolongs the inevitable.
Moisture WILL find its way through a clear coat. Everything is decomposing constantly. Oil prolongs the inevitable.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/27461503264...mis&media=COPY
Last edited by masi61; 06-14-22 at 08:49 AM.
06-14-22, 06:42 AM
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06-14-22, 09:04 AM
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Didn't @Drillium Dude do something like this on a Casati a while back? He even roughed up the components as I recall; cool bike!
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06-14-22, 10:54 AM
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Didn't @Drillium Dude do something like this on a Casati a while back? He even roughed up the components as I recall; cool bike!
Brent
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As I recall, it had a spectral, almost ghostly look to it - in a good way.
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06-14-22, 11:53 AM
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If someone tells you that you have enough bicycles and you don't need any more, stop talking to them. You don't need that kind of negativity in your life.
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06-14-22, 01:00 PM
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It was a Casati Gugificazione. @Drillium Dude had it in the Atelier for some work awhile back.
This also says something about my memory, but I don't remember what.
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06-14-22, 01:09 PM
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Not my invoice, Jeff dropped it off at his LBS for some work. They wrote up the work order that way!
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If someone tells you that you have enough bicycles and you don't need any more, stop talking to them. You don't need that kind of negativity in your life.
If someone tells you that you have enough bicycles and you don't need any more, stop talking to them. You don't need that kind of negativity in your life.
06-14-22, 01:10 PM
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If someone tells you that you have enough bicycles and you don't need any more, stop talking to them. You don't need that kind of negativity in your life.
If someone tells you that you have enough bicycles and you don't need any more, stop talking to them. You don't need that kind of negativity in your life.
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06-14-22, 01:15 PM
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06-14-22, 01:16 PM
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a custom builder recently noted that he see issues with stainless and discoloration around brazes with people who live near the oceans and recommends that stainless frames near the ocean be painted
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Life is too short not to ride the best bike you have, as much as you can
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Life is too short not to ride the best bike you have, as much as you can
(looking for Torpado Super light frame/fork or for Raleigh International frame fork 58cm)
06-14-22, 05:42 PM
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I have been talked out of the crazy idea I had.
06-14-22, 05:57 PM
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A bike shop near me in Phoenix has a paintless old Schwinn fillet brazed bike on display. It looks awesome, but I can't say whether it has ever been exposed to the elements. I'll try to get a picture when I get home.
