Subject: polished tappet cover Sun Jan 09, 2022 7:10 pm
One of the tappet covers that Pete lent me was scuffed from a minor fall Before I post the parts he lent me back I thought I'd sand out the scuff marks and since the paint was gone from that area polish it to see how it came up.
Well I think I'm going to take my covers off and polish them. Although polished aluminium takes a little bit of elbow grease to keep looking good It looks better to me than the painted finish.
Bill Hagan, lcjohnny, tazio, Bulldog9 and Leone like this post
PilotJet GRiSO Capo
Posts : 114 Join date : 2014-09-18
Subject: Re: polished tappet cover Sun Jan 09, 2022 8:09 pm
Wow! Polishes right up. I like both finishes. I prefer more stealthy than shiny though
evansnows Biondino
Posts : 202 Join date : 2019-06-05
Subject: Re: polished tappet cover Sun Jan 09, 2022 8:32 pm
When I go ahead with polishing my covers I'll post pictures. Coming from the stone age riding bikes, polished alloy was part of how a bike looked. The fact that I prefer that look is probably nostalgia as much as anything. Of course if I don't like the polished effect I can always repaint. Only one way to find out, try it and see.
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Bill Hagan GRiSO Capo
Posts : 1738 Join date : 2014-07-03
Subject: Re: polished tappet cover Mon Jan 10, 2022 4:31 am
Nice work there. I like the look.
Presume that some serious sealant, clearcoat, whatever is needed to keep those looking that way?
I'll see if I can interest Perfect Pillion & Polish Princess Kathi into doing that.
Right.
Anyway, Evan, would you please or post your email addy you use for PayPal? I tried two or three times to compensate you for that 3D printer work and got bounces. That obligation then fell below my scroll line into the "one of these days" box. Just recalled it. Apologies. Don't send a Maori SWAT for my head.
Bill
lcjohnny GRiSO Capo
Posts : 1470 Join date : 2016-01-25 Age : 69
Subject: Re: polished tappet cover Mon Jan 10, 2022 5:22 am
I agree with Bill about the looks - may be because i am pre-historic too It is lovely if it can be kept clean
Those old bikes used to secrete anti corrosion liquid
Subject: Re: polished tappet cover Tue Jan 11, 2022 3:41 am
I don’t believe they will require weekly cleaning. I think it will depend on the environment the polished covers live in. Lower humidity would be ideal but probably not realistic for most of us. Once you get them done, I don’t think it will require a lot of effort to keep them that way. Maybe a once a month touch up at best. It the bike lives outside, that would be bad……
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Bill Hagan GRiSO Capo
Posts : 1738 Join date : 2014-07-03
Subject: Re: polished tappet cover Tue Jan 11, 2022 4:56 am
JohnA wrote:
I don’t believe they will require weekly cleaning. I think it will depend on the environment the polished covers live in. Lower humidity would be ideal but probably not realistic for most of us. Once you get them done, I don’t think it will require a lot of effort to keep them that way. Maybe a once a month touch up at best. It the bike lives outside, that would be bad……
Lower humidity, John, is certainly not in your Savannah cards!
Hey, Evan, remember to PM or post your email addy so I can stop feeling like a deadbeat.
Bill
evansnows Biondino
Posts : 202 Join date : 2019-06-05
Subject: Re: polished tappet cover Sun Jan 16, 2022 6:17 pm
Just polished the left hand cover, it took an hour or so sanding with a DA sander down to 1000 grit then polishing with a mop on a bench grinder, the channels I cleaned and sanded with a dremel.
The devil is in the detail with those. I've sent a pair of samples to Pete to assess. To get the detail on the outer surface I'm going to have to modify the moulds so that I can vacuum form the carbon on to the male moulds. This is only an issue as I'm not using the plastics.
To do your own using the plastics as the inner surface is easy. It's what I did on mine. Stick a layer of teflon release film on the metal of the tappet cover, layup 6 - 8 mm of black pigmented fibreglass over the teflon and outer edge of the plastic cover. Remove and shape it. Then a final skin of carbon twill. The teflon is so you can remove it and shape it as you go. build up with layers of clearcoat until you've filled the weave of the carbon. I bolted on a strip of stainless steel bar sawn in half as added protection.
I did a more detailed description when I did it which is on the ghetto.
Subject: Re: polished tappet cover Tue Mar 22, 2022 3:27 am
Got to say i also like your plug covers i have replaced 2 of the little Guzzi medallions at £25 each
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Pete Roper GRiSO Capo
Posts : 10695 Join date : 2013-05-29 Age : 67
Subject: Re: polished tappet cover Tue Mar 22, 2022 3:41 am
lcjohnny wrote:
Got to say i also like your plug covers i have replaced 2 of the little Guzzi medallions at £25 each
I found the very early ones just vanished! The first time I washed mine in 2008 even a gentle spray made them evaporate! I haven't found the later ones to be so 'Escapey', in fact I haven't lost one for years.
If you are worried glueing them on with a bit of silastic type gorilla snot will work. It can also be plucked out with tweezers at the next service and another blob installed. I did that for a few years but have since stopped simply because the *Newer* badges seem to have more?? 'Grip?'
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Bill Hagan GRiSO Capo
Posts : 1738 Join date : 2014-07-03
Subject: Re: polished tappet cover Tue Mar 22, 2022 4:52 am
Nobleswood wrote:
Evansnows
Having just taken a 3rd low speed dismount due to fine gravel, I’m very interested in your CF rocker cover protection.
What stage are you at with this idea ? I’m muling over learning how to lay up cf.
Cheers
Sorry.
BTDT, but I don't want to practice it anymore lest I get as good as beetle is at it.
Bill
Nobleswood GRiSO Capo
Posts : 583 Join date : 2016-12-20
Subject: Re: polished tappet cover Tue Mar 22, 2022 5:00 am
One of the tappet covers that Pete lent me was scuffed from a minor fall Before I post the parts he lent me back I thought I'd sand out the scuff marks and since the paint was gone from that area polish it to see how it came up.
Well I think I'm going to take my covers off and polish them. Although polished aluminium takes a little bit of elbow grease to keep looking good It looks better to me than the painted finish.
Me likey very muchy not that would impliment it, tried polishing the words "Quatro Valvo" as seen on some bikes somewhere but couldnt really see it against the silver. A heavy leaded laquer if such a thing still exists (made in the USA) will keep the alloy look gorgeous for ever. Once did a GS1000 streetfighter in the stuff engine cases everywhere, 22 years later even after being left outdoors for many years bike looked amazing.
Maybe you could change things up some in this fashion. [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]
Leone Grignapoco
Posts : 105 Join date : 2019-02-17 Age : 47
Subject: Re: polished tappet cover Sat May 14, 2022 11:51 pm
lcjohnny wrote:
Got to say i also like your plug covers i have replaced 2 of the little Guzzi medallions at £25 each
Stein-Dinse have these in aftermarket for about half the price: