DesertRat wrote on 04/16/16 at 13:23:25:


I was going to suggest soda blasting but you beat me to it!  

gizzo,
the original owner bought the bike in HAWAII and moved/shipped it here. The majority of the aluminum is CRUSTY.

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Justin,
I am thinking of going the route you described. I have some old components from a previous sand blaster (gun, hoses, siphon etc) I got some 5 gallon buckets and other bits and parts I could build that blaster for almost free.

Harbor Freight has a sand blaster, just plug into the air hose. Set up on top of the five gallon bucket, and catch the stuff.

Thanks Ed,

I agree, the spokes are too far gone. I am going to order a polished stainless steel spoke kit from Buchanan Spokes -

http://www.buchananspokes.com/products/spoke_kits_suzuki_gs.asp

It's the hubs I wanted cleaned up for chrome. It's a "vision" I have of the completed project that is a majority chrome

Serowbot wrote on 04/17/16 at 07:58:45:

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... F#@k!ng Bot ...  

Why down the bike that long? I'd be looking at a rear wheel from the junkyard or someone parting one out. Clean one up, ride one, once it's done, sell the other. If I wuzgonna hop one up as far as I could, I'd get a motor, build one, ride one, sell,,

You know where to get chrome done? Costs? Used to be able to get chrome done in Odessa. Several places where the vats were in plain sight, ping pong balls covering the surface. EPA regs have driven most out, prices are up. I THINK I heard something about another process that is close to chrome, but not exactly the same. One of those
Watching tv and piddling on the kindle
moments, where I didn't catch the whole thing..

I went looking. Seems like there are quite a few sources left.

From one source
Aluminum objects are first zinc coated, then copper, nickel & chrome.

Four steps,, and it's gonna be on you to get it smooth and clean.

I would want to know how thick the coating is and the diameter of the spoke holes and diameter of the new spokes. You don't want to need to drill.  And what happens on crisp ninety degree angles? Do you need to soften the edges of the spoke holes?
How much slop is needed to be able to lace the wheel?

I've heard about guys getting parts back that had been coated, dangitt, what's the stuff you hafta bake?  Anyway, allowing surfaces where bearings sit, other machined for necessary clearance dimension type places, you gotta protect them from getting chromed.

If I'm telling you a buncha stuff you already know, I'm not trying to insult your intelligence, just hoping to help you avoid any bear traps.


The hub was rough. Where the molten aluminum was poured into the cast, they didn't grind it. It was cut off with what looked like, from the marks left, something like a farrier would use. The surfaces that weren't machined were coarse. IF a guy could hang a leather strap in there, it wouldn't help. That was a good answer on the bicycle front axle.

Justin,

the parts are from the donor bikes, no down time for me, I have my bike to ride. This is a project, as you pointed out, ride one, build one, sell one, KEEPS ME SANE.

Best chrome shop in the valley is:
Kerr West Plating Inc
Address: 4737 N 43rd Ave #3, Phoenix, AZ 85031
Phone:(623) 937-8676

Toured the shop, cool owners, used them in the past for polishing on one of my art projects.

I'm looking to get the frame, tins and everything I can chrome or polished stainless. I'm a certified GTAW (TIG) welder and can do most of the work myself, I'm just a LAZY SOB and looking for the easiest, least expensive way to get this done = more PROFIT in my pocket come selling time.

Oh, I'm stealing the idea. No shame here. It was BOT's bike that got me thinking about an all chrome bike then the search was on ...