| Author | Message | ||
| JRV (Jrvall)
Intermediate Member Username: Jrvall Post Number: 1299 Registered: 11-2002 |
<<Trouble is finding a blasting shop that actually uses glass beads. <, That should'nt be a problem really...it's just about the only media I use in the cabnets. It's readily availible from any large wholesale Media Supplier in 25 or 50 lb bags for $30-$40. | ||
| Jack Habits (Ferraristuff)
Junior Member Username: Ferraristuff Post Number: 60 Registered: 4-2003 |
I always found glass bead blasting to do an excellent job on any alloy (not only wheels). The result is usually of such quality that clear lacquer is all you need to keep it from oxidizing (depending on the application of course, probably won't work on wheels). Trouble is finding a blasting shop that actually uses glass beads. Jack | ||
| Rob Lay (Rob328gts)
Board Administrator Username: Rob328gts Post Number: 4458 Registered: 12-2000 |
Here's the results after refinishing, new caps, and new tires. Sorry about the pic quality, but my friend was borrowing my digi and this is with a throw away.  | ||
| Rob Lay (Rob328gts)
Board Administrator Username: Rob328gts Post Number: 4419 Registered: 12-2000 |
I give you credit for your initiative, luckily I didn't have any, so just paid the $85. | ||
| Jeff Green (Carguy)
Junior Member Username: Carguy Post Number: 235 Registered: 10-2002 |
Hello All...well....I gave up trying to strip the wheels "down to metal" after six days of extreme toil. I did get the front and back of the wheel faces, and rim bead areas good. But the inner and outer rim areas are spotty at best. I even bead blasted the inside rim portion of a front wheel for 90 minutes and still didn't remove everything. This stuff (white) is like plaster and very thick, it only comes off a little at a time. Luckily since this area wont' show it doesn't really matter. But I must say I'm very fed up and frustrated over the whole process. I used up 2 gallons of aircraft stripper, 6 small stainless wire brushes, and 1 big one, tons of coarse steel wool, and wore out a plastic scraper. I have never had to work so hard at stripping anything as I have on these wheels. So I said "ENOUGH" and told the painter I'm dropping them off "as is". He said he understands. Powder coating is an option depending on what color I choose. We'll see. I should have listened to you guys! But my budget is stretched this year and I figured my time is free. I didn't figure on the raw hands, solvent burns, and skin like sand paper. That stripper even ate up 3 pair of nytril gloves, they got spongy and finally disolved after a couple of days. Nasty stuff, but it met it's match in that darn "whatever" white stuff on those wheels! | ||
| Frank Parker (Parkerfe)
Intermediate Member Username: Parkerfe Post Number: 2112 Registered: 9-2001 |
I would suggest you have them powder coated rather than painted. It is much more durable, looks the same and cost about the same. | ||
| arthur chambers (Art355)
Intermediate Member Username: Art355 Post Number: 1292 Registered: 6-2001 |
Does anyone know of a company that does this in California? | ||
| Terry Limehouse (Terrykarr)
Junior Member Username: Terrykarr Post Number: 105 Registered: 12-2002 |
Jeff, attached is a picture of one of the wheels on my 246 that I just had refinished. They used a stripper and then bead blasted them. The finish is powder coated.  | ||
| Jeff Green (Carguy)
Junior Member Username: Carguy Post Number: 234 Registered: 10-2002 |
Thanks Everyone for all your advice. I've got the wheel faces 90% done by hand now. Tonight I will use a friends bead blast cabinet (plastic media) to finish off the rest of the wheel surfaces. My wheels do not have any scrapes or curb rash, so no "body work" is needed. Due to this the painter says if there ready, he will seal, prime, paint, clear coat, and bake all four wheels for $200. He is really a very talented painter with a great reputation. He did my rear valence panel and it's terrific. So I trust him on the wheels too. He would normally send wheels out for finishing. But says since it's a Ferrari he would like to do them himself. I will discuss with him some of the good points you guys mentioned. And I'll post the results. | ||
| Ben Millermon (Brainsboy)
Junior Member Username: Brainsboy Post Number: 246 Registered: 5-2001 |
Funny story on rims. I did a wheel restore on some mags about 8 years ago on anouther car. After I got the rims cleaned, I called a friend who said he had a new special clearcoat to make them chip resistant. So I sprayed it on. Later after they dried I left the garage and turn off the lights and all the rims were glowing in the dark. Aparently he added house of colors glow in the dark to the clear. I think I was the only one in the state with glow in the dark rims. At least I didnt have to worrie about being seen at night | ||
