Removing Paint From a Ti Frame

[David White]

I recently purchased a DeRosa Titanio. This frame has a clear coat (for reasons
not clear to me) from the factory. The clear coat is flaking off in several
places (not horrible but not particularly attractive either). So I am
considering removing the clear coat/decals and looking for some decals which do
not require clear coat over them.

So the question for me is: what's the best way to get the clear coat off the
frame? I am essentially lazy so I would prefer a low-effort approach or one
that is easy/inexpensive to have done. I have heard that paint can be removed
using a brush-on stripper but that this is somewhat messy and time-intensive. I
have heard that some folks have their frames "dipped". I don't know what that
means or where to get it done. I have also heard that some use bead blasting.
Maybe there are other alternatives as well.

I like the brushed ti finish on my Merlin but could also live with a smooth
finish. I wonder what paint removal process will work best and I certainly do
not want to risk any damage to the frame by using the wrong technique. Thanks
for your advice...

 

[Leo Lichtman]

"David White" wrote: (clip) I wonder what paint removal process will work
best and I certainly do not want to risk any damage to the frame by using
the wrong technique. (clip)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
There are several liquids that are likely to work: acetone, lacquer thinner
MEK, for example. Nothing appropriate for this is going to hurt the frame.
Paint remover will work, but it is messy, and way overkill.

If the clear coat over the decals is not flaking, you may be able to save
them. Simply wash off the flaking parts with solvent (as listed above), and
spray on a fresh clear coat, blending it with the old. You may be able to
get a barely visible blend that will satisfy you.

 

[Llatikcuf]

David White wrote:
> I recently purchased a DeRosa Titanio. This frame has a clear coat (for reasons
> not clear to me) from the factory. The clear coat is flaking off in several
> places (not horrible but not particularly attractive either). So I am
> considering removing the clear coat/decals and looking for some decals which do
> not require clear coat over them.
>
> So the question for me is: what's the best way to get the clear coat off the
> frame? I am essentially lazy so I would prefer a low-effort approach or one
> that is easy/inexpensive to have done. I have heard that paint can be removed
> using a brush-on stripper but that this is somewhat messy and time-intensive. I
> have heard that some folks have their frames "dipped". I don't know what that
> means or where to get it done. I have also heard that some use bead blasting.
> Maybe there are other alternatives as well.
>
> I like the brushed ti finish on my Merlin but could also live with a smooth
> finish. I wonder what paint removal process will work best and I certainly do
> not want to risk any damage to the frame by using the wrong technique. Thanks
> for your advice...

Ti frames are pretty tough. I use turpentine to clean **** off my
frames. When sizing or making changes in the bike setup, I jot down
measurements with permanent marker on the top tube, comes right off.
Works really well for dead bugs after road trips. It will remove all
the paint though, so make sure that's what you want.

-nate

 

[Ron Ruff]

David White wrote:
> I like the brushed ti finish on my Merlin but could also live with a smooth
> finish.

After you get the paint off, get some 200 grit emery cloth and cut it
into 1 inch strips. Sand the frame by wrapping around the tubes and
moving the strips back and forth. Touch up the spots that are hard to
reach. After about 6 hours of work you'll have a nice brushed finish.

 

[Bruce Gilbert]

"David White" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I recently purchased a DeRosa Titanio. This frame has a clear coat (for
reasons
> not clear to me) from the factory. The clear coat is flaking off in
several
> places (not horrible but not particularly attractive either). So I am
> considering removing the clear coat/decals and looking for some decals
which do
> not require clear coat over them.
>
> So the question for me is: what's the best way to get the clear coat off
the
> frame? I am essentially lazy so I would prefer a low-effort approach or
one
> that is easy/inexpensive to have done. I have heard that paint can be
removed
> using a brush-on stripper but that this is somewhat messy and
time-intensive. I
> have heard that some folks have their frames "dipped". I don't know what
that
> means or where to get it done. I have also heard that some use bead
blasting.
> Maybe there are other alternatives as well.
>
> I like the brushed ti finish on my Merlin but could also live with a
smooth
> finish. I wonder what paint removal process will work best and I certainly
do
> not want to risk any damage to the frame by using the wrong technique.
Thanks
> for your advice...


Some of the ti frame prototypes that we brought in a couple of years ago had
clearcoat on them. After some use we figured out that clearcoat was a really
bad idea. We used KleenStrip to soften and begin lifting the clearcoat. Then
we used a cabinet scraper to really remove the coating. For some reason, a
lot of the Taiwan builders have this love affair with clearcoat on titanium.
What I don't like is that it eventually yellows and gets torn up with use.

If you have a "brushed" or Scothbrite finish, get a sheet of Scotchbrite and
cut it into 2 inch wide strips. Find the grain direction of the metal. Use
the Scotchbrite in a shoe shine motion, following the grain pattern. You
should be able to polish out a frame in about 15 minutes. Part of the magic
of a titanium frame is the ability to refinish it easily. One of our
customers is a jewelry designer. He used some sort of titanium specific
rouge to bring his frame to a mirror finish. It will be a problem to keep it
like that, but he has the tools...

Bruce