Managed to get round to addressing the rust in the tank, pulled all the gubbins out (painful) and got a bit of electrolysis on the go. Left the 4A battery charger going for about 24 hours and was pleased with the results. Just waiting for the POR-15 kit to arrive to treat it.
Tell us more about this electrolysis malarkey...... this looks highly entertaining and mightily effective! Great thread by the way - loving your work!
I'm not that clued up on the exact chemistry of the process, but it basically pulls the rust from a surface and transfers it to a 'sacrificial annode' (in this case the threaded rod). I used a 4A battery charger, connecting the positive clamp to the threaded rod and the negative to the fuel valve on the underside of the tank (moved after the top photo), the solution closes the circuit. Turn it on and you instantly see little bubbles coming of the metal. I'd heard about the process in the past, so just Youtube'd it and gave it a blast. Just be careful about what you use to make the solution more conductive as the first time I tried it out I'm pretty sure I ended up producing hydrogen chloride! You live and learn I suppose . . .
Got the tank POR-15'd up. Pretty easy stuff to work with but I ended up getting it everywhere! Lucky the tank is going to be painted. I used sponges cable-tied to the end of metal rods as brushes to get in all the nooks and crannies (the kit comes with a nifty one as well). Pleased with the final result. Have contacted a local powder coater about coating the shock spring, have to drop it off today or Monday. For £20 I'm happy with doing that until I've had the bike running. After that I can think about different shock or spring, if needed. Hunting down a chain and sprockets at the moment. Onwards and upwards . . .
looks like the electrololosysis :biggrin: worked pretty well thought about doing this on mine also thought about reversing method to replate the inside with another layer of fresh metal now there is a thing could you use stainless steel as sacrificial electrode and coat tank internals with stainless ?
Not sure, but Caswell is commonly used on Multistradas to stop tanks warping...Caswell Europe Electroplating kits, painting plastice, buffing and polishing
Sev, thanks very much for the offer but I'm just going to order some up, there's no rush. Cheers though. Johnboy that is fantastic thinking. I have no idea! I have thought in the past that electrolysis would make the metal 'vulnerable' and had briefly looking into plating methods. Wasn't worried about the tank due to the POR-15 but on other pieces I've done it'll be interesting to see how they cope once the bikes on the road in amongst the elements.
I'm wondering why anyone would put curry in their petrol tank................were they trying to hot it up?
I can't actually remember exactly what media the blasters used. I believe it was silica bead but could be wrong!
Just picked up the newly powder coated shock spring. Pleased with difference - it should look good on the bike. Also, working my way through cleaning up the exhaust pipes, and fittings. They come up quite nice with a wire wheel and some elbow grease! Spring before: Spring after: Exhaust fitting (collar??) before and after:
I've thought about the same thing Sev. It would have to use the bottom if the tank as a top, then how do you get air in under the tank and through a decent filter....so the combined issues of: a) Pain in the arse to do b) equally hard to do well, and c) potential cooling issues, every time I've looked at a SS with that thought in mind I've gone.... nah.
Thanks for the feedback Hame. I'd thought about a pressurised airbox and came to the same conclusion as you. For this I was thinking more of meeting it halfway, for instance imagine the K&N flat filter open under the tank on top of the airbox, but make the airbox volume greater so that the carbs sit inside it completely. In terms of feeding air, it would probably have to be a case of running air conveyors to feed air under the tank 888 style. I designed up an airbox ages ago which had an inner and outer skin, with a couple of snorkels feeding through the front, and the air exiting out of the back along the rear cylinder fins - the idea was that the movement of air would chill down the airbox. Then I lost the use of an autoclave and a patternshop and the idea got put on the back burner. hey ho.
Not getting in and about the bike anywhere near as much as I want too, due to being busy (bastard uni assignments) but still trying to nip out when I can. Broke down the exhausts as the brackets need new rivets and the cans painted. Not going to put too much effort into them as I can see them being one of the first things to get replaced after she's up and running. Got the replacement foot pegs on (now WITH circlips on the pins!) as the old ones has lost their rubbers. Sourced stainless bolts for bottom yoke/forks. Fitted chain and sprockets (just ended up going with a stock gearing kit for now). Replaced the standard allen bolts on the rear disc with different stainless ones that have a bigger allen size hole so as to take the speed sensor magnets. The speed sensor will be attached to the rear brake calliper mount. Had a look at the loom and to be honest - it looks like a snake orgy! Once the exhausts are on I'm ready to make up a GRP seat unit with the old man (ex-fibre glasser) and once its in place get the thing wired up properly/nicely with all the components in the right place as a mock up before painting. Onwards and upwards. Bloody cold on the fingers now as well!!
Cheers Sev. It's a wee 'KOSO' unit. It's identical to; Motorcycle Speedometer Speedo Gauge KOSO DB01r speed sender & magnets Digital | eBay
