Author Topic: bead blast or not  (Read 4535 times)

Offline John Taylor

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bead blast or not
« on: February 05, 2017, 08:40:00 PM »
Hello again.

After input again re your experience. After watching numerous Utube videos still not sure which is best. To clean up the crankcases, head/barrel etc on a MotoGuzzi Lodola. What is your opinion. I personally think bead/vapour blasting is the way to go.

I live just North of Stoke on Trent. Anyone got recommendations for anyone who can carry out the work.

JohnT

Offline Rex

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Re: bead blast or not
« Reply #1 on: February 05, 2017, 08:48:19 PM »
I have a Lodola too....one day I may actually get around to starting the mini-resto it so desperately needs... :-\
Can't help with the blasting though, sorry.

Offline John Taylor

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Re: bead blast or not
« Reply #2 on: February 05, 2017, 09:11:49 PM »
Hello Rex.

What year etc. Photo?

Offline Rex

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Re: bead blast or not
« Reply #3 on: February 05, 2017, 10:25:14 PM »
It's one of the first, a 1959 (I'm pleased to say!).
So early it has the 175 filterless oil tank.

Offline mini-me

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Re: bead blast or not
« Reply #4 on: February 05, 2017, 10:42:21 PM »
have a look re soda blasting, no chance of any abrasive getting stuck in places you don't want any.

Offline R

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Re: bead blast or not
« Reply #5 on: February 06, 2017, 11:11:22 PM »
Vapour blasting with plastic beads gives by far the best finish.
And the beads don't embed themselves in the alloy, to come back and bite you later, unlike most other forms of blasting.

Can't help with any practitioners for you, but many gearbox shops use these, ask about locally. ?
MCNews will have adverts for bigger operators.

I've used sawdust to lightly clean up alloy on whole assembled bikes.
Many cabinet makers are pleased to give it away.
(May need sieving to take out the larger bits)( plastic bags around carbs/aircleaners etc)
hth

Offline iansoady

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Re: bead blast or not
« Reply #6 on: February 07, 2017, 09:55:00 AM »
I once had the cam covers on a Triumph Stag (glass) bead blasted and powder coated. What I didn't realise was that there was a metal gauze filter under one of them and this must have collected a lot of the beads, only to release them into the oil over the next thousand miles or so.

The engine was a complete write-off - the oil pump had deep score marks in it.

I've since been very very careful.
Ian
1952 Norton ES2
1986 Honda XBR500
1958-ish Tre-Greeves