Vapour blasting.

Hi Robert,

Had loads of stuff done over the years and did some myself when I worked in a factory that has its own plant (after hours). Just get the big stuff off, degrease if possible and the machine will do the rest, no masking required. Just make 100% sure that post cleaning you blow everything out with an HP airline and if there are oil-ways try and get hold of some old school pipe cleaners as they work wonders, but a good blast of HP air will do the trick. Mind your eyes and use appropriate PPE.

Machine example: https://www.vixen.co.uk/aquablast-1215.html

Model 50 & 650 SS head, crank cases etc.  + Commando hubs look great even after two ++ years and as the material surface is mechanically passivated during this process, the finish lasts. I would bake / dry the barrels in a low temp oven  and then paint as process is basically a vapour (Aqua) blast process. Only thing I now do before a winter lay-up in the UK is the judicious use of some ACF to be sure to be sure.

Happy blasting!

Rgds Steve

Some years ago I had a Triumph Stag and decided to have the cam covers bead blasted and powder coated. What I foolishly omitted to note was that under one of them was a wire wool oil separator.

It only ran for a few thousand miles before the oil pressure was up and down like a yoyo and the big ends knocking madly. The wire wool had retained beads then let them back out into the lubrication system.

The engine was a total write off: the oil pump (which I'd earlier dismantled and checked) was scored to an unbelievable extent.

So those innocuous looking little beads can create havoc!

For every hour vapour blasting is an extra hour spent cleaning. I now clean in a Ultrasonic bath with a citric acid solution, the citric acid attacks the oxide plus stains and the ultrasonic cleans so it does both jobs at the same time, a quick clean with WD40 and then an application of wax completes the job.

Hi Robert,

I had my 99 head vapour blasted a few months ago and the result was way beyond my expectations. All new Colisbro guides had been fitted and the valve seats finished with 3 angles and lapped.

The Gent who did the work (Deal in Kent) insisted that I didn't mask anything (and he didn't either).

The finish appears to be resistant to greasy marks etc which just wipe off and it looks fantastic.

He wouldn't vapour blast the barrels as he said they'd just rust but he blasted them with a conventional dry blast media.

Trouble is now it shows up the rest of the bike.

Terry Guy