How do you paint a barrel?

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clanger9
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How do you paint a barrel?

Post by clanger9 »

While my Lightweight barrel is away getting resleeved, I need to think about how to paint it. Apparently Lightweight CSRs had silver-painted barrels (as opposed to black).

Does anyone know how to get a decent, hard-wearing silver(ish) finish on a cast-iron barrel?

Modern paint is so soft. I can see it quickly turning into a rusty, chipped mess. So I was wondering if there's any special technique (or paint) needed to get a good, hard-wearing paint finish...
1989 Moto Morini Dart 350
1993 Ducati 750SS
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Rob Harknett
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Re: How do you paint a barrel?

Post by Rob Harknett »

Mine are all black, they also look black in sales cats. Use the special cylinder black paint.
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Duncan
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Re: How do you paint a barrel?

Post by Duncan »

Try searching for Very High Temperature (VHT) Aluminium/Silver/Barrel Paint, unfortunately not many people will have tried the silver colour to be able to comment.

Caustic soda cleans cast Iron barrels quite well if you use a powerful hose to blast between the fins once pickled (this is best done before re-boring/honeing).
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clanger9
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Re: How do you paint a barrel?

Post by clanger9 »

Thanks for the caustic soda tip, I will try that before the barrel is honed.
I thought AJS barrels were all black too, but according to the Roy Bacon book, late CSRs had silver barrels - presumably to make them look as if they had fancy ally barrels...
1989 Moto Morini Dart 350
1993 Ducati 750SS
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Rob Harknett
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Re: How do you paint a barrel?

Post by Rob Harknett »

Out of curiosity, I just looked at my 66 G2CSR which I believe is still totally original. The barrel is dirty and rusty, but did not look as black as my other lightweights. I got a tooth brush and some white sprit and cleaned a fin. It does appear to have traces of silver. You can get engine paint in all colours from specialist suppliers, but I believe its intended for water cooled car engines.
JimFitz
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Re: How do you paint a barrel?

Post by JimFitz »

How about this https://www.frost.co.uk/automotive-pain ... rosol.html
It would need to be cured in an oven though.

Jim
Too old to Rock and Roll but too young to die.

1952 G80 rigid, 1960 G12 DL / Watsonian Monza, 1954 G80S.
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clanger9
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Re: How do you paint a barrel?

Post by clanger9 »

I had a look in the archives and the CSR in the 1966 sales brochure definitely has a silver barrel. So silver it is!

I think “Simoniz Engine Enamel” is the stuff I need...
1989 Moto Morini Dart 350
1993 Ducati 750SS
JimFitz
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Re: How do you paint a barrel?

Post by JimFitz »

clanger9 wrote:I had a look in the archives and the CSR in the 1966 sales brochure definitely has a silver barrel. So silver it is!

I think “Simoniz Engine Enamel” is the stuff I need...
Make sure that it will cope with the very high temperature of the barrel as it will be a pain to strip it off and do it again once the bike is together.

Jim
Too old to Rock and Roll but too young to die.

1952 G80 rigid, 1960 G12 DL / Watsonian Monza, 1954 G80S.
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clanger9
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Re: How do you paint a barrel?

Post by clanger9 »

Thanks, Jim. An air cooled barrel shouldn't exceed 250C, so I think the enamel paint will be OK. As far as I can tell, the Simoniz product is rated at 288C intermittent. Only one way to find out! ;)
1989 Moto Morini Dart 350
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shifter
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Re: How do you paint a barrel?

Post by shifter »

Both mine and my daughters lightweights barrels were silver but I painted them black just because that's what we prefer
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