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Painting my 450

  • Thread starter Thread starter Guest
  • Start date Start date
I sand a polish by hand... Too easy to screw it up on our small parts with the power tools!
 
A trick I learned a number of years back was to mount all the pieces to the bike before you start polishing. That holds the parts for you. To keep the bike clean, drape a thin plastic drop cloth over the frame before you mount them. You can hand polish, but it takes foe EVER :D, and it still won't bring the shine a buffer will.
 
salty_monk said:
I sand a polish by hand... Too easy to screw it up on our small parts with the power tools!
Click to expand...

I have contemplated this closely but...

nvr2old said:
A trick I learned a number of years back was to mount all the pieces to the bike before you start polishing. That holds the parts for you. To keep the bike clean, drape a thin plastic drop cloth over the frame before you mount them. You can hand polish, but it takes foe EVER :D, and it still won't bring the shine a buffer will.
Click to expand...

This is *exactly* what I thought of about 5 minutes before logging on and I was going to ask if it was a stupid idea :D

It'll work for the tank, seat trim, and tail piece at least but the guards I'm going to have to do differently and support them somehow.

Thanks again :D

And yes, I am going to make this baby shine... ;)
 
Actually, for the guards and seat trim it would be easier to use the bench mount for the drill and move the pieces rather than the other way around... after all there's one there!
 
pete said:
Actually, for the guards and seat trim it would be easier to use the bench mount for the drill and move the pieces rather than the other way around... after all there's one there!
Click to expand...

That would work, but be careful..you have to move the part so be very conscious of the direction the pad is spinning. You want the pad to travel off the edges of the parts, not into it and grabbing it and/or burning through suddenly. Static mounted drills or buffers also make it easy to push the part into the pad too hard. You're not polishing a fork leg, remember..:D

I've always held fenders between my knees and using a drill with pads. That way you can hold it, move it, or flip it around, and still have a gentle touch with the buffer.
 
nvr2old said:
That would work, but be careful..you have to move the part so be very conscious of the direction the pad is spinning. You want the pad to travel off the edges of the parts, not into it and grabbing it and/or burning through suddenly. Static mounted drills or buffers also make it easy to push the part into the pad too hard. You're not polishing a fork leg, remember..:D

I've always held fenders between my knees and using a drill with pads. That way you can hold it, move it, or flip it around, and still have a gentle touch with the buffer.
Click to expand...

Ok cool, that all makes sense and is something I didn't think of at all! I definitely don't want to burn through it after all that effort...

oldrookie said:
No connection to the site, and no recommendation of it intended...the link is merely to point out the random orbital I purchased and like.

http://www.autogeek.net/poca746varap.html
Click to expand...

That does look like a handy tool to have!

It seems from what I've found so far that random orbital is definitely the way to go, but there's no way I'm going to be able to get one at the moment. I have the backing pad for the drill so all I need is polish and pads, which is relatively easy on the budget.

Buying a random orbital polisher will impact my budget a little too much this close to Christmas...
 
So, rumour has it I will get some time on the bike on Saturday. An even flimsier rumour is that it will be sunny.

To be honest I can't see me getting much time, but I might be able to start wet sanding at least.

I'd actually rather wait until the following Saturday because I could probably get a lot more time but that's how it goes.

The reason I'd rather wait is I was having trouble finding 6" foam pads that tie on to the backing plate. My house mate was off work today and had to go to a couple of hardware stores so he looked while he was there and no joy.

Anyway, tonight he mentioned he was sure there was a velcro one there too, so when I was down earlier I looked again...



Now if I could find some pads locally I'd be laughing... everything I've seen so far has been wool which is useless. The Meguiar's glaze explicitly says use a foam pad, although the fine cut doesn't say what to use.

At this stage I expect I'll get the fine cut and glaze from the auto shop up the road and I suspect I'll be getting the hand applicator pads to go with them for the moment.

If I do that, I reserve the right to get polishing pads and go at it with some RPM's later on ;)
 
your really taking your time on this...
just kidding..the suspense is terrible though.
;)
 
Not to hijack your thread.. A little inspiration maybe... This process is exactly what you're going through right now, Pete. Paint, stripe, clear coat, cut and polish..;) Just put the finishing touches on this Harley.

This owner is involved in an Honor Guard group of riders that accompanies the remains of returning soldiers. Big thanks to Nunzio for making the stencil and airbrushing the MIA/POW logo on for me.

ffender-2.jpg


ffender-1.jpg


rfender-1.jpg


tank-side.jpg


tank-above.jpg


The light inside sux and the weather outside sux, so the pics aren't that great, but yours can look every bit as good.
 
Larry, you can hijack my thread any time you like with quality work like that :D

Dale, I take it you've got your ducks all in a row now? Sorry, couldn't resist :p

I was thinking about it today and I reckon I've got 4 weeks max before it's going to be too late to start organising a safety certificate and rego. before Christmas.

So unless a miracle happens I think I'll have to end up hand polishing this time around, but maybe I can drop a subtle hint to the wife about a random orbital polisher for Christmas... ;)
 
Pete, unfortunately they're not. one's upstairs at the end of the hallway (Lane) and two are down stairs in a box (Royal Dalton). :p
 
Hahahahahahaahaha

We have ours in a row actually... heading up the stairs... not sure what sort they are but I think they're made locally... if I remember I might even take a pic to distract everyone from the fact that it's taking me *forever* to get to the sanding and polishing...

And speaking of ducks, I got quacked at on the way home this avo'... there's a few ducks hang around here and one quacked at me and waddled after me as I was walking... haha
 
Hey Pete, you not talking about these are you?

20081119_043flying-ducks_w.jpg


Please for the love of all that is holy, tell me you are no talking about these ducks.
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Oh dear! No, I believe ours are far more tasteful than that... I'm gonna havta get a pic now aren't I? :rolleyes:
 
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