Autosol on Ti frames for Polished finish?

[Steve Kish]

Would a coat of clear laquer over the polished surface help to preserve the finish?

I've got polishing wheels here with all kinds of pads and compounds but whatever I use, it seems to tarnish quite rapidly. Mind you, that's on 7005 / 7075 aluminium.

Does ti keep it's finish for longer?

 

[mikee]

baby oil's great for cleaning titanium and stainless too

just re read that you want to polish it

standard polishing techniques, emery paper, glass paper etc

 

[greenstiles]

The only thing i was advised to use on a Ti frame ( from a manufacturer ) was those green and yellow washing up sponges. NOT THE REALLY REALLY rough ones. But use the green side on the softer ones to polish AROUND the tubes NOT down it's length. This will ( i have tried it ) bring back the original finish very well as well as remove marks and minor scuffs

 

[DM]

Would a coat of clear laquer over the polished surface help to preserve the finish?

I've got polishing wheels here with all kinds of pads and compounds but whatever I use, it seems to tarnish quite rapidly. Mind you, that's on 7005 / 7075 aluminium.

Does ti keep it's finish for longer?

Yes, it will keep its finish OK.

There's no need for any clear-coat over the top, as Ti doesn't tarnish or oxidize in the same way. Anyway, a polished surface is too smooth - So you'd need to rough it up again to provide a key for the lacquer.

Don't laquer it.
Could be urban myth but (AFAIK) some of the early Ti On-Ones were lacquered in some way, but it didn't wear well.

 

[greenstiles]

I had an on-one old scool Ti frame...........they were painted ! Ti colour,i sold it to a mate who took the paint off..........just a slightly duller natural colour underneath coudn't see the point really.

 

[Wold Ranger]

The only thing i was advised to use on a Ti frame ( from a manufacturer ) was those green and yellow washing up sponges. NOT THE REALLY REALLY rough ones. But use the green side on the softer ones to polish AROUND the tubes NOT down it's length. This will ( i have tried it ) bring back the original finish very well as well as remove marks and minor scuffs

Second this! works well on every Ti frame I've had, then polish with WD 40, leaves a waterproof residue that stops oxidisng forever, but don't use if you have decals as fetches them off. I use Mer car polish then, as it lasts for ages too!

 

[skinnyboy]

Clearcoating will yellow after a bit though, looks gash. your best bet is to get it machine polished at a metal polishers and whilst its nice and fresh get it clear anodized. I'm contemplating doing this to my Proflex.

 

[Pipmeister]

I managed to obtain a reasonable finish with a succession of 3 wire wool grades, then 1,500 Wetordry and finally G3 rubbing compound.

The first picture is after stripping the decals on a '97 King Kahuna.

In the second picture, you can see the reflection of my fence and some of my finger prints on the Downtube.