Rubbing Down

Rubbing down my wheels this last few days I have noticed its a bit labourious with a Dremel. So how do you do it? Dremel, angle grinder, die grinder or do you go for compressed air instead?

Fastest way is to sandblast them, if you have the equipment.

Yes I did look at blast cabinets but they are a bit too pricey

Nip over to Foremost Coatings on the Hobbs Industrial Estate, Newchapel, Lingfield on the A22 just outside E Grinstead. Very helpful guy, takes a lot of care and primes them after shotblasting. If you ask him nicely and prearrange the visit he could probably do them while you wait. Give him a ring on *****
Hope this helps
Brian

Thanks Brian.

Following on this thread I had my Z50 S/Arm shot blasted there and it came up pretty much as expected - lots of small pockmarks where the surface rust had eaten it away but I thought a spray-on filler would help produce a nice even finish when rubbed down ready for priming and top coating. Not so - using my new super expensive spray booth (see other messages) it proved very awkward to get an even distribution of spray paint over the swinging arm as most of the paint decorated the back panel of the spray booth. Some even landed on the swinging arm crossbar which was the worst bit but didn't give best results . Plan B me-thinks (if I had one)

I stripped all the old paint off back to bare metal and using one of the most useful power tools I've ever bought.- a B&D Powerfile. Using a medium grade belt I gently coaxed all the pockmarks and pitted surface marks off and without taking too much metal off sort of polished it back to a shiny bare metal surface all ready for priming. These powerfiles have a 1'" nose on them and can get into some of the most awkward recesses where grinding disks can't get at and can save a lot of time and hard graft.
Pic may not do justice to the job but might give some idea of how to go about it.
Hope this helps a few enthusiastic amateurs like me!
Brian

Coincidentally I got an email today from tooled up.com, the B&D belt sander is on offer at the moment, 50 pounds.

There was a good tool shop in Southend on Sea (Marshall? & Parsons?)who have offered refurbished ones for about £30 - which is what I've got. Cheap belts are available on eBay in various grades which are worth buying in quantity as they do tend to get thrown off regularly if you snag the end roller. I got through about 6 doing the swinging arm.
Shop around and go for one - you won't regret it!
More pics to follow of the finished bare metal job when I've uploaded them
Brian

Whilst driving home yesterday I stumbled on a local industrial shot blasting and powder coating company. They also advertise as doing work on classic cars snd bikes so might give them a go.
NSP Coatings in Gravesend.

I use these things ... it works:
And a little B&D Mouse....

So what it is a mini bike... I use mini stuff