Just a little update, after getting home from Harbor Freight yesterday I broke out all my new sanding attachments, the Roloc disc set, with extra sanding discs of various grits, and my wire wheel assortment set.
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After trying all of them ( in my electric drill ) the product that I liked the best is the wire wheel set that I got for $5.
After a couple of hours of messing around the rear of the frame is 95% stripped. All that’s left to do is a little detail work in the tight places, and a light sanding all over with some fine sandpaper.
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Today I picked up some prep clean solvent. I will soon be ready to shoot this pig, when the weather is more cooperative, that is. Raining today and tomorrow.
Stay tuned!
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I never used the Roloc discs much for paint removal, just aluminum cleaning and polishing. But, the medium and coarse discs might do a nice job of smoothing some of the ugly factory welds.
 
About 5 minutes to this
View attachment 131115

That’s the most aggressive Dico wheel? The one reason I didn’t use a real aggressive medium is it scratches the metal, which will show up when you paint it.
I found a powder coat place near me today, that actually has a price list you can see online. $230 for a vintage Japanese frame, includes media blasted and all necessary masking. Not too bad.
 
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3 color coded abrasive grits:gray is coarse, orange: medium, blue: fine.All with 1/4" quick change mandrel.Safer to use than wire brushes, safer for your project surfaces! Made in USA. Max RPM 2500. NEW & NOW AVAILABLE: WHITE NON ABRASIVE NYALOX FOR GENERAL CLEANING!

Blue isn't aggressive enough for paint removal.
Orange also a good "stripper free" way to do lower fork tubes. Followed by blue and a bit of blue magic closely duplicates the factory brushed finish.
 
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3 color coded abrasive grits:gray is coarse, orange: medium, blue: fine.All with 1/4" quick change mandrel.Safer to use than wire brushes, safer for your project surfaces! Made in USA. Max RPM 2500. NEW & NOW AVAILABLE: WHITE NON ABRASIVE NYALOX FOR GENERAL CLEANING!

Blue isn't aggressive enough for paint removal.
Orange also a good "stripper free" way to do lower fork tubes. Followed by blue and a bit of blue magic closely duplicates the factory brushed finish.

Well hell.....now I need more Dico wheels! Thanks Gary!
 
. $230 for a vintage Japanese frame, includes media blasted and all necessary masking. Not too bad.

Geeezzz....$230 USD....hmmmm, that’s only about $37,645 CDN at the present rate of exchange.

Dammit Mailman - I’m coming over!
 
Just a little update, after getting home from Harbor Freight yesterday I broke out all my new sanding attachments, the Roloc disc set, with extra sanding discs of various grits, and my wire wheel assortment set.
View attachment 131108 View attachment 131109

After trying all of them ( in my electric drill ) the product that I liked the best is the wire wheel set that I got for $5.
After a couple of hours of messing around the rear of the frame is 95% stripped. All that’s left to do is a little detail work in the tight places, and a light sanding all over with some fine sandpaper.
View attachment 131110 View attachment 131111

Today I picked up some prep clean solvent. I will soon be ready to shoot this pig, when the weather is more cooperative, that is. Raining today and tomorrow.
Stay tuned!
View attachment 131112

Bob,

you must have the patience of Job to do this shit!!

I took the easy way and GALMTDOI


Got A Little Man To Do It

Bead blaster, then powdercoat

You are a F**king Trojan

GW
 
My forks ARE FINALLY DONE !!!
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What a long strange trip it’s been. A little recap is in order along with what it cost.

This trip began last May when I tore my forks down. One lower leg had a broken off mounting ear for the front fender. Thus began the search for a suitable fix. After exploring many options, I found a set of complete used forks on eBay.
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I was also missing some internal parts, apparently left out by the dreaded PO, when he must’ve been trying to replace fork seals. The upper spring seat ( that little collared washer that sits atop the spring to keep the spring from climbing into the tube shaped spacer above it, and since mine was missing, that’s exactly what had happened, my spring had crammed itself up into that spacer.
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I was also missing, the little red fiber washer at the bottom of the fork leg that seals in the fork oil, and both top fork caps were ruined, their very fine threads had been cross threaded and stripped, so I found used ones on eBay.
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So after collecting all of my pieces and polishing the lower fork legs, I went to assemble them , only to find that MY OTHER FORK LEG had been flattened in a vise by the dreaded PO , who had been changing fork seals apparently, and it was also ruined. This explains why when I disassembled that leg, the internal components were jammed in there and took some work with a file and sandpaper to clean them up.

So, I went back to that set of forks that I got from EBay and robbed the other her lower leg. Also was able to get the missing parts from the donor set. Now I finally have a working, undamaged set of forks.
It took the following,
Complete set of forks from EBay. $100
Upper spring seat. EBay $8
Used fork cap eBay. $19
Fork seal set $8.67. Times two ( because I had already installed them in the damaged fork lower before realizing it)
Total for parts $145 and many delays caused mostly by a ham fisted , careless mechanic before me.
I got lucky on my fork tubes, the tubes had some minor wear but no pitting and they’re straight.
Onward and upward, time to turn and face the new threat!
 
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My forks ARE FINALLY DONE !!!
View attachment 131157
What a long strange trip it’s been. A little recap is in order along with what it cost.

This trip began last May when I tore my forks down. One lower leg had a broken off mounting ear for the front fender. Thus began the search for a suitable fix. After exploring many options, I found a set of complete used forks on eBay.
View attachment 131154
I was also missing some internal parts, apparently left out by the dreaded PO, when he must’ve been trying to replace fork seals. The upper spring seat ( that little collared washer that sits atop the spring to keep the spring from climbing into the tube shaped spacer above it, and since mine was missing, that’s exactly what had happened, my spring had crammed itself up into that spacer.
View attachment 131158

I was also missing, the little red fiber washer at the bottom of the fork leg that seals in the fork oil, and both top fork caps were ruined, their very fine threads had been cross threaded and stripped, so I found used ones on eBay.
View attachment 131161

So after collecting all of my pieces and polishing the lower fork legs, I went to assemble them , only to find that MY OTHER FORK LEG had been flattened in a vise by the dreaded PO , who had been changing fork seals apparently, and it was also ruined. This explains why when I disassembled that leg, the internal components were jammed in there and took some work with a file and sandpaper to clean them up.

So, I went back to that set of forks that I got from EBay and robbed the other her lower leg. Also was able to get the missing parts from the donor set. Now I finally have a working, undamaged set of forks.
It took the following,
Complete set of forks from EBay. $100
Upper spring seat. EBay $8
Used fork cap eBay. $19
Fork seal set $8.67. Times two ( because I had already installed them in the damaged fork lower before realizing it)
Total for parts $145 and many delays caused mostly by a ham fisted , careless mechanic before me.
I got lucky on my fork tubes, the tubes had some mino wear but no pitting and they’re straight.
Onward and upward, time to turn and face the new threat!
Beautiful work, Bob !
The investment in money pales in comparison to what you put into these forks in time, effort, and love of the craft and materials.

Bravo !!
 
Nice work, MM!

I propose a new Standard Acronym for us: DPO. "Dreaded" Previous Owner, although the "D" can do utility duty, depending upon just how brain-dead the PO was.

I got stuff to do in my shop, but it just broke into double digit temps a few minutes ago. I bought a propane-fired torpedo heater this morning, as soon as I take care of a few honey-dos, I gotta hook it up and see if it'll melt the icicles off the tool box...
 
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