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  • POR-15 Glisten

    I posted this under the Sportster forum, bit I think it really belongs here...

    I am restoring my early XL aluminum rims to their original finish and, because I own several Harley restoration projects, I wanted to save the periodic chore of hand-polishing the bare rims. Therefore, after having my plater 'over-polish' them, I looked for a coating that would preserve the polished finish and ratchet-down the luster a bit. To that end, I tried POR-15's Glisten product.

    Unfortunately, my experience with Glisten has been a disappointing one at best. After taking great pains to properly prepare the sub-strait material, I performed the mild acid etching as instructed and brush-applied the material. The first coat brushed on well and did exhibit the self-leveling quality that the Manufacturer claimed. However, soon thereafter the applied coats started trapping the escaping solvents (off-gassing) and small pinhole bubbles started appearing and the resulting surface looked like it was covered in dust. This usually happens under very humid conditions, but this material was applied on a carefully cleaned and neutralized material and under controlled conditions. Furthermore, the instructions suggest that 'medium' coats be applied. In doing so, the material sagged as it was setting up and left a generally lumpy and bumpy surface finish. It looked terrible.

    I emailed the POR-15 technical Department and they responded expeditiously. Having worked in the coatings industry for several years, their method for fixing the surface and over-coating was as I expected, but they did offer a couple of additional hints. Four days after applying the material, I hand-sanded the hardened coating to a smooth surface finish using a red Scotch bright pad (a total of 5 hours of very careful sanding), re-prepped the sanded surface, cut the Glisten with Xylene as instructed and reapplied VERY carefully. The off-gassing was gone, but the surface finish was terrible. It looked like the rims were covered in a lumpy cellophane and most of the preciously-applied surface inconsistencies were clearly viable.

    As a result, I am now manually removing all of the Glisten down to bare metal, will return the rims to the plater for re-polishing, and will most likely have them clear powder-coated. In other words, I give up!

    I am not bashing POR-15 and was impressed by how their technical Department tried to help. But I've now spoken to other professionals who have tried Glisten and all have had similar experiences. None have offered a recommendation for its use. I think that this is probably a good product when used for different applications. But it came up short and cost me a lot of time and money in the application for which I used it. Therefore I offer the above to others who are contemplating its similar use.
    Bill Pedalino
    Huntington, New York
    AMCA 6755

  • #2
    Hi Bill:

    We have a name for the stuff... POS-15. It is awful, awful stuff. Pseudo-science... crappy formulations... useless results... on and on and on. Yeah it turns rust into a wonderful substance that stops the rusting, makes your hair grow back, ends chronic halitosis and is made from unicorn tears so it's good for the planet. Balderdash. It is no substitute for proper coatings, as I can tell you are aware of from your time in the industry.

    The only thing that POR-15 has produced that we like is their Black Velvet exhaust/manifold paint. Everything that makes POR products useless for metal... makes it a fine exhaust paint. Really. I do like Black Velvet.

    Any of their other products... DO NOT bother.

    Cheers and Merry Christmas everyone!

    Sirhr

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    • #3
      I used their tank sealant once. Never again. Regarding your rims; were they originally clear anodized?
      Eric Smith
      AMCA #886

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      • #4
        The Borrani rims H-D used had no coating on them from the factory, they were only polished. I have several NOS and several used and none is finished in anything. Nor are any Borrani rims used by other manufacturers or the aftermarket.
        Robbie Knight Amca #2736

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        • #5
          Might want to chck out a product called Shark Skin. Used to protect polished aluminum cat hulls. It's clear & I understand it's sprayed on & not brushed. Can't say much more about the product because all I did was review web info on it. For boaters it sounded like though from their comments they were happy with it.

          I know of no way of brushing any coating onto aluminum as the results are less than satisfactory for polished aluminum from many people I 've discussed this with within the painting industry.

          I used Cortec VpCI 373 clear primer & Cortec VpCI 386 & 387 spayed to both aluminum & stainless with excellent results but the finish is high gloss. Sine the Cortec products are water based they can be damaged with Gunk & perhaps also with otherq petro based degreasers.

          I've used the Cortec products on high polished fork tubes and have gotten a couple years before the finish looks ratty from road debris dings.

          You have to apply with a HVLP system to prevent gun clogging. Don't have nozzle sizes in front of me but the tech sheets provide the info.

