Updating faded plastic parts - Revision history

Bokonon at 15:54, 4 July 2009

2009-07-04T15:54:08Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 11:54, 4 July 2009
Line 1:		Line 1:
	[[Category:Bodywork & Frame]]		[[Category:Bodywork & Frame]]
	As bikes get older and spend more time in the sun, the unpainted plastics (rear fender, handlebar switches, etc...) start fading to grey. Wait long enough and they become this almost ash grey color. ~~Well, there~~ are 2 products on the market that can help this. Krylon Fusion (for plastics) paint and PlastiKote Vinyl Dye. ~~I've used the PlastiKote stuff extensively in the past, but decided to try the unknown and see how~~ the Krylon ~~stuff stood up. In the end, I found out that it~~ doesn't.~~.... so~~ if you plan on doing this, take the effort to find the PlastiKote product.		As bikes get older and spend more time in the sun, the unpainted plastics (rear fender, handlebar switches, etc...) start fading to grey. Wait long enough and they become this almost ash grey color. There are 2 products on the market that can help this: Krylon Fusion (for plastics) paint and PlastiKote Vinyl Dye. Since the Krylon doesn't actually work, there is only one product. So, if you plan on doing this, take the effort to find the PlastiKote product.

	~~Anyway, both products are~~ found in rattle-can form, typically right next to all the spray paints. Directions are ~~straight-forward~~ on how to prep the surfaces ~~(clean with lacquer thinner or acetone; I washed mine~~ with dish soap to knock off all the big chunks and degrease it a little ~~before the~~ acetone ~~rub down)~~. You should be doing this outside and with temps between 50 and 80 F. You just apply, rather like paint~~...~~ but ~~these products are Dyes...~~ meaning there's no real 'film' that covers up scratches and nicks. It also won't crack or peel, because it actually ~~Dyes~~ the plastic instead of covering it up. 15 minutes of time ~~and I took~~ a hugger from the first picture to the 2nd:		The product is found in rattle-can form, typically right next to all the spray paints. Directions are straightforward on how to prep the surfaces: Wash with dish soap to knock off all the big chunks and degrease it a little, then clean with lacquer thinner or acetone. You should be doing this outside and with temps between 50 and 80 F. You just apply, rather like paint, but this is a dye, meaning there's no real 'film' that covers up scratches and nicks. It also won't crack or peel, because it actually dyes the plastic instead of covering it up. 15 minutes of time can take a hugger from the first picture to the 2nd:

	[[Image:Plastic Restoration 1.jpg\|150px]]		[[Image:Plastic Restoration 1.jpg\|150px]]
Line 16:		Line 16:
	[[Image:Plastic Restoration 3.jpg\|150px]]		[[Image:Plastic Restoration 3.jpg\|150px]]

	As you can tell, it makes quite the difference. ~~Next up is my switchgear:~~		As you can tell, it makes quite the difference. Also, they make more than just black, so the pink stop/run button can be turned back to red.

	[[Image:Plastic Restoration 4.jpg\|150px]]		[[Image:Plastic Restoration 4.jpg\|150px]]

	~~Also, they make more than just black, so I'll be able to turn my pink stop/run button back to red.~~

Bokonon at 15:42, 4 July 2009

2009-07-04T15:42:52Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 11:42, 4 July 2009
Line 1:		Line 1:
	[[Category:Bodywork & Frame]]		[[Category:Bodywork & Frame]]
	~~Brian talks about one of his specialties: neglected motorcycle restoration~~.		As bikes get older and spend more time in the sun, the unpainted plastics (rear fender, handlebar switches, etc...) start fading to grey. Wait long enough and they become this almost ash grey color. Well, there are 2 products on the market that can help this. Krylon Fusion (for plastics) paint and PlastiKote Vinyl Dye. I've used the PlastiKote stuff extensively in the past, but decided to try the unknown and see how the Krylon stuff stood up. In the end, I found out that it doesn't..... so if you plan on doing this, take the effort to find the PlastiKote product.

	As bikes get older and spend more time in the sun, the unpainted plastics (rear fender, handlebar switches, etc...) start fading to grey. Wait long enough and they become this almost Ash grey color.... Well, there are 2 products on the market that can help this. Krylon Fusion (for plastics) paint and PlastiKote Vinyl Dye. I've used the PlastiKote stuff extensively in the past, but decided to try the unknown and see how the Krylon stuff stood up. In the end, I found out that it doesn't..... so if you plan on doing this, take the effort to find the PlastiKote product.		Anyway, both products are found in rattle-can form, typically right next to all the spray paints. Directions are straight-forward on how to prep the surfaces (clean with lacquer thinner or acetone; I washed mine with dish soap to knock off all the big chunks and degrease it a little before the acetone rub down). You should be doing this outside and with temps between 50 and 80 F. You just apply, rather like paint... but these products are Dyes... meaning there's no real 'film' that covers up scratches and nicks. It also won't crack or peel, because it actually Dyes the plastic instead of covering it up. 15 minutes of time and I took a hugger from the first picture to the 2nd:

	Anyway, both products are found in rattle-can form, typically right next to all the spray paints. Directions are straight-forward on how to prep the surfaces (clean with lacquer thinner or acetone; I washed mine with dish soap to knock off all the big chunks and degrease it a little before the acetone rub down). You should be doing this outside and with temps between 50 and 80 F. You just apply, rather like paint... but these products are Dyes... meaning there's no real 'film' that covers up scratches and nicks. It also won't crack or peel, because it actually Dyes the plastic instead of covering it up. 15 ~~minites~~ of time and I took a hugger from the first picture to the 2nd:

	[[Image:Plastic Restoration 1.jpg\|150px]]		[[Image:Plastic Restoration 1.jpg\|150px]]

Bokonon at 12:28, 12 July 2006

2006-07-12T12:28:10Z

New page

[[Category:Bodywork & Frame]]
Brian talks about one of his specialties: neglected motorcycle restoration.

As bikes get older and spend more time in the sun, the unpainted plastics (rear fender, handlebar switches, etc...) start fading to grey. Wait long enough and they become this almost Ash grey color.... Well, there are 2 products on the market that can help this. Krylon Fusion (for plastics) paint and PlastiKote Vinyl Dye. I've used the PlastiKote stuff extensively in the past, but decided to try the unknown and see how the Krylon stuff stood up. In the end, I found out that it doesn't..... so if you plan on doing this, take the effort to find the PlastiKote product.

Anyway, both products are found in rattle-can form, typically right next to all the spray paints. Directions are straight-forward on how to prep the surfaces (clean with lacquer thinner or acetone; I washed mine with dish soap to knock off all the big chunks and degrease it a little before the acetone rub down). You should be doing this outside and with temps between 50 and 80 F. You just apply, rather like paint... but these products are Dyes... meaning there's no real 'film' that covers up scratches and nicks. It also won't crack or peel, because it actually Dyes the plastic instead of covering it up. 15 minites of time and I took a hugger from the first picture to the 2nd:

[[Image:Plastic Restoration 1.jpg|150px]]

[[Image:Plastic Restoration 1.1.jpg|150px]]

And the bike from this:

[[Image:Plastic Restoration 2.jpg|150px]]

To this:

[[Image:Plastic Restoration 3.jpg|150px]]

As you can tell, it makes quite the difference. Next up is my switchgear:

[[Image:Plastic Restoration 4.jpg|150px]]

Also, they make more than just black, so I'll be able to turn my pink stop/run button back to red.