Painting stainless

[morrigan]

I put this question up under a different topic, but didn't get any suggestions, so I'm posting it again:
I want to paint my headers with stove black. They're very badly pitted at the top, but are still servicable. Problem is that they look like shit:
http://www.streetfighters.com.au/forum/upload/72882634679395.jpg


So, how do I prep the surface for painting? I've treated the corroded area with rust converter after cleaning it up thoroughly.

[Azrael]

If its clean of grease and oils you should be right to go for it, cant imagine why you would need a primer for stove black. Cleaning it is the main thing, try using a water based cleaner preferably something with hydroflouric in it to get all the shit out of the pit holes. Use gloves! dry then paint..
My2c

[morrigan]

Thanks Az. According to the directions for the rust converter, it can be painted over straight away. I'm sure the paint will stick to that okay. Just wasn't sure about the shiny s/s bits. I'll post a pic after I have a go.

[336LJ]

I have painted mine with 2 decent coats of pot belly black, from the spray can.

I'v been meaning to chuck them back on the 250 and start her up and see what happens. Then report back to the other thread.

They have been "Curing" for the past 4 or so weeks! I sandblasted them first and got every spot of rust off, then just painted them straight away.

If they turn out okay, I'll be doing the ZX9 ones too
I reckon you should hit those with a wire wheel/sand blaster first.

I probably should have used wax and grease remover first as well (prep wash etc)

I'd rough up the stainless bits with say 240grit and prep wash them too if your painting them.

[sharky]

Surely if they are stainless steel they wont be 'badly pitted & corroded'.

[morrigan]

Contrary to popular opinion, stainless DOES rust. Depends what it's been exposed to.
The bike is 27 years old, and has never been garaged by the look of it. In fact, it looks like it's been ridden on the beach. I was surprised to discover stainless under all that scale and dirt.

http://www.streetfighters.com.au/forum/upload/93773691277994.jpg

[gibbo]

Yeah I read the other post but I,ve never seen rusty stainless before, with all paints you need to give it a good surface to grab onto. Stainless is bloody hard so maybe get them blasted first, pretty cheap, very quick and a better job than you will do with sandpaper.

[sickboy]

Have you done the magnet test? If the magnet sticks it aint stainless.

[sharky]

And if it sticks but only lightly its a low grade stainless.

[Pommy Chopper]

It's probably 304 Stainless or something more shit than 304.
You won't get anything to stick for any length of time to it.
Only way to go is HPC coating, that should fix it!

Cheers'en.

[morrigan]

Cheers Shaun.
Anyone recommend someone in Sydney who can do HPC? Or how much it might cost?

[Gix11]

Give Exben an email Bronwen, I think he'll have your answer.

[Azrael]

Stainless Steel is neither stainless nor is it free from rust. Too often users are surprised to find rust deposits and corrosion in what was assumed to be a rust-free material. In many instances the presence of rust can lead to catastrophic failure of a part or at least lead to cosmetic blemishes.
All of the stainless steels rely on a tight, continuous film of iron-chromium oxide for their apparent corrosion resistance. When the film is damaged, if it promptly reforms then all is well. However, when something happens that prevents the formation of that tight, continuous film of oxide then your parts can rust. This vulnerable weak spot in the oxide may be aggressively attacked if it is the small area anode of a galvanic corrosion cell.

27 year old bike.. yup definate possiblility it could rust..

Would it not be easier and cheaper to make new headers? what bike is it?

[Azrael]

Oh and in 15 years on mining and metal fabrication ive seen 304 316 and 904 rust..no material is infallable

[latheboy]

Well you learn stuff every day, i know it doesnt like Lime stone and sea water.... in thialand a few years ago climbing on sea cliffs where the hangers ( clipy things you trust your life with) that were SS, were all so corroded that some of them broke when touched .. Not cool

[Azrael]

Ah yeh, that would suck, I did a job at a geothermal power station outta ormoc on the island of leyte in the phillipines, the sulfur spewing from the place mixes with the rain causing acid rain so everything for miles is rusted to buggery, even the jeeps they make out of stainless which are based on the US army jeeps from ww2 but they use cheesy korean motors and running gear.. They love anything shiney so polish the fuck outta the stainless cars and buses and glue cds across the windsceen making oncoming traffic an absolute nightmare, and they go on about road deaths in aus..fark, we have it easy..

[morrigan]

quote:Originally posted by Azrael



27 year old bike.. yup definate possiblility it could rust..

Would it not be easier and cheaper to make new headers? what bike is it?


I AM trying to kep the costs at a minimum with this bike. It's a 1981 GSX250. It's my first project, and as such it's a learning exercise. It cost me $400 a couple of years ago, and I definitely wouldn't want to spend more than that with the work I'm doing. The premise is to fix it up a bit for my son to ride till he sorts out his transport situation, then either sell it or let my daughter have it as a learner bike.
If I can get the stove black to stick to the s/s, that would be a cheap option on the headers, and protect them a bit from more corrosion setting in. The rest of the exhaust has cleaned up well.

Some previous owner has done a very shitty job of tarting it up - painted the frame without masking anything else (what colour WAS that wire??), silver frost on the engine (couldn't get the spark plugs out because of that!) and silastic around seals that were really cheap and easy to replace. When I first got it, there was electrical tape holding the seat together and bits of wire holding the side covers on.

Even with the age and obvious ham fisted maintenance, it still does 140km/h down the motorway in strong winds without pushing it. Better than the 2006 GPX250 I had a while back.

The other concern I have is fuel in the oil. When I drained the sump, I expected 2 litres to come out. After nearly 4 litres of fluid went all over the place, I began to see why there was evidence of pressure leaks in the gaskets.

[Azrael]

Fark..

[morrigan]

You gotta give it credit though... Still goes, and pretty damn well considering.
A tribute to the good ol' Suzuki. Can't kill 'em with an axe!

[Azrael]

I stand by clean it, dry it, paint it and ride it..