| Jim E (Jimpo1)
Intermediate Member Username: Jimpo1 Post Number: 1640 Registered: 7-2001 |
I think Rob likes the legs on the secretary in his office, causing the Freudian slip "Wheels by Admin". It is indeed Wheels by Adam. I'm waiting to see Rob's finished work, I may have do the other 3 wheels. | ||
| Steve Magnusson (91tr)
Intermediate Member Username: 91tr Post Number: 1657 Registered: 1-2001 |
I'm with Rob L. on this one -- let the pros do the actual stripping/repair/refinish (too many DIY hours and too much hassle to "save" the $400~$500 -- I've used Keystone-Auto twice). You can still do the DIY portion of getting the tires dismounted/remounted and removing/reinstalling the valve stems and caps so you're only sending a completely bare wheel set to the refinisher -- and with shipping I think your location is irrelevant -- JMOs. Rob -- Did you mangle the shop name? Is it "Wheel Repair by Adam"? http://www.wheelrepairbyadam.com/wheelrepair/home.html | ||
| Adam Goldman '86 TR (Icnsltmfg)
Member Username: Icnsltmfg Post Number: 565 Registered: 8-2001 |
The best thing to use is walnut shell blasting. This is what companies such as Harley Davidson uses if the paint has a defect and they want to repaint the fender or tank, and thi is after phosphate, e-coat, primer, base coat, powder clear coat and baking. It removes it all and never damages the surface. | ||
| TomD (Tifosi)
Advanced Member Username: Tifosi Post Number: 3257 Registered: 9-2001 |
peter did his wheels a while back - search the archives | ||
| Rob Lay (Rob328gts)
Board Administrator Username: Rob328gts Post Number: 4399 Registered: 12-2000 |
I don't know what you consider expensive, but I just had all 4 of my wheels done for $380. They're are perfect! I couldn't even find a flaw in any of the four and they even removed some curb rash. JimE had his done last year and the work hasn't detierated. The place we used was Wheel Repair by Admin in Dallas, but Wheels America is the place Norwoods used and I think they have several locations. One of the owners of WA is a Ferrari guy. His name is Robert Stretch and he races Speedvision Touring. I'll post pics when I get my digi back. | ||
| Mitch Alsup (Mitch_alsup)
Member Username: Mitch_alsup Post Number: 503 Registered: 4-2002 |
Definately bead blasting if you go the power route. You can get the beeds in a varitey of abrasive and particle size levels to avoid issues with magnesium. However, we are then back to the small town issue... | ||
| Tom Gehring (Tomg)
New member Username: Tomg Post Number: 14 Registered: 5-2002 |
Not sure about the TR but the 308's wheels are magnesium not aluminum. I've been told that sand blasting is a very bad idea because the cast magnesium has varying porosity and you may find that sandblasting will eat significant pockets in the wheel. Supposedly plastic abrasive blasting is the hot ticket. Removes the paint but not any metal. No personal experience... all hearsay. | ||
| Henryk (Henryk)
Member Username: Henryk Post Number: 643 Registered: 8-2001 |
Jeff: I once did all 4 wheels of a 308 that I owned. I used something like 80 grit sand paper, finishing it with 120 grit. It is only necessary to do the facing side. I sprayed, from a can, some aluminum paint, then sprayed a coat of clear. It lasted for years, and looked great. I feel that sandblasting will pit the aluminum. If you got it down to the primer, then stop......why try to get it off? It is the best protection the aluminum can have, especially if it in good shape. Just sand the primer some, paint it, clear it, and your'e DONE!!!!!!! | ||
| Jeff Green (Carguy)
Junior Member Username: Carguy Post Number: 233 Registered: 10-2002 |
I'm stripping my TR's wheels for refinishing and it is a real bugger! We have no resto shop anywhere near my small town, so the paint shop that's doing the work says I'd save a ton of bucks if I stripped the wheels first. Made sense to me. But now I'm on my fourth day of struggling with 'em...using the nastiest stuff I can buy. The paint is all off, and I was hoping to stop there...but the paint shop says "down to bare metal". That primer is unbelievably tough! I almost have the wheel faces done after great effort, but still have the rest of the wheel to do. I had a spare rear wheel that I glass bead blasted and repainted from a can, it doesn't look too bad. But the glass beading made a slight texture and rounded some of the machined edges on the front side.  The paint shop says "do it by hand only for the best results". I think I'm going to compromise and do the faces by hand and bead blast the rest of the wheel. I know some of you have sent your wheels out for prof. resto. but what about us poor do-it-yourselfers? Any secrets to stripping these things? I'll attach a pic of my spare wheel for opinions. It's okay but not perfect. |