Twin Rat Restoration

[efkruger]

Here is a few pics of some 93 A chain guards. I wished I would have taken a pic of them before I repaired them. They were both a mess. I hade to weld, grind, straighten and tweak them until I got them fixed. They came out much nicer than I thought they would. You cannot tell now how bad they were. Amazing what a little TLC can accomplish. That's Mr. Pauls early frame red I painted them with. These will be for my twin rat project also.

[efkruger]

Here is the other side. I thought one would not be up to par for sure but you cannot tell. I just wished I took a before pic.

[viclioce]

Those look very nice! Victor

[efkruger]

Thank you Sir.

[viclioce]

I agree with the addition of dish soap to the water. I used a spray bottle with Water and a few drops of dish soap and I mist it on to the part to which the decal is being applied. ; D Victor

[matt glascock]

Slick - literally and figuratively

[efkruger]

Today I installed a decal onto one of my model 93 A air cleaner covers. This first cover, when I painted it, I used some glazing and spot putty compound to hide a few scratches it had in it. After I painted it, the paint over these areas where I used the putty did not react well to the paint and wrinkled up slightly. I fixed these areas, after the paint dried for several days, using some 2000 grit 3M wet or dry emery paper using water. It removed the bad spots and then I repolished the area where I had sanded using some 3M polishing compound and a polishing bonnet driven by a drill. It worked really good. Polished back out to a nice shine. No evidence of bad spots. Take a look in this pic. Mr Pauls paint works great for polishing just need to let it dry for a few days so it will be hard. Now I am ready to apply the decal. My little female cat follows me everywhere, she keeps coming out in these posts. Anyway I am glad I did not have to repaint that cover again. I am out of paint and the paint is expensive.

[efkruger]

Ok, Next comes the decal placement. I decided in order to help me put it on centered and positioned in the center of the circle the cover has on it. That I better cut the decal out into a 6-3/4 inch diameter which is approximately the same size as the center circle the cover has on it. That way, all you do is put the decal in this circle and its centered vertically and horizontally for you. All you have to do now is orient the rotation correctly so the drain hole on the cover is down with relation to the decal. Take a look at this first pick to see some things I used to do this with.

[efkruger]

Now when I determined where the correct rotated position was, I marked both the decal and the cover with some blue painters tape. This way when I peel off the backing paper I will know where to position the decal back exactly where I want it. I also used plenty of water with about four drops of dishwashing soap in it. The water is a necessity because you can adjust the decal once its down with the water layer under it. Also, the water helps keep air bubbles from being trapped under the decal. This is very important. Dad Gum air bubbles don't look good!. Take a look at these pics.

[efkruger]

Ok, next I sprayed the cover thoroughly with water then I peeled the protective cover off the decal and placed it in position. Once everything was good, I squeegeed the water out using that yellow bondo spreader. Once I got the water out I removed the backing paper from the decal by pulling it off towards the side with as little upwards pull as possible because the decals can be pulled off if you are not carefull. Once the backing paper was off I used a clean terry cloth rag to push the decals down good all around. And set the cover aside to dry. I was well pleased with how it came out. Especially since I had those bad spots in the paint. But all turned out well. I have two other air covers to install decals on. Take alook at these pics.

[efkruger]

That thumb in the pic is the one I almost lost using that dad gum table saw a few months ago. Almost back to 100% thank God. Thumbs are a necessity.
The other day Matt Glasscock asked me about clear coating the decals. I have been thinking about that and I still have some clear coat made by DuPont. Maybe I will give this cover a nice coating of clear just to protect those decals if nothing else. I will be thinking about that. That stuff really shines to. Its hard and tough also. I might just do that. Thanks Gentlemen and will keep you posted.

[matt glascock]

Hey, thank you very much for that excellent review and photo illustration of your technique for decal application. Very helpful indeed! This might make a cool and helpful article for the Resonator Revisited. Thanks again and great work!!

[efkruger]

Yes that's right. It could go in the resonator. Good idea Thank you

[matt glascock]

Really nice, pro job. I wrecked a Dirt Squirt decal application. I thought I had it centered and stuck it. It was overlapping the edge of the air box. Then I tried to remove it but it just stretched and started to tear so I just stuck it down and clear coated it. The Keystone Cops could've done a better job. Drives me crazy every time I look at it, but those decals are getting a bit spendy. AAAAARRRRGHHH!

