I was wondering if anyone could provide some advice/insight about the best way to prepare a bike and its parts for painting.
Sanding? Chemical paint removers? Sandblasting?

Thanks,
Anthony

email (option): BagnetteAW@me.com

Paint stripper, Scotch pads and filler primer

Regards
Carl

email (option): carl.chezz@cwgsy.net

I've used a combination of sand blasting, chemical stripping, a wire wheel and sander on my angle grinder, hand sanding with production paper and paint stripper (Nitromors doesn't work any more! I think H&S have decreed it must be safe for a child to drink!).

Sand blasting is probably the best method, but of course most will have to transport and pay for it, and as long as the operator is sympathetic to old and often thin metal and as such is using a suitable medium. Ron

email (option): ronpier@talk21.com

Sand blast where you can, any steel - lets you know hat you are dealing with!!
Also can make a set of rusty chrome wheels, good enough to paint kahki (oh the joy of a wd bike)

Aquablast or perhaps glass bead blast any aluminium.

An alternative for steel is to find someone who strips pine doores - they use Sodium Hydroxide solution - this will strip most paints and does a nice de-greasing job and inhibits rust - but it can also screw up thier tank of solution for wood products .... i know when a friend did a set of forks for me - oops.

Hand methods also apply for small bits - but can be very time consuming - reserve for the oil tank ..... for gods sake dont blast an Oil Tank !!!!!!

I use a mixture of degreasing, chemical stripping and bead blasting for the initial removal of dirt/paint....

I never bead blast the oil tank...I clean that thoroughly with degreaser and hot, soapy water and then have it chemically stripped, completing the final preparation by hand....

Thinner tinware items like mudguards, chain guards, headlamp shells etc. I also have chemically stripped and then blast them to totally bare metal...

A word of caution here though, don't just hand them over to the nearest bead/sand blasting company without checking that they are set up for lighter work...Heavy blasting on rusted parts can leave holes and can also release the retained stresses inherent in pressed components leading to severe distortion in some cases (mudguards in particular)....

The 'heavy' tubular/forged items such as the frame, footrests etc. can just be degreased and blasted using a heavier blaster...Many powder coating companies will carry out this work for you...or a commercial blaster...

For blasting I would suggest looking for businesses that handle motorcycle parts in the course of their normal work...They will know what processes to use..Ian

email (option): ian@wright52.plus.com

Thank you all!

Great advice... I appreciate your time and knowledge/experience.

King regards,
Anthony

email (option): BagnetteAW@me.com