# Place to have fork lowers painted or polished?



## gticlay (Dec 13, 2007)

Anyone have that done? I have some ugly lowers and thought if it wasn't too expensive that it could be fun. The coolest would be to have the lowers galvanized like RS does on the Totem but I can't imagine that would be cost effective.


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## Mr.Magura (Aug 11, 2010)

Hmm, two wrongs out of two.....not bad  


Naah, just kidding, but you are however incorrect according to my point of view.

To have them polished, all you'd have to do is to strip the paint, and get a rugged piece of clothe and some polishing paste (around here we have stuff like "slipol", "brasso", and so forth). 
This will take you less time than to take the forks to a workshop ad have them polished.

To have them galvanized is actually pretty cheap, I'd say a six-pack would get you most of the way, and shops that are able to do that for you, are plenty everywhere.


Magura


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## Iceman2058 (Mar 1, 2007)

Whatever you do, don't get it done in Boise:

http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=689926


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## mullet dew (Jun 4, 2008)

I have heard polished lowers are a PITA to maintain, however if you got them clearcoated right after the polish that might work out better.
DropNzone offers a free powder coat on some of the frames they sell, so maybe give them a call and see how much it would be for some lowers.


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## brickbrick (Jun 23, 2008)

Iceman2058 said:


> Whatever you do, don't get it done in Boise:
> 
> http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=689926


lol. That made me laugh out loud. Sad thread, indeed.


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## ron m. (Aug 1, 2009)

I know this is an old thread, but I was searching for pictures of polished forks and couldn't find any (I did one a while back). 

Initially, I just stripped the paint so I could redo it. Ran it through a wire wheel and it started to look nice. Ran it again on a polishing wheel and finished off with Mother's and it looked really nice. My friends think I should strip the frame to match the fork, but I don't know. That's a lot of work. What do you guys think?


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## mtbnozpikr (Sep 1, 2008)

ron m. said:


> My friends think I should strip the frame to match the fork, but I don't know. That's a lot of work. What do you guys think?


I think it is pretty cool when done correctly and it looks awesome. I would frankly not do it to any of my bikes but would rather watch from a distance. Check out the 951 toward the end of this thread if you want/need some motivation: http://forums.mtbr.com/intense/neon-flo-colors-all-rage-757235.html.


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## SHIVER ME TIMBERS (Jan 12, 2004)

fork lowers get scratched all the time...just lightly sand them and spray them in your favorite color


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## rep_1969 (Mar 25, 2004)

Went from Silver to Black on my ex's RS. Sand, prime, and paint. Apply new stickers.


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## recitio (Dec 22, 2011)

Did you disassemble before painting? Or just tape off?


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## .WestCoastHucker. (Jan 14, 2004)

polished fork lowers are a real PITA to keep looking fresh. like a serious PITA. i know, i have a set and i gave up on them a long time ago. they are dope looking when fresh, but the freshness fades fast...


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## rep_1969 (Mar 25, 2004)

recitio said:


> Did you disassemble before painting? Or just tape off?


Should you? Yes. Did I? No. I took everything off the fork that I could and carefully masked EVERYTHING that I didn't want paint on. The hardest part was masking off the top of the fork where the seals are, but it is possible.

Actually with the fork still assembled you can clamp the steerer tube in your bike stand and move it around to get to all the hard to reach places on the fork.

I applied 2 coats of primer, and about 3 coats of black.Should be plenty tough.


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## crossup (May 13, 2009)

Gotta go with post #2 and say "somebodies been dippin' too much"
First off galvanizing involves dipping the part in molten Zinc....anyone think thats a really bad idea except me? well its a great idea if you want to use your lowers to hold flowers. Maybe there are some new processes I'm unaware of but considering the quality of finish I've seen on galvanized stuff, I'd NEVER consider it unless the only alternative was latex house paint applied with a stick.

Secondly, where do you see RS makes Totem's in any color other than white and black?
This would be one of those deals where I say, no pic, it doesnt exist.



gticlay said:


> Anyone have that done? I have some ugly lowers and thought if it wasn't too expensive that it could be fun. The coolest would be to have the lowers galvanized like RS does on the Totem but I can't imagine that would be cost effective.


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## mtbnozpikr (Sep 1, 2008)

.WestCoastHucker. said:


> polished fork lowers are a real PITA to keep looking fresh. like a serious PITA. i know, i have a set and i gave up on them a long time ago. they are dope looking when fresh, but the freshness fades fast...


