TECH TIP #8... REPAIRING SCRATCHED PLASTIC LENSES

It's been a while since I did a tech tip, so her's one for ya.

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Did you know that if you get a scratch in a plastic lense, even if deep that it can usually be wet sanded out and then buffed back to a shine?.

Plastic buffs like butter. That means that it is really easy to buff out.

If you have a scratched lense, sand it out. Don't sand any area you won't be able to access with the buffer, or you'll have permanent sanding marks there.

Start with a coarse paper, and work your way down to a really fine grit. Then simply buff it up to a nice shine. a fine grit, to polish compound is all you need. If you have no rubbing compound, and don't want to buy any, toothpaste with baking soda will work in a pinch because plastic is so soft, that is all it will take! Oh yeah, and if you don't have rubbing compound, I'm gonna take a stab in the dark and assume you have no buffer either. Elbo grease will work here just fine.

This works, I promise. Over the years back in the body shop days, and even currently, I've saved thousands of dollars doing this on really expensive plastic headlamp lenses etc.

If you have a scratched lense, don't be afraid to try this.

You have nothing to loose!

Tech. Tip # 7 ..... Protect your paint.

3M makes a clear film, I'm sure you've all seen it on the leading edge of car hoods, etc. It's commonly referred to as Clear Guard, clear protection film, or Scotchgard™ Paint Protection Film. It is specially designed to be almost invisible, and protects the paint from getting chipped by flying deris such as stones, etc.

Most companies who do mobile decal striping do this service. Contact them in the yellow pages, on-line, or get a hold of your local body shop. I'm sure they can hook you up.

I bring this about, because there are many needs for motorcycles to have the leading edges protected as well. Such as the fronts of gas tanks, frame down tubes, fairings, hard bags, etc.

Heck, there are even specialized do it yourself kits out there for a wide variety of motorcycles. see: http://www.empireclearshield.com/site/1325795/page/667887 . This site has a place where you can find your particular ride, and order a kit made especially for it.

Keep the paint shiny, and keep the shiny side up!

Tech. Tip #4. It's all in the details

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Tech Tip #4. It's all in the details is kind of a continuation of tech tip #1. Hiding or making the gas tank mount brackets blend in, is an important detail to me. This is part of making a bike look clean.

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Another way to look at the little details, or better yet, not notice them is by blacking out, and silvering out nuts, bolts, & wires. You can do this with a simple can of spray paint in black, and one in silver, and a cheap brush.

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Flat paints work best. Simply spray a puddle into a plastic cap, aluminum can bottom, or onto a piece of cardboard.

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Apply to the nut or bolt head, wire, or what ever it is that you are trying to make blend in.

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Keep in mind I recently had work done to my bike, so some of the nuts, bolts, etc. that I had blacked out, got damaged, during repairs, so I needed to re-do them. I have a couple of before and after shots below that show you examples. And some additional shots of afters. Some are wires, some are hose clamps, etc. But you get the point.

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Before:

After:

Before: Notice the gas tank mount bolt head, and the side to side gas tank hose clamps.

After:

After:

After:

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This makes a very subtle difference, but it's sometimes what you don't see, or don't notice that makes a difference. The object is to get things that should not stand out to blend into the back ground.

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This is a simple detailing trick that anyone can use, and anyone can do it themselves.

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Mr. Motorcycle

I’m starting a series of Tech. tips. Here’s my first.

Painter’s Tech tip #1

What is wrong with this picture? No, it’s not the fact that it looks like a messed up watercolor painting. I did that on purpose.
I borrowed the picture off of the internet, and smudged it so as not to give away who the paint job or picture was from. I tried my best to make it not recognizable. I don’t want to slam anyone else’s paint work. In the original custom painted gas tank picture the paint was nice & flames were nice. There may not be anything wrong with the picture if the frame on the bike is Yellow.

The reason for the photo is to show mount tabs are painted yellow like the front of the custom paint. Many painters, when custom painting gas tanks, etc, don’t take into consideration what color the frame on the bike is. Unless you’re building a one off chopper from the frame up, chances are you’re not changing the standard stock frame black color to the same colors as your new custom paint job. How does the painter know to paint the tabs black if you don’t point it out to the painter, and special request it, chances are they are going to paint it as is. The mount tabs should be the same color as the frame so they don't stick out like sore thumbs. I even see stock paint jobs this way. Hey, welcome to my mount tabs. Maybe I'm too picky. But I am into customs.


Mr. Motorcycle