[efkruger]

The hard felt polishing wheel came in yesterday and this morning I gave the fenders in this post a good going over with it and using the Brownells 555 white polishing compound. They both are even more lustrous now. These pics are hard to see them clearly because of the shine and reflection but they are like chrome now. You can see yourself sharply in the mirror finish whereas before there was some milkiness present in the shine. Here is the hard felt wheel.

[efkruger]

Now here are the fenders after another going over with the hard felt wheel. Pretty good for now. Look at that reflection

[efkruger]

That's a little better than before. Both were a mess, just glad I straightened them and could repair the bends and dings. There is just some very small evidence that they had damage now. Its hard to see though with all that shine. On number 2 bike I will add a few steps extra when I polish those fenders. Try to get even better lustre. Thanks to Roger Karren, I will have a good rear fender to work with on number two.
I have a fender for the rear, but its cracked slightly and I don't have a TIG machine yet. I need to get one. Zoom on the pics to see that shine. Thanks Gentlemen

[efkruger]

Moving forward slowly. Got the front end on yesterday. I just got in a few parts from the chromer that will give me the rest of the parts I am missing for this first bike. Specifically the chrome plated nuts and bolts for the upper triple tree clamp and also the handle bar clamps. Take a look. My helping cat always tries to help! Thanks guys

[Thunderdogdownunder]

Bike looks fantastic you have done well .. you and felix make a good team ☺

[matt glascock]

WOW!! Shiny and beautiful. Class winner at Hodaka Days?

[efkruger]

Actually its a her, She is named Felicity, she is the sweetest thing and hell on Rats. I hope I can make it to Hodaka days this time, that would be great, Thank you gentlemen!

[efkruger]

Since I have started to assemble number one, I have decided that I have a paint problem. I have noticed that this frame red paint that I have been using is either not drying fully or its chipping off very easily. I am glad I have not painted number two yet. Because I think I will use a DuPont (Nason) automotive single stage acylic enamel like I should have done to begin with. I am not sure what is the problem here, but I will not use that paint anymore. What I will do, is go to where I bought my DuPont automotive paint in the past and get them to match this early frame red in their single stage acrylic enamel. I have used this paint before on Bultacos and its the best. Dries hard as nails and does not flake off easily. I suspect that the problem is a chemical one that I am having. I was told that you can use "any" acrylic enamel reducer with this paint and I used my DuPont reducer. What should have been used, was just a paint thinner such as Xylene. Something not as "hot" as the reducer I used. Dad gummit, I hope I dont have to repaint everything. For sure, I will do number two with the Dupont paint where they have all the activators and reducers specified to use. And they make these products for their own paints. I should have known better and I considered this when I was told I could use "any" reducer. Mixing one companies reducer with anothers is not good.
Oh well, I knew better. Its my fault. Anyway, when I get this paint formulated at this paint store, I will post the code so that any body else can have it mixed exactly. And they can use DuPont reducer and activator like they should. If you ask the DuPont technical people they will tell you to use only their products together. The Nason brand of auto paint is made by Dupont and its excellent also.
Anyway, I will post some pics of how you can remove this paint I used easily with your finger nail. And this is after quite a few days since I painted these parts. Maybe with time it will fully dry good. I hope. Thank you gentlemen.

[matt glascock]

(Super) Rats!! Are you thinking of stripping to bare metal and starting from scratch? It would be a total bummer to finish the project only to find that the paint won't hold up? GRRRR! I hate painting foul-up. I was painting the 94 frame with good 'ol Rustoleum semigloss black. Three quick light coats followed by a week of drying time. Hey, why not give it one more coat. I sat there and watched the entire paint job turn all crinkly before my eyes. What the heck?!?

[efkruger]

No I will not redo it yet. I will wait until it gets warmer and give it a good chance to cure. I will do number two by the letter of Dupont though!. Yea, that's best. It could be the weather its so cold and wet here, that could be some of it. The paint looks really good too. I just will wait and see. Things happen in life. Just have to deal with them.
It seems where I gave it three coats total is where its not drying fully. I noticed where I only gave one or two coats its set up good. So maybe with time it will harden.

[efkruger]

Here is a pic of an air filter cover that I was going to redo because it had some bad runs in it and I noticed I could peel off the paint with my thumbnail. That's after its been a few days drying. Maybe the weather could have something to do with it. Maybe all is not lost. I will give the rest time to cure good. Its been really cold and wet here for weeks, I am sure that's not the best environment for paint to cure.
Those scratches are where my thumbnail could scrap off the paint. There is an area where I bead blasted a little bit also but that does not mean anything.