[slapstik]

i forgot to specify to powdercoat company not to cover vin number,im sure someone else has had the same problem,would appreciate any suggestions,thank you.

 

[Tony the torch]

mask off the area around it with blue masking tape, then spray over cleaner or paint stripper on it, let it sit for a while and scrub it with a plastic brush, repeat this process 2 or 3 more times and it will be bare metal.

 

[Big John 13]

I did the same thing a few years ago (hopefully it's black). I taped a rectangle around the vin with duct tape, masked and covered the rest of the frame and sandblasted the area to expose the numbers. I then wiped the area down with thinner to remove the dust and sprayed the area with black rattlecan lacquer from the auto parts store (because lacquer paint is thinner and less likely to cover the numbers). It came out acceptable looking. The trick is to tape out a descent looking rectangle that centers the numbers. I hope this helps...good luck!

 

[Scott McKelvey]

mask off the area around it with blue masking tape, then spray over cleaner or paint stripper on it, let it sit for a while and scrub it with a plastic brush, repeat this process 2 or 3 more times and it will be bare metal.

I've had zero to little luck w/ oven cleaner and powder. i've heard aircraft stripper works alright. but the single best thing i've found so far for small areas (like motor mounts, etc) is the dremel wheel #425, and it wont damage the metal underneath (at least with steel). Available anywhere dremel is sold and they last a surprisingly long time. It will be dusty though.

 

[Sinner1]

Use gasket material remover in the spray can. Can't remember the name of it but will look in the shop in the am and add it to this post. I think it is "Permatex" brand, blue can and lid. It WILL remove powdercoat within minutes.

 

[pan620]

If you have a steady hand use a vibrating pencil to highlight the numbers.

 

[slapstik]

its thick i cant see any ot the numbers

 

[shovithead]

I don't know man, looks like you need to give the frame to one of us, and get a new one. hahaha

I sent one for a customer to be powdered, and somehow they removed a few thread caps, and the tape I put on the sn to keep it clear. Got it back, and went balistic. But what did I do? Got it in a dark shop, took a bright halogen lamp and held at different angles, until I found some indentations, where I was sure the numbers were. At least close enough. It was one of my first powder coated frames, and this was years ago. Nobody knew how to remove the coating, so I took a razor knife, and started cutting easily enough to scar the powder, but not hard enough to cut to steel. After I got the almost exposed numbers so I could see them slightly, I took a small screwdriver to remove the rest of the powder, then a piece of emery paper and wrapped it on a thin piece of wood, and sanded the almost numbers until I could read them. Then I took the mso, and saw what numbers I was looking at, and then, I knew how much further I had to clean, without going to far. After the numbers were all exposed, I then slowly, squared the opening with my razor knife, and covered with some clear laquer on a small artist brush. After that, the powdered threads were a breeze to fix.

 

[ckunsman89]

I do not like to use any chemicals on powdercoat, because they can discolor it. Like if you spray gasket remover where the vin is and get overspray on one of the downtubes and try to wipe it off real quick, you could be left with a brown downtube. Once, when bleeding the rear brakes on a car with a powdercoated frame, the hose poped off the bleeder and splashed the brake fluid on the frame. I washed it with soapey water and wiped it clean almost immediately, but was still left with a black frame with brown spots where the brake fluid had stained. Just my experiance. I would tape it off neatly, dremel of razor knife the powdercoat off, and then use a hand help sand blast gun for doing small spot work to clean it up. Then brush some black paint over the numbers, dampen a clean towel with laquer thinner and gently swipe over the vin. this will leave the paint in the indentation of the numbers, making them easy to read. Clear over it and you are good to go, easy to read, and protected fot the long run.

 

[Unkl Ian]

The fresher the powder is, the easier it is to remove.
It's surprisingly fragile for the first couple days.
After a week, it's much tougher.

 

[Tony the torch]

powder coating can be color sanded and buffed out if you damage the finish on it.

 

[shovithead]

Any body on here ever heard of paint? I know, powder last longer. But paint has been around for years. I never paint so heavy that a SN is covered. But then, I am a old fart, who uses the old ways. Powder coating, if for my grandaughter's butt. Paint is for frames and tins. I know I am off topic, but my fingers got away with my keyboard, before I could dial 911.

 

[panhead48mc]

I scraped mine off with a buck knife! actually it wasn't even my bike yet. Seller freaked out a little, but I ended up buying the bike.

 

[punkrod]

Dremel wire brush works great, done it many times. Every time I get a frame coated I place 2 layers of duct tape over the vin with a note but the frames always come back with a great coating over the VIN. I bust out the dremel and a steel ruler and wire wheel the coating off leaving a nice rectangle of bare metal around the exposed VIN. Then I mask off the rectangle and hit the spot with bunch of clear coats.

 

[Dr. Benway]

I must have a real good powdercoater.
At my request, he masked off the VIN for color but covered it with the clearcoat.

 

[Unkl Ian]

Every time I get a frame coated I place 2 layers of duct tape over the vin with a note but the frames always come back with a great coating over the VIN.

There is a specific type of tape that works for powder coating.
Anything else, the heat softens the adhesive, and makes a mess.

 

[Scavenger]

Any body on here ever heard of paint? I know, powder last longer. But paint has been around for years. I never paint so heavy that a SN is covered. But then, I am a old fart, who uses the old ways. Powder coating, if for my grandaughter's butt. Paint is for frames and tins. I know I am off topic, but my fingers got away with my keyboard, before I could dial 911.

+1 Paint,, try a razor blade,,cut the square ya need the shave the layers off

 

[slapstik]

thanks for all input,very appreciated.

 

[Cali Kingpin]

Yeah,there is a special heat resistant tape they use for powder-coating.It does look just like regular blue masking tape but thick...not that this is gonna help now but I saw a coater do a nice CLEAR powder rectangle over the #'s then the rest of the frame black.Looked like a little window.Not sure how he did it but that's his gig.

 

[el_butche]

I guess you could say... screw it.. it's there prove it's not.
guilty is proven... innocent is given.. oh wait....i guess not anymore.

Butche