Go very slow. Keep the speed of the polisher down. Looks pretty darned good from here. If you buy a gun, don't forget some type of cooler/drier for the air. You live in a fairly humid part of the country and moisture is your enemy.
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1978 XS650 Special Project
- Thread starter Melnic
- Start date
If you want a small gun just for bikes, that won't break the bank, this one shoots like a pro gun. Mine's about 10 yrs old and still going strong.
https://www.amazon.com/DeVilbiss-80...9e-afa6-0b4b213557bf&pd_rd_i=B0015PKQDK&psc=1
https://www.amazon.com/DeVilbiss-80...9e-afa6-0b4b213557bf&pd_rd_i=B0015PKQDK&psc=1
Thx for suggestions. One of the other things slowing me down was picking lower humidity days.
Yes, I have polisher on the lowest setting and also don't even pull the trigger all the way.
I also let it dry 4 days before starting on the sanding. I sanded, cut, polished a small section last night to work on the process. I've cut/polished out scratches in cars and chalky gelcoats on boats, but this is my first time working out a fresh coated tank.
Yes, I have polisher on the lowest setting and also don't even pull the trigger all the way.
I also let it dry 4 days before starting on the sanding. I sanded, cut, polished a small section last night to work on the process. I've cut/polished out scratches in cars and chalky gelcoats on boats, but this is my first time working out a fresh coated tank.
Having a buffer that has a "progressive" trigger is almost a must on bikes. Good luck.
I think its ready to polish after the wet sanding. Polished up a section this morning.
REALLY want this bike up and running this week. I'll be gone out of town so want to clean up the garage this week.
Not 100% happy. I do have a few pits in the clear coat that I did not want to sand down for fear of cutting to the paint. I think I can fix those at a later date by dabbing in some clear coat with a tooth pick or brush? then going back over with sanding and polishing. I'll save that for the winter time.
REALLY want this bike up and running this week. I'll be gone out of town so want to clean up the garage this week.
Not 100% happy. I do have a few pits in the clear coat that I did not want to sand down for fear of cutting to the paint. I think I can fix those at a later date by dabbing in some clear coat with a tooth pick or brush? then going back over with sanding and polishing. I'll save that for the winter time.
I've got a neat trick for shaving those clear "dabs". 1st, make sure they are hard. Take a single edged razor blade and use Scotch Tape as a bridge on each end of the blade edge, leaving a gap in the middle of the cutting edge. The tape will prevent you from "shaving" the area surrounding the dab. It won't take much effort to shave them down sandable height. Use light small strokes and try to keep the blade perpendicular to the surface.
We are all , our own worst critics. Most people will look at your results and just see the shine, yet all we can see are the flaws. I think it looks good!
If by pits, you're referring to fisheyes, I've tried what you're describing with limited success. The problem is you can't get into it to rough it up, so the the paint doesn't really have any "teeth" to grab onto. So when you try to take it down (using the method 46ga describes above, it just pops out of the pit.
About the only success I've had is finding the fisheyes while the paint's still green (fresh). Clean it real good with window cleaner on a q-tip and dab the clear into it in with a toothpick. If the paint's still green enough.... usually about 8hrs or less, then it'll bond to the clear and you can take it down to a smooth finish.
its a hole/pit, not a hump. I already took care of some humps from splatter. I will use the tape method for the humps next time.
I learned now to inspect my work before the 2K hardens and lesson learned
I learned now to inspect my work before the 2K hardens and lesson learned
Still need a tank emblem but tank back on the bike.
I also put the stock rebuilt petcocks back on , just running in PRIme mode w/o vacuum lines today.
Ran a full tank and swooshed it around and dumped gas thru filter back into the gas can before refilling just to filter some if any debris inside.
Took 2 mile ride in neighborhood before work.
I mounted the inexpensive tool back on the back during the tank painting.
Before and after pics
I also put the stock rebuilt petcocks back on , just running in PRIme mode w/o vacuum lines today.
Ran a full tank and swooshed it around and dumped gas thru filter back into the gas can before refilling just to filter some if any debris inside.
Took 2 mile ride in neighborhood before work.
I mounted the inexpensive tool back on the back during the tank painting.
Before and after pics
I love it when someone takes a vintage abomination and returns it to its former glory. Nice job and a well done.
When I was shopping for a new XS650, my hometown dealer had one in the showroom. They had that abomination seat on it and would not sell it with the stock seat. I bought my bike somewhere else.
That is a glorious transformation, @Melnic - you could also post on this thread - https://www.xs650.com/threads/before-and-after.55250/post-607102
Missy came to me as a Triumph Thunderbird pastiche but it's a long story . . .
Missy came to me as a Triumph Thunderbird pastiche but it's a long story . . .
Now THAT looks really nice!
Its hard to believe that someone would actually choose a seat like the one that was on it....
Oh well - to each, his own I guess.
Thank you Raymond for the thread! Don't know how I missed that one.
Wow!
Great job well done.
many smiles with the miles to come.tank emblems came in and I also put on the vinyl striping.
There is a local vintage bike show in the spring that I intend to enter the bike in its stock look where I'll pull the white striping off and put the original buckhorn bars. There were no stock XS650's in the show so I'd like to enter this bike.
There is a local vintage bike show in the spring that I intend to enter the bike in its stock look where I'll pull the white striping off and put the original buckhorn bars. There were no stock XS650's in the show so I'd like to enter this bike.
Took a better photo the other day. Still running well, Have been using only kick starter last few rides.
I turn up the idle screw 1 1/2 turns
Hit the choke lever
2 prime kicks with kill switch set to off
1 starting kick and it starts first try.
I'm also liking the tool bag on the back. It does not mess up the look having it on the back instead of the forks below headlight.
I had some slight oil seepage when I put the engine back after the cam chain replacement but as suggested, the re torquing of the head bolts a couple more times after running bike and I have been inspecting at the end of every ride and all that stopped.
This bike fights with me for riding time and has been winning its battles over the modern Bonneville T100.
I turn up the idle screw 1 1/2 turns
Hit the choke lever
2 prime kicks with kill switch set to off
1 starting kick and it starts first try.
I'm also liking the tool bag on the back. It does not mess up the look having it on the back instead of the forks below headlight.
I had some slight oil seepage when I put the engine back after the cam chain replacement but as suggested, the re torquing of the head bolts a couple more times after running bike and I have been inspecting at the end of every ride and all that stopped.
This bike fights with me for riding time and has been winning its battles over the modern Bonneville T100.
Interesting comment about the Hinckley Triumph and the XS650. My last bike was a 2007 Bonneville T100. It reminded me so much of the XS650 I had all those years ago that I bought an XS650 and sold the T100.
