All we hear is Powder Coat gaga

Has paint stripper fallen foul of H&S or environmental concern these days perhaps, and gone ‘soft’ ?

Yes, it's been reformulated for consumers to keep us safe so next to useless, the professional version is still the same however if you know where to find it. I can get the old 'poisonous' creosote from the local sawmill for professional use. Same with old incandescent 100W bulbs, buy them from a factory outlet.
 
This is what I use for paint stripping, I seems to be just like the original Nitromors which is now less than useless. This stuff makes your skin burn just like the old Nitromors, gets rid of paint too. I buy it from a car paint supplier.

All we hear is Powder Coat gaga
 
I used to use nitromors over 40 years ago when I was bodging old bikes. It was powerful stuff back then, but for hard to remove paint we’d put a blow torch across it to help soften the paint (perhaps it was stove enamelling back then?) the fumes that came off burning nitromors used to make us retch .

it was only a lot later that I found out that the chemical they removed from it that made it so good, and which burned our eyes and throats, decomposed when burned. I think it was called methylene chloride - burn that stuff like they did in WW1- and they called it mustard gas. No wonder we nearly died burning it in the garage.
 
I Know I’m already a self declared member of the ‘NOT a fan of PC club’... so I am biased... but...

If PC is that difficult to remove, it presents another dilemma in my book. It is essentially a none maintainable plastic wrap. The ‘none maintainable‘ part is the rub. It’s fine on dirt bikes etc as they’re essentially disposable. Also the alloy wheels shown would be relatively easy to strip using flap wheels etc. so no probs there.

Bit it wouldn’t sit well in my mind using it on something less ‘disposable’ or more intricate and / or delicate. I’d be thinking about the poor sod down the line having to deal with it, whether that be me or someone else. And the potential damage that removal could cause.

Stripping something complex like a Commando frame and cradle using only abrasive methods would be a nightmare. I just don’t see how,you could get it all off? Stripping something more delicate, thin and intricate must surely be impossible?

Imagine having to deal with a fully powder coated Vincent Black Shadow... !?


This is a good question, so I called the Powder Coating company. It turns out they have a dip tank for such things.
24 hrs in there and then a light sandblast gets it ready to powder coat again.
So you could turn your Black Shadow into an Orange Shadow if desired.

Glen
 
On the disposable nature of dirt bikes, those of us who love to ride them don't see it quite that way.
The bike in the photo is an Ossa Mick Andrews Replica from 1972, as old as a Commando, with perhaps more pedigree.
And , with all of Mick's clever design ideas, it weighs just 192 lbs!
I have borrowed some of its weight reduction ideas for the Norton and Vincent Specials.

It's identical in every way to the bike that won all the big Trials championships in the early seventies. They are quite coveted in the Trials World.
Not at all disposable!

Glen

 
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This is a good question, so I called the Powder Coating company. It turns out they have a dip tank for such things.
24 hrs in there and then a light sandblast gets it ready to powder coat again.
So you could turn your Black Shadow into an Orange Shadow if desired.

Glen

That’s good info Glen, I didn’t know that, thanks.

Makes a big difference to giving it a try... again...!

Can‘t say I’ve ever really considered and orange shadow though...
 
This is what I use for paint stripping, I seems to be just like the original Nitromors which is now less than useless. This stuff makes your skin burn just like the old Nitromors, gets rid of paint too. I buy it from a car paint supplier.

View attachment 16539

Have you tried this on powder coating? I looked at this on fleabay & was tempted to try some, but it doesn't contain Methanol which I think is the key ingredient required for removing PC.
 
I had a 72 250 Ossa Pioneer. Had a great, torquey 2 stroke motor. I learned to wheelie on that bike.
It was stolen from right out in front of my front door. I'd love to have it now.

Jaydee
 
Have you tried this on powder coating? I looked at this on fleabay & was tempted to try some, but it doesn't contain Methanol which I think is the key ingredient required for removing PC.

I don't know, I will have a look round my garage and if I can find something that is powder coated I will try it.
 
Have you tried this on powder coating? I looked at this on fleabay & was tempted to try some, but it doesn't contain Methanol which I think is the key ingredient required for removing PC.

The wheel clamp on my bike lift seems to be powder coated, it is certainly a tough finish.

The first pic was scraped with a screwdriver after a tune had played on the radio (Planet Rock, sorry, no watch on) the second pic was after another tune and the third about 5 tunes and a wire brush. and now my arms itch. :D

lift.jpg
lift2.jpg
lift3.jpg
 
The wheel clamp on my bike lift seems to be powder coated, it is certainly a tough finish.

The first pic was scraped with a screwdriver after a tune had played on the radio (Planet Rock, sorry, no watch on) the second pic was after another tune and the third about 5 tunes and a wire brush. and now my arms itch. :D

View attachment 16649View attachment 16650View attachment 16651

Thanks for the product testing. It does look promising so I will buy a can of this, & itchy arms must be a good sign just like the old Nitromores of 30 years ago.
 
No, that is the colour of the shadow from the burning police HQ in Minneapolis. My mate sent me a stellar pix of it. :-(
 
I tried some Strip Gel from Frost Restoration on a powder coated Matchless frame today, & guess what? Yes that's right, much to my amazement it actually works. I painted on a thickish layer, left it for five minutes & the coating scraped off with no effort at all. A bit spendy at £50 a gallon but at least it works.

Martyn.
 
Okay, I realise I'm probably opening myself up here for vilification about my questionable value, but here goes...

Was pondering how to repair some stone chips on my black powder-coated frame and decided to try fingernail polish.
Found some black in my local discount chemist (drug store) - thank-you Emos and Goths!
Cleaned the offending areas with alcohol (isopropyl) and painted it on.
I was impressed how easy it was to immediately build to the required thickness - looks good when dry.
I suppose now comes the durability test
 
Powder coat blah blah. Powder Coat what's new? Powder Coat someone still loves you!

...Once on the lift for the tube change, I gave it a more thorough cleaning. I was pleasantly surprised at the state of the powder coated frame.
It looks just as it did ten years ago.
I've been saying it for 20 years. IT WORKS (when done right). As much as the nay-sayers love to say about 2-pack whatzit, I've NEVER seen a painted frame that DIDN'T have paint chips just behind the front tire.
 
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