sandblasted cases

[first timer]

sand blasted engine cases? has anyone done this to there bike, i rember seeing someone's bike that had this done on a gs ride. i don't rember who though.

anyone who has sandblasted their engine cases ( clutch cover, stator cover, points cover) could you please email me some pictures of them.

i think i would like to sandblast my cases but would like to see what they look like before i do it.

any feedback would be great.

-ryan

[humhead]

Sandblasting is a little too abrasive for the alloy used in engine covers/cases.
A good shop will know just what type of media to use (glass, shell) on a particular part. After cleaning, you'd still have to polish & protect (wax, clearcoat)

Terry

[first timer]

i wasn't looking to polish the case, like i said i had seen someone do some sort of media blasting to the case and it left i nice darker mat finish to the cases, this is a look i was thinking about going, i don;t think super shiney matchs the look for my bike, more dull and flat.


thanks,

ryan

[Anonymous]

i wasn't looking to polish the case, like i said i had seen someone do some sort of media blasting to the case and it left i nice darker mat finish to the cases, this is a look i was thinking about going, i don;t think super shiney matchs the look for my bike, more dull and flat.

Ryan,

Glass beads should give you the look you are after. It will be about the same color as the aluminum is now, but a matte finish with no shine at all. If you want darker, you would need to paint it with a charcoal gray or similar color.

I love the bare aluminum blasted finish as well. I had an RD400 I was working on that was going to have a completely blasted engine for that "works racer" look, but it never got finished. Even better than aluminum is as-cast magnesium, but that is not really that common for our bikes...


Mark

[first timer]

thanks for the tip i think i will look further into glass bead blasting. you have any pics?


magnezium cast, now that would be real cool :twisted:

-ryan

[Anonymous]

thanks for the tip i think i will look further into glass bead blasting. you have any pics?

For aluminum the only media you want to use are glass beads or ground walnut shells. Just about anything else is too aggressive. Sand is the most aggressive and will remove significant amounts of your cases along with the old corrosion.

I was looking for some pics and can't find any at the moment. If I find some, I will pass them on.

A tip for blasting - wash everything really well first. While the blasting will take off grease and oil and such, it leaves a messy job and never looks as good as if you wash all of the gunk off first. And your blaster will thank you, too, as the gunk causes them problems as well.

Mark

[beby99]

first timer....

I was told that "over cleaner" will give a dark finish to aluminum. I
have never tried it, so if you do, try it on a spare part first.

Bret

[Anonymous]

I was told that "over cleaner" will give a dark finish to aluminum. I
have never tried it, so if you do, try it on a spare part first.

That would be "oven cleaner" and I would DEFINITELY try it on a spare piece first. The active ingredient in a lot of oven cleaners is caustic soda (NaOH) and it will not darken aluminum so much as turn it a charred black color. That may be what you are looking for, but test on scrap first as the only way the black oxidation comes off is with mechanical removal (ie. blasting or polishing) and it is a bitch to get off.

Mark

[first timer]

hey guys i found this one pic of some bead blasted bike stuff, for all who have seen bead blasted up close does this look about the same. Would bead blasted be good to leave like that for some cases, i kinda like the unfinished look.



-ryan

[Anonymous]

hey guys i found this one pic of some bead blasted bike stuff, for all who have seen bead blasted up close does this look about the same. Would bead blasted be good to leave like that for some cases, i kinda like the unfinished look.

This is definitely what your cases will look like after bead blasting. You may get a slightly different shade, but it will be close. I don't think you will be able to leave it unfinished, as the bare aluminum will nicely corrode and look like garbage over time. You could paint it with a high temp clear coat after blasting and that would give the bare aluminum look with protection.

Mark

[Anonymous]

Hey man I would PM Hispl he has never blasted his engine case , but he has sand blasted everything else you can think of... he might have some pointers for you.

[solo suzuki]

hey guys i found this one pic of some bead blasted bike stuff, for all who have seen bead blasted up close does this look about the same. Would bead blasted be good to leave like that for some cases, i kinda like the unfinished look.

This is definitely what your cases will look like after bead blasting. You may get a slightly different shade, but it will be close. I don't think you will be able to leave it unfinished, as the bare aluminum will nicely corrode and look like garbage over time. You could paint it with a high temp clear coat after blasting and that would give the bare aluminum look with protection.

Mark

mark is right! best way to do it, otherwise will turn into crap in no time.

[Hoomgar]

My entire head and cylinders will be bead blasted when I get mine back. I was not told I would have to coat it with anything? What should I do?

[robinjo]

My entire head and cylinders will be bead blasted when I get mine back. I was not told I would have to coat it with anything? What should I do?

Put some grey VHT paint on it I guess, if you ever ride in the rain and even without wetness it will corrode like hell.

[Hoomgar]

My entire head and cylinders will be bead blasted when I get mine back. I was not told I would have to coat it with anything? What should I do?

Put some grey VHT paint on it I guess, if you ever ride in the rain and even without wetness it will corrode like hell.

:? we've missed something then. I am talking to my engine builder today. We'll see what the scoop is here. Maybe I misunderstood.