Jeff K, I'm interested in your powder coating procedure.

[John Schmidt]

I'm talking about the stripes on the valve and timing belt covers on your old Wing. I've polished up those covers but would like to add some color soon as I figure out the basic color I'm going to paint the tank, fenders, side covers, etc. Might even look at doing the intake runners but need to finish building my single carb intake manifold first.

Just wondering if it's something I can do with a small oven similar to what we have on the kitchen counter. Or is that too close and concentrated a heat source? Valve & timing covers wouldn't fit in there anyway, but the intakes would.

[Jeff K]

I have never used a toaster oven but lots of people do. Mosa did a bunch of MG parts in a toaster oven and they turned out great.
I just found a cheap/free oven on CL and used it, till I built my big oven.

Its all pretty easy. Just make sure you like it before it goes in the oven, it blows off easy before you bake, after you bake it is a job to remove it.

[John Schmidt]

Found this on CL, doesn't have a price listed. I'd probably get a bit of resistance on the home front with something of this size. 

http://spacecoast.craigslist.org/tls/4456329166.html

[Jeff K]

Can't go wrong for a dollar!!     

[Jeff K]

Yeah I went a bit over board on mine. the powder boot is handy.

[John Schmidt]

Can you get a set of OEM pipes in there? I have two stock sets with some surface rust and was thinking of having the headers done with something similar to Ceramachrome(see link). I'd have to remove the muffler cover and the short end piece, plus the lower header cover where they come together. The heat shouldn't damage the naked muffler or existing pipes.

http://performancekote.com/motorcycle-coatings.html

[Jeff K]

Easily. I was going to do some ceramic coating, that stuff is expensive.
I have a few sets that need coating

[Joe Hummer]

John,

Not to side-track your talk with Jeff but thought I would throw this out...

When I changed my exhaust over to glass packs, my donor pipe headers were not in the best condition.  I painted them with VHT Flameproof Paint.  I think they look pretty good now. 





Best thing about it is...if I do ding them, I can easily repaint them while they are on the bike...just tape off and spray away. 

Joe

[John Schmidt]

Joe, I looked at that possibility, one thing with the Ceramachrome is the finish is shiney almost like chrome. We have a local shop that does it....for a price. The stuff looks great but the price doesn't agree with retiree income levels. 

[larue]

 John whats the name of the local shop for the Ceramachrome you mentioned. Any contacts info.. just for future reference, thanks

[Xtracho]

Yeah I'd be interested in the contact info for the local shop in Florida. I have some pipes on my '84 Aspencade I might be interested in having done.

[Grumpy]

I went the same way as JoevalkIS, VHT makes a ceramic high temp paint, used it on the headers of the standard, they had more rust than chrome. Came out very good, and looks like it is going to hold up fine.

[John Schmidt]

Here's a link to Performance Kote. They have drop off locations or you can go there in person. Larue, they're on El Rey Rd. off west Colonial, only a block or so from the fairgrounds. Go to their "motorcycle" page and look at some of their jobs done. The swingarm is off a VTX1800 and looks like chrome.

http://performancekote.com/ceramic-coating-contact.html

[Jeff K]

I talked to them once about doing the headers on my GL 1000 I think they wanted $200 to do them. I didn't go with it

[Grumpy]

Might need to find another powder coating place, I had the headers for the cm450a done in cerma chrome at American powder coating in Tampa, $50 bucks.

[Pappy!]

The VTX 1800 swing arm on the performance coat site was coated and then polished...possibly creating the higher cost.

[RonHolly]

Yeah I went a bit over board on mine. the powder boot is handy.

Awsome both!  Great idea!

[John Schmidt]

Bill, do the pipes shine even a little bit? Can't tell for sure from the picture. It would be worth the trip over for me to have my two OEM sets done, one has a slight dent in an area that's almost impossible to see when mounted.

[Grumpy]

Yes, had a nice shine on them, was good considering they were real rusty to start with.  I will see if I have a better pic.

[FloridaValkRyder]

I emailed this guy several months ago about the headers on the I/S (Chris Hardy - performancekote@yahoo.com)
His response was: "We can coat the headers no problem but you run the risk of the rest of the system bluing or yellowing as we cure for 1 hr at 500 degree. The price of just the headers would be $200 in the ceramakrome. If you have any more questions feel free to ask. Thank you."
My headers are pretty blue and I will probably be getting it done myself.

[John Schmidt]

Jeff, he told me the same thing but if you remove all the covers and the end piece, it won't make any difference. You don't/won't see it anyway. I just have a problem with the $200 X 2=$400plus tax per set. And I have two unmolested OEM sets which I want to sell but doubt I'd ever get my money back if I had them coated by that shop.

[FloridaValkRyder]

The $200 was for both headers. I just hate the blueing. We shall see. Good time to do it though..too dang hot to ride.