Waxing a Classic Wing...

[Omega Man]

I've looked on the forums and didn't find anything to address my personal questions(post site crash), so I thought I'd start a thread on the subject.

I have never waxed old girlfriend. Soap and water have been just fine, but now that my not-so-new-anymore trunk needs some attention along with the rest of the bike. I'm not sure where to begin. Should I use a straight wax, or a wax/compound combo, should I straight compound first then wax? I have some problem areas I'll illustrate with pics(sorry she's very dirty atm).

Here is the lower tank lid, the clear coat has many scratches.



Also on the tank there are a couple areas that appear whitish. These spots look like something chemical in nature severely oxidized the clear coat.



On this spot I believe the wax revitalize the base paint a little even though there is no clear-coat. Would waxing this area be a mistake?



I have no idea what to do here. Water continues to get under the clear coat. Scrape the clear coat off and wax the area?



Here I'm just wondering what will happen to the already oxidized pinstripe. Just wax it?




I could Google "waxing old motorcycles," but I'd rather go with any advice our community has to offer.

~O~

 

[dan filipi]

I'm no expert but I would go with a polishing compound first which should remove much of the oxidation and old wax then followup with black wax. Black wax will fill many of the scratches.

Others will have more knowledge what to do but I think there's very little can be done where the clearcoat has peeled off short of repainting.

 

[Tory]

I agree with dan if it isnt through the clear coat.But if the clear is burned all the way through then waxing is futile and the best results would be to wet sand it and re-clear.Assuming the paint is good under it.But any wax that came into contact under the clear will cause you issues.Removing wax from the non poris clear will be no trouble.

As for your case,looking at the pictures,I believe youre only succesfull option is to wet sand and reclear.You might see the spots with good clear coat polish up by polishing and waxing,but the pealed spots are to late.
Apparently soap and water wasnt enough to preserve it.The old girl friend needed a little sun block in that hot nevada sun.

As far as wax,I use to use a black dyed wax but last year I found Turtle Waxs "BLACK BOX" and love it.It is a four step process but is the best Ive ever used on black.I cant get over how much darker and richer it makes my bike,I use it twice a year.

 

[AApple]

Waxing the base paint on a base/clear paint job will do no good....other than make it reaaaally hard to get paint to stick to it when you finally do paint it. You could certainly carefully sand all of the clear off(what's left of it), and reshoot clear over it, but the base color would need to be in pretty good condition. Then again, re-squirting a new clearcoat would at least make it look shiny all over again, if only for a little while.
Or...you could just sand the whole thing down and respray it all, and just mix in the clearcoat with the base coat. Then, you'll never have to worry about the clear peeling off like that. :mrgreen:

 

[Tory]

Waxing the base paint on a base/clear paint job will do no good....other than make it reaaaally hard to get paint to stick to it when you finally do paint it. You could certainly carefully sand all of the clear off(what's left of it), and reshoot clear over it, but the base color would need to be in pretty good condition. Then again, re-squirting a new clearcoat would at least make it look shiny all over again, if only for a little while.
Or...you could just sand the whole thing down and respray it all, and just mix in the clearcoat with the base coat. Then, you'll never have to worry about the clear peeling off like that. :mrgreen:

HMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM not sure about mixing the clear with the base I would not if that was the case i would just sand and strip the old clear and base reprime and spray a enamal on it and after a couple months start waxing it and never worry about whether you could wax it. but that is only if you want to do that much work if the panel is only scratched then wet sand and reclear coat if it is pealing then wet sand the panel till the clear is gone. then recoat base then scuff with a light scotch brite pad and tack cloth the dust and wipe it off with thinners very lightly and once only wipe with a dry clean rag then spray it right away with one coat clear then do to more coats after if you want to be really fussy the longer between coats of clear and wet sand very lightly every coat but i would put around 8 to 10 good coats of a non yellowing clear on it. and then you will never have to wax it. and if it does get scratched you can buff it out and not worry about going though the clear. Just a thought from a painter by trade and yes i painted many cars and bikes in the past. Chasrogers

Ive been selling DUPONT autp paints for alot of years and have never heard of anyone mixing the clear with the paint.It would be so transparent you would need 20 coats!

If you dont want to two stage it then simly use a single stage paint.

 

[mcgovern61]

Just a thought from a painter by trade and yes i painted many cars and bikes in the past. Chasrogers

Alright Chas....no holding out....when ya gonna post a how to on painting???? (Now that ya let the cat outta the bag!)

 

[AApple]

:shock:
Well...er....mixing in clear with the color has been done for years in the collector car world. Doubt that it would work with urethanes of today, but it's worked well with lacquers.
I'm not a painter by trade, nor will I pretend to know all there is about painting, but I have been in a booth or two over the years. Just throwing out ideas, that's all. :mrgreen: k:

 

[slabghost]

The original paint was the same as that used on cars of the time. I've no idea yet if it is laquer or enamel but if the clearcoat has peeled but the colorcoat is undamaged. You can carefully feather the clear edge with 1200 grit wet or dry paper wet of course and recoat with fresh clear. You'll need to scuff all of the clear enough to dull the finish so the fresh clear will hold. If you try laquer clear try it in a place hidden. If it dries to a crackle finish you need to use clear enamel. Enamel can be used over laquer with no trouble. Laquer can be used over enamel lightly if the enamel is old but will dry to a crackle finish if the enamel is anywhere near fresh. Either way I'd wait 6 weeks to wax.

 

[crowesnest3]

thought I'd throw my 2 cents into the bucket, background coming from a custom finisher since "75, yes mostly in the furniture, cabinet and architectural, but I've shot a lot of lacquer, repaired same and have also used some these new fangled finishes now required by EPA cuz lacquer is kinda nasty to the user ..... I'm only a little brain dead, what's my name? Anyway, looking at the pics, that existing finish is pretty much beyond a rub out and wax. A rub n wax might spruce her up a little, but, the finish will definitely keep you in the "survivor" category. Next option would be to gently wet sand your surfaces starting at 1000, you could try 600 but good chance you'll break thru your color coat especially if your a newbie. Take the 1000 up to a 1200, at the auto paint store you can buy a can of "wash" that will rinse and nuetralize existing waxes and silicones that will mess with a new overcoat. Wiping the skins down with this wash or even a denatured alcohol will when "wet" give you an idea if a clear coat will bring your base coat back to life, if you see highs n lows, still see a transition as in your pics between good n bad, thats what you will get with a clear coat. Maybe it'll work maybe not, gotta look first.....if this doesn't get you to where you want to be, you're into a repaint. This concept of mixing your base color with the clear .... I know it can work with lacquers, which you can still get in some states but will have to go to a cabinet finishing supply company. You will need to still mix to the heavy side using the base color, black in this instance, or you will not get good coverage. I use this method quite a bit, but when I am doing this I am using the mix as a toner either to modify a color or deepen a color. Mixing the clear in actually gives you a "transparent finish. Best off to apply a good full strength base color finish, wet sand and apply multiple clear coats. Its the clear coats that provide the depth of color and resist scratching into the base color. Mixing base color and clear using the new materials now on the market for the auto/bike industry is something I have not tried yet, I think it'll work, but in the end for what purpose. New system is designed to put down a base color first then clear coat. Way back when clear coating was not the standard as it is today and actually todays base coat is not intended to stand on its own whereas a good black lacquer finish, multiple coats, buffed out and waxed is real, real nice and then entered floating metal flakes or pearls into the clear coats, now we're having fun .......Crowe ...... oh, another thought, you want your wings finish to look good and last, take care of it, use a little rubbing compound to get the aging finish off and use a little elbow grease and wax. Those nasty weather type elements will then have to wear through your wax before it get to the paint as is so sadly evident in the pics that started this conversation. Don't mean to hurt anybodies feelings but I am a committed buff and polish kind of guy. :Egyptian:

 

[mcgovern61]

thought I'd throw my 2 cents into the bucket, background coming from a custom finisher since "75, yes mostly in the furniture, cabinet and architectural, but I've shot a lot of lacquer, repaired same and have also used some these new fangled finishes now required by EPA cuz lacquer is kinda nasty to the user ..... I'm only a little brain dead, what's my name? Anyway, looking at the pics, that existing finish is pretty much beyond a rub out and wax. A rub n wax might spruce her up a little, but, the finish will definitely keep you in the "survivor" category. Next option would be to gently wet sand your surfaces starting at 1000, you could try 600 but good chance you'll break thru your color coat especially if your a newbie. Take the 1000 up to a 1200, at the auto paint store you can buy a can of "wash" that will rinse and nuetralize existing waxes and silicones that will mess with a new overcoat. Wiping the skins down with this wash or even a denatured alcohol will when "wet" give you an idea if a clear coat will bring your base coat back to life, if you see highs n lows, still see a transition as in your pics between good n bad, thats what you will get with a clear coat. Maybe it'll work maybe not, gotta look first.....if this doesn't get you to where you want to be, you're into a repaint. This concept of mixing your base color with the clear .... I know it can work with lacquers, which you can still get in some states but will have to go to a cabinet finishing supply company. You will need to still mix to the heavy side using the base color, black in this instance, or you will not get good coverage. I use this method quite a bit, but when I am doing this I am using the mix as a toner either to modify a color or deepen a color. Mixing the clear in actually gives you a "transparent finish. Best off to apply a good full strength base color finish, wet sand and apply multiple clear coats. Its the clear coats that provide the depth of color and resist scratching into the base color. Mixing base color and clear using the new materials now on the market for the auto/bike industry is something I have not tried yet, I think it'll work, but in the end for what purpose. New system is designed to put down a base color first then clear coat. Way back when clear coating was not the standard as it is today and actually todays base coat is not intended to stand on its own whereas a good black lacquer finish, multiple coats, buffed out and waxed is real, real nice and then entered floating metal flakes or pearls into the clear coats, now we're having fun .......Crowe ...... oh, another thought, you want your wings finish to look good and last, take care of it, use a little rubbing compound to get the aging finish off and use a little elbow grease and wax. Those nasty weather type elements will then have to wear through your wax before it get to the paint as is so sadly evident in the pics that started this conversation. Don't mean to hurt anybodies feelings but I am a committed buff and polish kind of guy. :Egyptian:

Nice Crowe!!! :clapping: :clapping: Didn't take too long to fit in here did it? :hi:

 

[detdrbuzzard]

i'll stop by on my wing and you can try different methods of waxing on it that way you'll know exactly which method to use on your wing, no need to thank me :mrgreen:

 

[mcgovern61]

i'll stop by on my wing and you can try different methods of waxing on it that way you'll know exactly which method to use on your wing, no need to thank me :mrgreen:

:smilie_happy: :smilie_happy: :smilie_happy: :smilie_happy: