# rawing my frame?



## gbosbiker (Mar 10, 2009)

i got a dj bike of course, and its aluminum so it wont rust, but solid. and im debating whether or not to raw my frame. and keep it raw.. its a dark grayish color now, with white bars, red wheelset and grips, and black everything else.

i do ride in the winter a little, so it will be exposed to some salt, but i wipe my bike down once i get home if i ride in the winter. i might put 1 or 2 coats of clear coat to keep the shine of the aluminum.

anyone else have rawed frames?


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## stubecontinued (Mar 14, 2007)

I stripped an aluminum monocog flight i had, it held up fine, just polish it, no need for clear coat.


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## XSL_WiLL (Nov 2, 2004)

I've stripped and polished brake calipers, wheels, hubs, stems, bars, chainstays, etc.


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## gbosbiker (Mar 10, 2009)

well while searching around in different forums, i saw a really nice p1 that was rawed, and all he did was just take a steel brush to give it the brushed look. no polish. i might just let it be, and then judge if i want to polish it or not..


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## rayray74 (Sep 18, 2005)

I recently stripped my covert. Used Aircraft (brand) paint remover and steel wool. Worked pretty good. Then I used scotch brite pads to tone it down, and give it a more "matte" raw finish.


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## sausagedog (Aug 26, 2009)

all u need to do is after u have got the finish you want polish it with wax carnuba 100% is best. then build the bike


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## gbosbiker (Mar 10, 2009)

sausagedog said:


> all u need to do is after u have got the finish you want polish it with wax carnuba 100% is best. then build the bike


im not going to polish it..i dont like the "chrome" look. i like the duller brushed look.


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## Chris C (Mar 27, 2009)

The duller brushed look is WAY easier for maintanence. But, if you wanted the shine, check out Zoop Seal. It's what the high-end car crowd uses on their ultra polished billet wheels. It's not the cheapest, but it helps protect bare aluminum so you aren't polishing all the time.


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## gbosbiker (Mar 10, 2009)

well i started rawing my frame today. i just got in my last part (cranks) and i figured since i already got the cranks off, i might as well strip everything else down.. 

so i went out to my barn, and started spraying away. it came off in 2 layers, and i got a majority off of it on one side, so i started on the other. i got one layer off and i ran out of stripper with 1/3 of the bike still having paint....ill get another can soon and finish it up...


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## Ryan97 (May 12, 2008)

Any way to raw anodization without just sanding like hell?


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## rayray74 (Sep 18, 2005)

Ryan97 said:


> Any way to raw anodization without just sanding like hell?


Easy-off oven cleaner


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## gbosbiker (Mar 10, 2009)

well i finished rawing the frame. it took 2 cans of paint stripper. i still got areas of paint because i ran out. but im not worried about it. all i did after stripping it was wash it a little, and then took some medium grit steel wool and buffed it to get rid of the real dull look.

sorry about the quality of the pictures. my camera is dead and all i had was my cell phone..


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