TOPIC:

Somehow I keep making double posts...uhg!

Skinthead, not to worry about technical computer crap. Just make your bike work beautiful. The computer stuff is purposely arcane, to keep us on our toes!
I sound like an old hand, but this is the first pic I have actually posted myself, I believe. So, I give myself a pat on the back. Enough.

Real stuff: This is my initial sand blasting setup. a borrowed blast cabinet(on the small side). A borrowed compressor. and another free blasting unit. I have been exploring this part of my adventure. The cabinet did not have a working inside light, so I rewired a new light. There was no appliance to hook the vacuum to, so I got a plastic grommet for office furniture and it fit the opening and the vacuum nozzle perfectly.

A little time spent working on the kickstand got me used to the operation. There was still brown sand(unknown origin) but enough to get me convinced I could master this thing.

I have decided to rework the free blasting vessel to create extra volume to save the compressor effort. The sand needs about 70-80 psi, and the compressor can't keep up with the demand. Parts for that tommorrow!

I had to have my swing arm blasted at my powder coater, since it wouldn't quite fit in the cabinet. Got that today, washed it down, and sprayed the K-phos. I will shoot paint and bake tommorrow! This is an absolute blast(maybe pun intended)!

I got my Gun Kote 2400 satin black. Sorry Roynor, but I am intending to use the air cure on my brake calipers, so that will be an upcoming new chapter. For now I will bake it on.

Swingarm blasted and painted pics tomorrow night.

Good news and bad news!

Good news: I managed to fulfill one half of last night's promise. I am posting pic of swingarm ready to paint.

Bad news:
I had not considered that the oven might need 50 amp service. So.... you guessed it. Not available at my intended painting location.

So I will be calling for the 1200 Air Cure after all, and hope that it will fill the bill.

Damn, I would give Murphy a nod, if I didn't know that it was my fault for not checking.

The adventure continues....

nice .

Looking forward to seeing what you do. Take plenty of pictures while you have it apart.

took me forever to figure out what that lock thingy was too.

here's mine as of september:

Lookin good! I've been following this thread and can't wait to see it finished.
I just picked up a KZ1000 M2 CSR from my neighbor. Can't wait to get it on the road. I just ordered a service manual and am in the process of cleaning the carbs. Could you tell me what the float height should be? I'd like to use the hose/float bowl method.

Thanks:)

according to my factory manual it says 3mm +or-1 mm.from bottom edge of carburetor body to fuel level. hope that helps.

Thanks timebomb! That's what I needed.

Switch, Did you paint the engine? If so what did you use? Also what is gun coat?

Thanks

Squints, where in NY? I grew up in Ithaca. Absolutely love it here in the San Juan Islands, in Washington. Like living there, (NY) only no summer and no winter! oh, yeah. Mountains higher than Mt Marcy, too!

Cnyl, I am not going to paint the engine. Just a good cleaning and polishing. This is to get everything running, safe and reliable. NEXT fall/winter/spring will be styling changes.

For some good pics of the Gun Kote process and some fabulous results, see RoyNor's Project, pgs 11 to 13(if my failing memory serves me.).

Looks great switch! I'm thinking of installing a home-made powdercoating oven myself in my shop. I think your on the right track by splicing ovens together, also I was thinking if a guy tied the broiler elements together in series (using 10ga wiring) and then tied all the baking elements together in series using the same format but using different circuts it may bake the part more evenly. Not sure if the elements are the same in a oven and it just uses different more current on the "bake element" or not. Have to go googling on it. Just an idea I have had in my head for some time now. Keep the pics coming, regards, Doug

Thanks guys, for the input.
Well RoyNor and all you other Gun Kote-o-philes, here is the current scoop on KG1200 Air Cure:

I could not get it to spray properly. I don't own a gun myself, so I borrowed a spraygun from a friend who loves to paint,(including many van murals) but who also is cool with other people learning at their own pace. I have sprayed enamel, and sprayed 2 part epoxy paint electrostatic. But I have never sprayed something this thin before!

My first attempt got IMMEDIATE runs with just misting (fogging)a first pass. I didn't get any appreciable coverage before it started to run. So,I washed it down with MEK and waited til my guy got back from vacation.

He came over today, and confidently started to get the gun adjusted just so. Then he started to spray and it did the same thing for him!
I'm so glad that I wasn't plain stupid about this thing.
After some discussion, I pulled out my heat gun, and when we applied heat to the beaded paint, it leveled out and tacked up!

So we developed a see-saw process where he sprayed and I heated, and we got another piece coated well enough to say that it was acceptable. It will need another coat, but that can come tomorrow or later.

I'm not real happy that KG NEVER mentioned anything about heating parts for this paint. To be fair there was mention on the container about heating parts to 120 degrees for a more satin finish, or 140 for a flat finish. But nothing says that you HAVE to heat parts before coating.
I am getting 2 infrared lamps to heat all my parts before spraying. And I will be on the phone Monday AM to KG to have them explain what they think I might be doing incorrectly.

Stay tuned for the next installment. And if anyone else has had experience with 1200 Stock Kote, please drop me a line.

Well, after a good discussion with KG rep, it has been established that one MUST heat the piece being painted.

So the next best thing will have to be opposing banks of two infrared bulbs and a space between them to suspend items for paint.

I was told that 110 degrees ought to be enough to make the water flash out on contact, and provide adhesion of paint to article.

No time tonight or tomorrow. Wednesday will be the day.