I must say that looks amazing. It takes some serious dedication to polish just about every part of your bike.:thumbsup:


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## Swell Guy (Jan 20, 2005)

crossup said:


> Secondly, where do you see RS makes Totem's in any color other than white and black?
> This would be one of those deals where I say, no pic, it doesnt exist.


Does this suffice?
https://s.wiggle.co.uk/images/rockshox-rs605401-zoom.jpg


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## crossup (May 13, 2009)

Yes it does, pos rep coming your way. Thanks for correcting my ignorance, now I have to figure out if its a 'traditional' galvanize" or some electro-deposited version. 
Is that current model or older stuff? not that it affects the facts
and I guess from your post it looks pretty dope in real life?



Swell Guy said:


> Does this suffice?
> https://s.wiggle.co.uk/images/rockshox-rs605401-zoom.jpg


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## Swell Guy (Jan 20, 2005)

crossup said:


> Yes it does, pos rep coming your way. Thanks for correcting my ignorance, now I have to figure out if its a 'traditional' galvanize" or some electro-deposited version.
> Is that current model or older stuff? not that it affects the facts
> and I guess from your post it looks pretty dope in real life?


Not sure, I have a black one. Pricepoint has it in the air, not sure if the others are available in silver.
RockShox Totem Solo Fork 2010 at Price Point


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## Powderman (Aug 3, 2011)

You can't galvanize aluminum....and there's no point in doing it if you could, alum. Doesn't rust. I'm not positive but those lowers have some sort of applied aluminum coating or they've been shot/grit blasted then burnished.


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## crossup (May 13, 2009)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia:
"Hot-dip galvanizing is a form of galvanization. It is the process of coating iron, steel, or aluminum with a thin zinc layer, by passing the metal through a molten bath of zinc" "Other modern techniques have largely replaced hot-dip for these sorts of roles. This includes electrogalvanizing, which deposits the layer of zinc from an aqueous electrolyte by electroplating, forming a thinner and much stronger bond."

The Totems shown in the link above are obviously galvanized, the only question is by what method. As to why, again, obvious...someone at RS thinks its solid dope


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## Powderman (Aug 3, 2011)

If you read it on the net it must be true.....Those lowers are not galvanized it's too uniform.i deal with galvanized parts on a weekly basis. In case you don't understand what is does it stops corrosion it's not an astetitically pleasing coating. Aluminum gets anodized for protection.


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## crossup (May 13, 2009)

In case YOU don't understand, here's how its done, with references to the patent:

A method for applying a zinc layer onto an aluminum or aluminum alloy sheet, comprising pretreating the surface and applying the layer by electrolytic galvanizing, the pretreating comprises electrochemical graining of the surface, for example in a solution having a pH less than 3 with an alternating current applied between the sheet and an electrode. In an alternative method, the pretreating includes applying a preliminary zinc layer by immersing the surface in a zinc-containing alkaline solution, applying a potential to the sheet and reversing the polarity of said potential at least once. The sheets are useful for building cladding sheets and automotive panels.
Patent no. 6165630
Inventors: Horst Gehlhaar, Martinus Godefridus Johannes Spanjers, Joop Nicolaas Mooij, Wilhelmus Jacobus Van Der Meer
Original Assignee: Corus Bausysteme GmbH
Primary Examiner: Jason Savage
Current U.S. Classification: 428/658; 205/103; 205/172; 205/177; 205/214; 428/629; 428/935
International Classification: C25D 544; C25F 304

Such panels are in fact used in car manufacture and the amount used increases every year as demand for lighter cars(for efficiency) increases.

Sumitomo Metal Industries, Ltd also holds patents for electroplating zinc on aluminum. The primary use for the plated aluminum is to provide salt water corrosion protection but is also used for other corrosion systems. 

As to your claim the coating is too uniform, thats one of the main benefits of electroplate galvanize. Its pretty hard to have much texture in a 0.002" coating....nothing like hot dip which is no doubt what you're experienced with

As for 'astetitically"... try aesthetically instead of mispelling it.. according to RS its the 'industrial' look
and that finish was available for Avid products as well.
Anodizing is only one of dozens of surface treatments for aluminum, google ALODINE sometime for an education


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## crossup (May 13, 2009)

*Discussion over....*

Straight from Rock Shock corporate: the galvanized finish was the magnesium leg, treated for a distressed look(guessing etched to show crystaline stucture) and clear coated. No plating etc..
So Powderman was right, for the wrong reasons
and I'm right that it can be done but wrong that RS did any real galvanize, which I still maintain is not supported by the pictures I've seen> theres just not enough detail for that call, either way


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