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I'm the new owner of a pre-loved Genesis Alpitude, and if I get on with it I'm thinking about giving the finish a new lease of life.
I've got potential colours going round in my head (flat, metallic, matte... even chromed) but then thought about a clear polyester powdercoat. I've been reading the pros and cons about this but can't find a definitive reason to.. or not to.
Has anyone tried sandblasting then doing this on a steel frame?
Ideally I'd like to see the imperfections in the metal and burn marks from welding, and have an industrial, raw look.
Interesting.... if you do it, please share the results of your work with the class...
Polyester isn't entirely waterproof, so over time it'll rust under the coating, no different to any other powdercoat, just more visible. Also it's difficult/impossible to get it completely clear, so will always be slightly white/yellow, especialy if it spends time outdoors exposed to UV.
What about a two-pack clear lacquer...that should be tough.
I had my Niner forks done in a cellulose metallic from a car paint shop. The chap then used a two-pack lacquer to go over them. Its held up well.
The raw lacquered thing will be my choice when my Niner needs repainting.
I clear lacquered an alloy Rock Lobster Team TIG frame a few years using Frost Automotive stuff in a can. About 12 coats hand-sprayed over the raw brushed alloy, it looked amazing and didn't oxidise underneath. I've had a look since but I think they've stopped selling it.
I stripped an alptitude and a ragley blue pig frame. The difference in quality with regards to attention to detail was clear to see when i had both frames next to each other with no paint on them. The genesis is a big step ahead of the ragley in quality terms. The alptitude will look lovely raw as there is a lot of braising used in the building process. I liked the way every un welded join had been braised to seal it. I stripped it with nitromors. Evil stuff but once the paint is removed the frame is left as it was before being painted in the first place. I laid some sheeting down put the frame on top, completely coated it in nitromors then pulled the sheeting over the top to seal it. Left it for a couple of hours then jet washed it. Job done. You do really need to get plenty of the nitromors on there though and work it into every nook and cranny with a soft paint brush.
Thanks lamo, interesting. I've read that sandblasting can ruin the smooth pre-painted finish of the tubing and welds/brazes, so I'm thinking a chemical dip (or hand nitro-morsing it) is the way to go.
Do you have any pics of the raw Alpitude? Were the tubes smooth or pitted after stripping? Were there discolouration around the welds?
Perfectly smooth. Not really any discolouration around the welds. I may have some pics....I will have a look
Yes please mate!
If you want to see the oxide layer colours around the welds then don't get it blasted, as that'll remove those. You'll have to chemically strip it.
Clear acrylic lacquer would work better and last longer, you have to spend a hell of a long time degreasing and cleaning all dirt and oil from the frame, over time it'll still start to blemish under the lacquer (around any drain holes or anywhere that leads to an un lacquered part.
Hi All,
I own an Autopaint shop up North and regularly get asked this question from my cycling community and everything else as well. Best thing for bare metal lacquering, to protect and to delay rust building up on the steel frame is definitely 2K clear lacquer. We even get asked to fill aerosols with ready mixed 2 pack paints as this stuff is far harder than the single acrylics! Still, don't forget the importance of preparation to the metal surface as you cannot polish a turd! 😉