Metal finishing idea...

[Lvr]

I noticed the other day that the black paint on the footpeg bracket is wearing off. The only thing that contacts it would be denim or leather from my boots. So after consulting with a friend who's hobbyist bladesmith, I came up with the bright idea of removing the paint (powdercoat?) from both the rider and passenger footpegs and sanding down the metal (steel?) to a sort of brushed finish.
I've never done something like this, so it would be a learning experience lol. Plus I need more stuff to do over the winter.
My biggest concern is the possibility of rust or any unanticipated finishing problems. I would plan to clearcoat the finish to prevent rust, and I never ride when there's salt on the road, bike is stored in a garage, etc.
Thoughts? If I do this, I can post pics and stuff as I go, if anyone is interested.

[JMcDonald]

Google Por 15. It is a type of paint that is more durable than just about any coating ive felt. Seriously, my little sandblaster and even te wire brush on my bench grinder could hardly touch it once cured. I am not sure if they make a clear, but IIRC they do offer several silvr / metallic variations.
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*edit*

Here you go. Tough as nails.

[Ken08Ninja]

The footpeg brackets are cast aluminum. They won't rust, but will oxidize if you don't clear coat them or keep a polish on them.

[JMcDonald]

With a brushed finish you will not really be able to tell, and I personally wouldn't try to clearcoat brushed aluminum. It is too easy to mess up the finish, and it is too easy for a chip to show, and then you can't just buff it out like you could with it left blank.

[k-os]

You could polish them up and get a clear powdercoat on them.

[Racer x]

Or go nuts, I just polished them .Then drilled holes to make them look cool. It may make them weaker. So be careful drilling them .But this is what they look like polished.

[CThunder-blue]

Originally Posted by k-os

You could polish them up and get a clear powdercoat on them.

Clear powder coat will defeat the purpose of polishing them. It doesn't cure like automotive clear coat. It always takes the gloss/shine out of whatever is underneath it.

IMO, scuff it down, clean with mild degreaser, and paint with high temp engine paint. Dupli-color makes a ceramic high temp engine paint that is damn near as tough as powder coat and much easier/cheaper to do than powder coating... unless you have your own powder coating equipment.

[k-os]

Originally Posted by CThunder-blue

Clear powder coat will defeat the purpose of polishing them. It doesn't cure like automotive clear coat. It always takes the gloss/shine out of whatever is underneath it.

IMO, scuff it down, clean with mild degreaser, and paint with high temp engine paint. Dupli-color makes a ceramic high temp engine paint that is damn near as tough as powder coat and much easier/cheaper to do than powder coating... unless you have your own powder coating equipment.

On HawkGTForum there's a user that polished his whole frame and got it powdercoated translucent gold. It looked pretty nice.

[CThunder-blue]

yeah, the colored powder coat looks great. The translucent ones have premixed clear in them, so they come out spectacular. However, when doing a regular clear coat of powder, it always ruins the reflectiveness. I have used varying types of powder and they all do the same thing. If you read the disclaimers, it will even say that the clear will make the finish hazy. I have done 2 stage chrome powders. The base layer of chrome looks like real chrome, but you can't leave it like that because there's just no protection. It scratches easier than paint. So you MUST use the clear coat. Once the clear coat is cured, it makes the part look like a high gloss silver instead of the chrome it once was.

[CThunder-blue]

IMO, having a polished rearset on a bike that has flat black trim looks out of place.

[zartan]

Racer X is going so fast no one will even see his!!

[backinthesaddleagain]

Guy I know nickel plated a Duc Monster's trellis frame. Sweet looking and stands out. But I digress...

[Locksmiff]

Originally Posted by CThunder-blue

IMO, having a polished rearset on a bike that has flat black trim looks out of place.

It helps though breaking up the black on an all black bike.

[CThunder-blue]

Originally Posted by Locksmiff

It helps though breaking up the black on an all black bike.

I thought people who bought black bikes want all of it to be black. LOL. That's how I would be. Maybe instead of all black and some polished rearsets, you would consider just polishing the rim of the wheel. That would look far better and break up the monotony that is black.

[Lvr]

@ racer x, thanx a lot for the pics. It was good to c what it looks like. I have a blue bike, not black btw. I just like the mix of metal, black, and blue. You see it a bit on some of the ninjette's bigger brothers, which is where I got the idea.
I'm looking right now for a viable method of stripping the paint... I'd prefer to avoid the really nasty chemical paint strippers, but I don't have access to a media blaster (I hope I have that right lol) so I'm not sure what my options would be.

[Locksmiff]

Originally Posted by CThunder-blue

I thought people who bought black bikes want all of it to be black. LOL. That's how I would be. Maybe instead of all black and some polished rearsets, you would consider just polishing the rim of the wheel. That would look far better and break up the monotony that is black.

I chose a red one over a black one. It got stolen so my only choice then was either blue or black. I have done the rims and I must say it does help break up the monotony of the all black. I reckon a few more small things here and there polished up would set it off.

[CZroe]

I wonder if it's possible to fake brushed aluminum/steel with vinyl. I really want to see that unpainted DeLorean look on a bike.

[AleGuedes]

I used Dinoc 3m carnon fiber vinil.