I'm in the final stages of polishing my right side engine side cover (clutch cover), and am researching methods of repainting the recessed lettering.
The polishing thread:
http://www.xs650.com/threads/polishing-side-covers.26667/
Member Gcraay made a few queries on this awhile back, in these threads:
http://www.xs650.com/threads/how-did-they-make-the-letters.35264/
http://www.xs650.com/threads/professional-painting-service.6926/page-2#post-359836
http://www.xs650.com/threads/how-hot-can-it-get.36008/
The majority of methods I've found on the net involve just spray painting the area, or globbing paint all over the recesses, followed by simple wiping off the top surface with your finger, or a stiff rag damped with paint thinner. These methods should work fine on side covers that have the later style font, where the letter "A" has a uniformly raised triangle in the center:
In my particular case, I'm working with an early 1971 XS1B sidecover, which used a different lettering font. The letter "A" has a much smaller triangle, which slopes downward at its peak.
This poses a challenge, in that using those previous methods would require precision dexterity skills to properly reveal that triangle. Plus, any post-polishing done in that area could damage the paint and/or that tiny triangle.
My plan is to use an "eyedropper" method, as demonstrated in this video:
I'll need to cook up some form of applicator.
I have eyedroppers, hypo needles, tiny tubing, ink jet cartridge refill kits.
I will be using a gloss black enamel paint.
Never done this before. Any suggestions?
The polishing thread:
http://www.xs650.com/threads/polishing-side-covers.26667/
Member Gcraay made a few queries on this awhile back, in these threads:
http://www.xs650.com/threads/how-did-they-make-the-letters.35264/
http://www.xs650.com/threads/professional-painting-service.6926/page-2#post-359836
http://www.xs650.com/threads/how-hot-can-it-get.36008/
The majority of methods I've found on the net involve just spray painting the area, or globbing paint all over the recesses, followed by simple wiping off the top surface with your finger, or a stiff rag damped with paint thinner. These methods should work fine on side covers that have the later style font, where the letter "A" has a uniformly raised triangle in the center:
In my particular case, I'm working with an early 1971 XS1B sidecover, which used a different lettering font. The letter "A" has a much smaller triangle, which slopes downward at its peak.
This poses a challenge, in that using those previous methods would require precision dexterity skills to properly reveal that triangle. Plus, any post-polishing done in that area could damage the paint and/or that tiny triangle.
My plan is to use an "eyedropper" method, as demonstrated in this video:
I'll need to cook up some form of applicator.
I have eyedroppers, hypo needles, tiny tubing, ink jet cartridge refill kits.
I will be using a gloss black enamel paint.
Never done this before. Any suggestions?
Last edited: