Let's see your raw aluminium!

[ghughes.hesinc]

I,m not sure on the best place to post this, so i'll try here. I need some convincing to strip my paint and go with the raw aluminium look. It's an old Gary Fisher Paragon and the

finish is pretty beat-up. Looking to freshing it up on the cheap. I've done alot of searching and see quite a few of you have tried it. Just wanted to see how everyone's turned out.

Brushed, Polished, clear coated or not. Post them up!

[ghughes.hesinc]

Nobody wants to show off their baby? You put all that hard work into it, let everyone see why it was so worth it!

[jeffw-13]

Here's a Yeti 575 polished to a mirror finish. Not my bike.

http://www.talonclub.com/forum/showthread.php?t=17166

[ghughes.hesinc]

Now that's shinny! Maybe alittle more polished than what I think I would be after, but it looks great. Any more?

[wildkyle90]

i dont like the looks of polished bikes at all

[bidaci]

OK, I'll bite. Here's a pic of old GT bike that I wish I held on to. Ballburnished raw frame.


Shot at 2008-01-14

Here is a shot of my current beater. Brushed 7075 aluminum. An old 1997 Trek 8000zx


Shot at 2009-08-19

Love that high polished look. Might have to try it over the winter on another frame I have kicking around.

[BH1]

My old raw P.1 frame. I sold it a while ago.

Aircraft strip and a power washer did the trick.

[ghughes.hesinc]

BH1, thats more of the look i'm after. What did you use to get that brushed look like that?

Thanks for the pictures everyone, I'd still like to see some more.

[essenmeinstuff]

You should do a search, there was a massive thread in the DH/FR section on how to strip your frame with heaps of pictures!

[yakuzafreerider]

here is my work in process....I stripped it down to give it a raw look now I'm polishing it up. This is just the first polishing, may do three or four more times. let me know what ya think.....
[IMG][/IMG]
[IMG][/IMG]
this was before I tore it down
[IMG][/IMG]

[bidaci]

^^ Very nice. Post a picture once it is done. Can't wait to see it completed

[BDSmith]

Originally Posted by ghughes.hesinc

BH1, thats more of the look i'm after. What did you use to get that brushed look like that?

Thanks for the pictures everyone, I'd still like to see some more.

I would think some sand paper would give you a nice brushed look. Just a light scuff is all that's necessary. That's my experience from working with aluminum, not bike frames though.

[ghughes.hesinc]

[QUOTE=yakuzafreerider]here is my work in process....I stripped it down to give it a raw look now I'm polishing it up. This is just the first polishing, may do three or four more times. let me know what ya think.....


I think that it looks awsome just like that! What have you done to get to that point? Good luck with the finishing polishes, it should shine up great if your already there with just one polishing. I'd love to see the finished product.

[essenmeinstuff]

it just popped up so here you are, 2 pages of raw finish!

Paint stripping/works finish

Oh and to give that brushed look use coarse steel wool rather than sand paper!

[bidaci]

Scotchbrite is what I use to keep my brushed aluminum looking like new

[mmanuel09]

Here's my 2003 Epic

[ghughes.hesinc]

Originally Posted by mmanuel09

Here's my 2003 Epic

Sweet looking Epic! What was your proceedure?

[yakuzafreerider]

[QUOTE=ghughes.hesinc]

Originally Posted by yakuzafreerider

here is my work in process....I stripped it down to give it a raw look now I'm polishing it up. This is just the first polishing, may do three or four more times. let me know what ya think.....


I think that it looks awsome just like that! What have you done to get to that point? Good luck with the finishing polishes, it should shine up great if your already there with just one polishing. I'd love to see the finished product.

well at that point, 3 cans of aircrat stripper, wire brushed everything, steel wool. As of today I sanded it with 800, and 1000 grit sand paper (wet sanded) and polished it 4 times. Its not a mirror finish but pretty darn close. I don't wanna get to crazy with it yet just want it to look good and be ready for powder coating if this doesnt grow on me first LOL hunters will definatley see me or be blinded! I'll post pictures tomorrow....

[mmanuel09]

Thanks - A buddy of mind did everything. Jasco Paint Remover, lightly sanding, and mothers polish.

[yakuzafreerider]

Originally Posted by mmanuel09

Thanks - A buddy of mind did everything. Jasco Paint Remover, lightly sanding, and mothers polish.

Mother mag and aluminum polish is what I used....awesome stuff.

[mmanuel09]

Yes Yes Awesome stuff - goes a long way...

[BH1]

Originally Posted by ghughes.hesinc

BH1, thats more of the look i'm after. What did you use to get that brushed look like that?

Thanks for the pictures everyone, I'd still like to see some more.

I used a pressure washer to literally blow the paint off the frame after it had bubbled up... So some of the swirls you see are from the pressure washer, but after that I used a fine-grit sandpaper to smooth out the finish and give it a slightly scuffed/polished look. After about a month of riding and no cleaning it began to oxidize and darken around the welds similar to the raw Intense frames...

[yakuzafreerider]

well here it is semi-back together. Thinking of stripping and polishing my front wheel and doing the rear in black. Its gonna look so pimpin when finished![IMG][/IMG]
[IMG][/IMG]

[BunnV]

custom I9's

[yakuzafreerider]

Originally Posted by BunnV

custom I9's

Very nice...thats what I'm hoping to do...dig the orange spokes!