M944SS build

[oldndumb]

Oven cleaner, or better yet, lye drain cleaner will strip anodized Al to bare metal. Just have plenty of rinse water handy and do not leave the part in it too long. Better to do several short immersion times than one too long time.

On a surface that large, a Dremel disc diameter is too small to avoid damage. On surfaces that large I use a mill with a 3/4" end cutter. If the set up for the part is going to be a PIA, I just use a sanding block, lots of water, and about three different grits. I find the coarsest I will need by testing with the finest and going coarser until I reach the minimum coarse that does the job. Then it is a matter of working with that grade and continuing with finer grades until I reach the surface finish I want. My preference is a brushed satin look and I get that by using maroon ScotchBrite pads. The bare Al will eventually corrode depending on the grade. The cure for that is a couple coats of clear.

I'm really enjoying your posts and camera work. Thanks for taking the time to do them.  

BTW, excuse me if I am stating the obvious, but remove that guide before stripping the anodizing.

[Dellikose]

Hell no dawg, for the price of those kits you can fill several tackle boxes with enough to do 3-4 bikes and still have bins full to fondle. I like scooping it up and letting it run through my fingers like Scrooge McDuck. Sweatshop stainless from eBay seller "Cool_Cheap_World". And anyone that wants to scoff at that is welcome to pay a middle man 10-20X more for the exact same thing from the exact same place.

Damn you for showing me this place!

So...what sizes/sets did you end up ordering?

[Rudemouthsky]

Damn you for showing me this place!

So...what sizes/sets did you end up ordering?

"Eddiestore2008" is even better actually but he runs out fast.

M6x16 is by far the most common size on our bikes. That does the engine cases, master cyl clamps, etc etc. I have a bunch of those along with M6x12, 14, 25, and 70 for the dry clutch cover. Sprocket cover takes M6x14. I also picked up M8x25, 30, and 40 & M10x40 for the caliper mounts and calipers themselves, handlebar risers, triple clamp pinch bolts, rotors... I have maybe $70 invested and that's overkill...could probably do 5-6 Monsters fender to fender plus and have enough M6 hardware left over for another ten, lol.

[Rudemouthsky]

Oven cleaner, or better yet, lye drain cleaner will strip anodized Al to bare metal. Just have plenty of rinse water handy and do not leave the part in it too long. Better to do several short immersion times than one too long time.

On a surface that large, a Dremel disc diameter is too small to avoid damage. On surfaces that large I use a mill with a 3/4" end cutter. If the set up for the part is going to be a PIA, I just use a sanding block, lots of water, and about three different grits. I find the coarsest I will need by testing with the finest and going coarser until I reach the minimum coarse that does the job. Then it is a matter of working with that grade and continuing with finer grades until I reach the surface finish I want. My preference is a brushed satin look and I get that by using maroon ScotchBrite pads. The bare Al will eventually corrode depending on the grade. The cure for that is a couple coats of clear.

I'm really enjoying your posts and camera work. Thanks for taking the time to do them.  

BTW, excuse me if I am stating the obvious, but remove that guide before stripping the anodizing.

Thanks OND! I wish I'd followed your Dremel advice sooner...basically I was just scoring the aluminum, then needing a coarser pad to correct, then doing it again...so the Dremel didn't work. I'm going to give it another oven cleaner bath then continue sanding. I was trying to achieve a brushed look, that's what you see on the left hand side here:



But I couldn't get a nice crosshatch, it just looked like a scribbly mess. The right side is after lots and lots of wet sanding.

Rather than clearcoat, I may attempt a home anodize with the vinegar or lemon juice plus battery method floating around the webz.

[Rudemouthsky]

Or just clear them...all damn day messing with aluminum. My formerly black Oberon turn signals were something I wanted to salvage but they were scuffed to hell. I'm kinda diggin the raw alloy theme.

[Rudemouthsky]

I've developed an extremely unhealthy obsession with this bracket. Been messing with it since 9am.

[thorn14]

The bolt hole looks dirty. 

[Rudemouthsky]

The bolt hole looks dirty. 

It's polish residue, stuff turns a nasty gray. I gotta go get a set of nylon brush attachments for me (knock off) Dremel

[thorn14]

Looks good though. Use gloves and try to clean as much as humanly possible beforehand if doing any clear over it. It's probably not as bad as clear over steel, but powder is a pregnant dog to remove.

[Howie]

Looking good  

[dbran1949]

Two Words 

Nevr-Dull

[oldndumb]

Two Words 

Nevr-Dull

I hate that stuff!!

[dbran1949]

I hate that stuff!!

Wear gloves and keep away from open flame Polished all the aluminium on my first bike a 305 Superhawk back in '70
 

[Rudemouthsky]

I hate that stuff!!

No experience with it. You like it better than Mothers, Dbran?

I hate that stuff!!

OND, why do ya hate it?

Looking good  

Thanks Howie!

[dbran1949]

I like it because of the chemistry does not require as much effort as mothers