What to use to rustproof cromoloy steel?

[northwind]

Not for the SV, this, I'm cleaning up an old bike and I'd like to leave the cromo frame unpainted, but it'll rust to death in no time without some protection. Does anyone know of a clear coat that adheres well to metal and is reasonably tough? Oh, and also be as unintrusive as possible, i'd like it to look basically like untreated metal if possible

Cheers

Andrew

[Biker Biggles]

My Rickmans frame is chromoly and I just clean it and put wax on it.Not a rust proofer,but keeps moisture away.

[dizzyblonde]

can't you get some sort of clear powdercoat these days? Or am I just talkin b&lls?

[chakraist]

Can't you just spray it down with ACF-50?

[New Leaf]

bilt hamber auto balm. 1 application will keep it rust free for 6 months and it doesn't leave a sticky residue like acf-50.

http://www.bilthamber.com/autobalm.html

Its sold as a sealant for car paint work but it bonds with bare metal no problem. Infact all the salt bath tests they do on their website are on bare metal surfaces.

[northwind]

Ooh, cheers New Leaf, that looks like a good plan... Do you know if it washes off easily? The rest of the bike will need fairly regular TLC to keep it going.

I'd just ACF it but it's to be my winter commuter as well as doing a wee bit of off-road so I think it'd need reapplied too often for me to bother with it. (ACF is great but it does wash off with detergents, and mud can take it off too) Really I'm after a permanent finish to be honest, I'm too lazy to reapply it.

I've dropped SSS a line about powdercoat, never thought of that! My bike wheels definately had a clear top coat on (I peeled it all off the back one after it got damaged) so maybe that'd do the job.

Cheers!

[Girth]

Duck Oil on the inside and a few layers of clear lacquer on the external tubes.

[New Leaf]

Do you know if it washes off easily?

I have only used it on the car, and it easilly lasts 6 months even with a weekly wash with autoglym shampoo, but i doubt it would last that long if you regularly use a harsh degreaser on the bike.

I'm just guessing cos i don't use it on the bike but i think it would easily withstand 3 months worth of weekly sprays with muck-off or something similar.

Their customer service is second to none - i'm sure they would answer any questions if you dropped them an e-mail.

[dizzyblonde]

I've dropped SSS a line about powdercoat, never thought of that! My bike wheels definately had a clear top coat on (I peeled it all off the back one after it got damaged) so maybe that'd do the job.

Cheers!

did i read that as 'triple S' oooo thats the dogs dangles of powdercoaters!:cool:

[northwind]

Apparently the powder clearcoat only works over another layer of powder :( Ah well.

[Bibio]

i know i'm stupid .. but is it for a motorbike or pushbike?

[northwind]

Ah, yeah, I didn't say. Pushbike, the one I got for my 14th birthday :smt003

I'm kind of thinking I'll just get a tin of random clearcoat and spray it, see what happens. I have lots of nitromors if it fails...

[Bibio]

ok ... if you are going to spray it with a clearcoat... then go and get top coat lacquer.. its hard as fek.....

or just give it a really good polish with any good 'nano' car wax, grease any joints with chain lube or spray grease. for regular washing either hand wash or jet wash with wash'n'wax...

[New Leaf]

if its a push bike then its not going to be out doing too many miles, and i doubt you'll be washing it with super degreashers, so 1 coat of that that auto balm stuff will last about 5 years.

[northwind]

It'll probably do more miles than my SV just now :) I'll speak to them about chemical cleaners, it'll get zapped with muc off or equivalent every couple of days and proper degreaser probably once a fortnight, though that'll be isolated.

[sam anon]

I recently got a quote for my fork lowers being powder-coated, although the guy did say that repainting them and applying a 2-pack clear laquer would be better idea as you can give it a polish.

Might be worth seeing if you can laquer over your chromoly frame? Although on re-reading this it struck me chromoly is hard and shiny, and therefore not the best base for laquer!

[northwind]

Yeah, powdercoat is out.