Alu Frame Stripping and Polishing
A few guys have asked how the bling finish on my pimped out KH36 was achieved.
The bad news is that it wasn’t a DIY process as it required commercial grade stripping chemicals and polishing equipment. The good news is because a unicycle frame is a simple and small object the stripping and polishing didn’t cost much.
I didn’t set out with the intention of getting a unicycle frame stripped and polished. It just so happened that the guy welding my XC GUni Bars also offered an after hours Alu polishing service and a commercial paint stripping service was situated directly across the road from the Alu fabrication place, which fitted in with the mismatched paint job on my KH36.
Pimp my Unicycle
Stripping the Frame
After some research by the paint stripper guy regarding the most suitable chemical to use without adverse side effects the blue KH Alu frame was placed in an industrial strength Methylene Chloride (Dichloromethane) bath for 15-20 minutes after which the paint had broken down completely and could be brushed/washed off. The frame was then washed down with a surfactant e.g. detergent.
Concentrated Methylene Chloride is serious goo, especially when inhaled. It is also thought to be carcinogenic and its use is banned in some countries. Ironically elsewhere it is still used to decaffeinate coffee and tea, in pharmaceuticals, plastic welding etc. It’s a common active ingredient found in retail paint strippers though in a very diluted form.
Methylene Chloride
Provided all the paint is removed (and the frame isn’t damaged in the process) the method used for stripping isn’t as critical as the cutting and polishing process in determining the final bling.
Polishing the Frame
Cutting and polishing the frame was done using a pedestal buffing machine. A pedestal mounted buffer is preferable to a hand held unit due to the physical effort required to cut and polish whilst being able to access all areas of the unicycle frame, whilst also being able to grip the frame firmly without damaging and/or marking it. A cutting compound was used first – a dark gray fine grit wax based compound, followed by polish. Sorry, don’t know the product names.
Pedestal Buffer
Maintenance
The bling finish doesn’t take much to maintain. An occasional rub with Autosol Metal Polish and a soft cloth does the trick.
Autosol Metal Polish
I’m usually not interested in trick custom finishes on uni’s or bicycles, however the mistmatched paint job on the KH36 was an opportunity to try something new. I’m really happy with how the frame turned out.
36 GUni Pimp-mobile
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