Strpping Chrome Off a Nimbus Frame?

[SkierAlex]

How exactly should I go about stripping chrome off my nimbus II 20" frame? Apparently chrome is pretty nasty. I don't really have many metal tools as my family are more wood people.

Has anyone else got a stripped a nimbus frame? I'll put a matt clear coat on afterwards as I kinda want a dull finish. Then I'll put black flame stickers and a few other stickers on the frame and my unicycle will look pretty sweet

I kinda want a finish like on this unicycle or maybe a bit like a triton frame. I've seen a lot of KH frames that have been stripped and they look good too.

[wheres_your_other_wheel]

heres myne

[onelesscar]

When I got my frame powder coated, they had to strip the chrome, and I think he mentioned sand blasting or glass beading.

[Brian O.]

Stripped steel will not look anything like the stripped KH frames or the DH frame. You wouldnt see the burns around the welds like on the DH.

Powdercoating over chrome isnt a huge issue. Bedford does it, he powdercoats over the blue of the KH frames as well.

[colin340]

my chrome is flaking off in spots ?
i hate the look of chorme on a muni

[Jim]

Originally Posted by Brian O.

Powdercoating over chrome isnt a huge issue. Bedford does it, he powdercoats over the blue of the KH frames as well.

Are you sure of this? I can't believe Bedford doesn't blast the chrome off 1st as the powdercoat won't stick to chrome any where near as well as it would to bare metal.

jim

[Doug]

Originally Posted by SkierAlex

my family are more wood people.

I believe you may have issues if you really think your family consists of wooden people.

[kington99]

To do any kind of decent job you will need to get the frame shot/sand blasted. You may well find a local company who will do it very cheaply as it's such a small component, particularly if you pay cash. Bare steel is not an attractive finish, you could polish it an awful lot and then stick several layers of clearcoat over it and it would be ok, but the clearcoat won't stick very well because it's designed to adhere to paint, and if it flakes/chips off anywhere the metal underneath will corrode quickly, which is pretty unsightly. I think if you want that kind of look, strip the frame and use a metal coloured paint, such as titanium in the correct manner i.e. primer, overcoat, clearcoat.

[UnicycleJuggler]

Originally Posted by kington99

To do any kind of decent job you will need to get the frame shot/sand blasted. You may well find a local company who will do it very cheaply as it's such a small component, particularly if you pay cash. Bare steel is not an attractive finish, you could polish it an awful lot and then stick several layers of clearcoat over it and it would be ok, but the clearcoat won't stick very well because it's designed to adhere to paint, and if it flakes/chips off anywhere the metal underneath will corrode quickly, which is pretty unsightly. I think if you want that kind of look, strip the frame and use a metal coloured paint, such as titanium in the correct manner i.e. primer, overcoat, clearcoat.

Personally I really like the look of a raw steel frame. Clearcoat laquer is good to finish a raw steel frame, but I like the patterns that you get from surface rust. If you don't like how it's rusting then it will wirewool off.

As for the sand blasting, find someone who goes to your local tech college or university, they will probably have a sand blaster that you can get your mate to use for free. I can do mine at uni and it's no problem.

[SkierAlex]

Originally Posted by kington99

To do any kind of decent job you will need to get the frame shot/sand blasted. You may well find a local company who will do it very cheaply as it's such a small component, particularly if you pay cash. Bare steel is not an attractive finish, you could polish it an awful lot and then stick several layers of clearcoat over it and it would be ok, but the clearcoat won't stick very well because it's designed to adhere to paint, and if it flakes/chips off anywhere the metal underneath will corrode quickly, which is pretty unsightly. I think if you want that kind of look, strip the frame and use a metal coloured paint, such as titanium in the correct manner i.e. primer, overcoat, clearcoat.

I wouldn't really want to paint my frame metal coloured (unless I was painting it gold ) although I would probably still rather have my frame metal coloured than a colour. I thought stripping would be a good way to get rid of the ugly chrome look while not having to pay for powdercoating or mess round painting it.

I agree that the frame wheres_your_other_wheel posted looks no where near as good as the DH or stripped KH frames but it looks OK. I wouldn't want a very shiny finish, what would be the best way to get rid of shine? And how do they get that finish on the DH? It's a steel frame. Would they paint it metal coloured or does it just look good in the picture? Can anyone post a real DH frame? :P

Thanks

[1-wheeled-grape]

Being a steel frame it will rust, and that isnt good. its ok to strip the KH frame because its aluminium, which doesnt rust. The rust will slowly ruin your frame, making it weaker and everything. If anything painting it the steel colour would be better

[SkierAlex]

Originally Posted by 1-wheeled-grape

Being a steel frame it will rust, and that isnt good. its ok to strip the KH frame because its aluminium, which doesnt rust. The rust will slowly ruin your frame, making it weaker and everything. If anything painting it the steel colour would be better

I'll use a clear coat of paint to protect it from rust. That will work won't it?

Originally Posted by kington99

Rubbing the frame with some fine sandpaper will dull the finish, giving a look more similar to the DH.

And thanks for the advice on the sand paper, I honestly know nothing about metal lol.

[kington99]

Originally Posted by SkierAlex

I wouldn't want a very shiny finish, what would be the best way to get rid of shine?

Rubbing the frame with some fine sandpaper will dull the finish, giving a look more similar to the DH.