          Had one heavy equipment shop state after spraying black 387 that the finish was the best the painter had seen for water based black.We custom blend this from stock of clear.

          The most difficult part of aluminum painting is getting the etch correct & primer application.

          The 373 product is an etch primer thus works well for difficult surfaces of aluminum, stainless & galvanized so application is done in a series of coatings to gain correct mil thickness for the primed finish.

          Can't think of a worse place for coatings as rims take a lot of abuse but not as bad as forks.
          Last edited by ricmoran; 12-21-2014, 10:34 PM.

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          • #6
            I just made this for a car... it's 1/4" Thick aluminum plate, quite soft, engine turned. Before putting in the instruments, I had it clear anodized. Cost about $100.



            Not sure what the protocol is with motorcycycle rims, but I don't believe that anodizing causes any embrittlement or issues that could cause a rim failure. The only downside is that depending on the process, it can dull the aluminum slightly. If you want the rims polished like chrome, the anodize will cut that shine a bit.

            We also use a product to protect brass and copper finishes that is basically instrument or trumpet lacquer. Spray-on clear lacquer that is very thin and preserves the high polish on musical instruments. Not the most durable stuff in the world, but it does work. It's sold in most music stores or by Restoration Supply Company in Escondido.

            Finally, there are some companies out there that specialize in clear-coating brass headlamps for the brass car enthusiast community. Very durable, almost impossible to tell it's there if the light was properly polished in the first place, and no need to polish brass, ever.

            Just some thoughts.

            Cheers,

            Sirhr
            Last edited by sirhrmechanic; 12-22-2014, 03:58 PM. Reason: Didn't mean to say dead soft... sorry, no coffee...

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            • #7
              Thank you all for validating my recent experience. Because there are not motor parts and not subjected to the 200 degree temperature swings and the corresponding expansion, I'm going to try the clear powder coating - hopefully they won't turn yellow. Has anyone had long-term success with powder-coated polished aluminum?
              Bill Pedalino
              Huntington, New York
              AMCA 6755

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              • #8
                I think powder coating has it's place but I am not a fan of it. Thickness can be inconsistent, and orange peel is ever present. Also, it doesn't lend itself to touch up and wheels take a beating. As Robbie said, the rims were raw, so I would think your best investment would be a good useable cleaning kit. I'll bet Sirhr could recommend a good source for specialized wire wheel cleaning kits.
                Eric Smith
                AMCA #886

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                • #9
                  Meguiars makes a good one. And, yes, uncoated you just need to keep up with the metal polish. Mothers or similar. The advantage of using regular aluminum polish is that, over time, your wheels start to look even better... nothing beats that burnished 'glow' of well-maintained aluminum. Not over polished... just glowing.

                  Cheers and Merry Christmas/Happy Holidays all!

                  Sirhr

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                  • #10
                    I used POR 15 on a Indian frame and related pieces. I was very unhappy with the finish and blasted it back off. It may be OK for your washline posts but dose not belong on a proper restoration. I would leave the rims uncoated, even if you to have to go over them every couple or years at least you do not need to take them apart to clean them up and remove a failed coating.
                    Jim D
                    Jim D

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                    • #11
                      sirhrmechanic and Jim d - I agree that well-polished aluminum takes on the best full-depth patina over time. Polishers always over polish.

                      I am just being lazy. With 8 motorcycle projects at different stages, as well a very time-consuming full-time career that includes a lot of daily travel time and off-hour work, time is very precious and in short supply. I really hoped to be retired by now, but that's not in the stars for me and at 65 (I'm half-way there!!), I'm starting to get a little tired and I certainly want want my life-long passion to remain the joy it's always been for me and not become a chore or drudgery. But keeping all things in perspective, 2 hours of polishing and sealing-time per year is hardly drudgery and offers immediate positive feedback. So I agree - leave the rims as they came from the factory and start working on that patina!

                      After a total of about 8 hours of manual work with red scotchbrite pads, acetone and 0-0 steel wool, the POR-15 is finally fully removed and I started re-polishing the rims using my small 6" Baldor setup. They're starting to look great and with any luck, I should have at least the rear wheel laced and trued by the end of this weekend.

                      MERRY CHRISTMAS;/HAPPY HANUKKAH TO ALL !!
                      Last edited by billpedalino; 12-26-2014, 12:33 PM.
                      Bill Pedalino
                      Huntington, New York
                      AMCA 6755

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