Time to refinish my Dive Xtras Cuda Scooter

[Merlin Rhoda]

This is great info to know!

I'm going back to alcohol.

~~~~~
Claudette

I see this quote being used out of context for years to come!

[Mo2vation]

I see this quote being used out of context for years to come!

Whoever would do that?!?!?!


-K

[Jeff Shaw]

You realize Mo2 my friend, that there are plenty of people who just Googled the following after reading our off-dive blather.

5150
EVH
Krammer
Sparkle
Bonham
Evans
emad

But probably not Aubergine

[diverden]

Thanks so much for posting this. I'm starting to get corrosion in all the same places. I was thinking of having the factory do this but you've made it look pretty easy!

[diversteve]

I wonder if you could have it bead blasted then purple anodize the aluminum parts. Not sure what bead blasting would do to the mating surfaces though. If it worked you'd probably only have to do it once...

Attachment 3567

[Mo2vation]

Thanks so much for posting this. I'm starting to get corrosion in all the same places. I was thinking of having the factory do this but you've made it look pretty easy!

Both Chica and I sent our original Sierras back to the factory to get 'refinished'. They did a wonderful job - and they came back looking great. But here's the thing: the finish they returned with was just as fragile as the original finish.

We ride these ponies hard, but we never put them away wet. Yet, there is corrosion (not good) and considerable chipping and finish loss (that's just from use)... so if WE re-finish them, we can 'top them off' at will - and have some fun in the process.

So we chose to do this round ourselves.

I've been swamped this week or I'd have the yellow on already. I'll have this wrapped by Sunday. More pics soon!


-Ken

[Mo2vation]

You realize Mo2 my friend, that there are plenty of people who just Googled the following after reading our off-dive blather.

5150
EVH
Krammer
Sparkle
Bonham
Evans
emad

But probably not Aubergine

hahahaha

I think I'm gonna be at ASCAP this weekend. I'm working with LP / KMC on some stuff. It should be fun!

Anyone who needs to google EVH needs to take off the dry suit and put on a CD once in awhile.



-K

[Merlin Rhoda]

Anyone who needs to google EVH needs to take off the dry suit and put on a CD once in awhile.

What are CD's? Rotating media ... So 90's!

[diverden]

Both Chica and I sent our original Sierras back to the factory to get 'refinished'. They did a wonderful job - and they came back looking great. But here's the thing: the finish they returned with was just as fragile as the original finish.

We ride these ponies hard, but we never put them away wet. Yet, there is corrosion (not good) and considerable chipping and finish loss (that's just from use)... so if WE re-finish them, we can 'top them off' at will - and have some fun in the process.

So we chose to do this round ourselves.

In the meantime... I've swapped out my questionable looking zinc ;-)

[Jeff Shaw]

Say hi to my old buds at KMC.

After they bought LP I decided to visit their HQ in New Jersey.
Rolled up in a rental car and a 3 piece suit. They had fear on their faces after assuming that I was some hit man from corperate.
But I was just a visiting marketing schmo.

[Mo2vation]

Its been cool and misty here most of the Weekend. Saturday AM I was able to get a coat of the yellow primer onto the tube. I let it dry and shot another coat onto it before leaving it to dry until Sunday.

Most of Sunday I've been waiting for it to get warm and dry so I can work on the scoot. In the morning I busted out the 2000 grit and wet sanded the yellow primer on the tube. The thing is smooooov.

As soon as it got dry, I put a yellow coat on the Satellite (tail). Its drying in my studio. I won't be able to sand it until Monday.

So back to the tube. I wipe it down with alcohol, and hang it in my "spray booth" - I shoot a coat of Aubergine onto it.

O
M
G

This looks nice. Its a Satin finish, and its looking good. I let it dry for several hours, and shoot another coat of Aubergine onto the tube.

The tube, mostly, gets chipped on the nose. So the plan is to paint the nose black, and do a fade into the purple body. That way, I can simply touch up the nose whenever it gets too bad.

Up next:

• Light wet sanding with the 2000 grit on the tube - re-assemble and its done!

• Light wet sanding over the yellow primer on the tail.

• Shoot the tail with the Aubergine, light sand, re-assemble and its done!

I need to get this done this week, as Chamber Day (and Scuba Prom Chamber Evening) is a week from Wednesday! Need to bust a move here.


I'm pleased with how its coming out.




-Ken






Yellow Primer Body - second coat after 2000 gt sanding







Second Purple coat - looking good



Black added to nose, fade to body. This is the second coat of the black. I'm shooting one more, then gonna let it dry and sand tomorrow night.

[HBDiveGirl]

WOW!
Too beautiful for words!!!!

Glorious!
I am counting the minutes...no, the seconds until I get to see this beauty underwater.

Gorgeous, Ken.

Black is so yesterday.

~~~~
Claudette

[LCF]

Oh, LOVE the fade to black . . . That's just simply gorgeous!

[HBDiveGirl]

I wasn't done.

OMG.

Black nose.
Fading to aubergine.
Pure aubergine tail cone and stanchions.
Pure black shroud, to match the nose. Steel-silver propeller blades.

O.
M.
G.

I'll be reining in the Pickle as a training pony, steadying your thoroughbred to the starting gate.

Wow.

~~~
Claudette

[Mo2vation]

The strobe on the cam makes the fade look much more dramatic than it really is. The purple and the black really aren't that dissimilar in color. I'll get an indoor shot with no strobe.

I love me some purple fade. One day, drum kit in purple fade.

I may clear coat this. Has anyone had any experience in Clear coat? Does it help at all? My thinking is I'll chip and scratch the clear coat before I chip and scratch the paint.

The bad news is I'll chip and scratch the clear coat....

Dunno.

Any thoughts? I'm not a painter - I've never re-finished anything before so I have no idea how this stuff behaves.

Thanks

-K