Fins Cleaned, Barrels Blacked

I know this has been covered elsewhere, but I'm so chuffed with they way these have turned out.

I'd been meaning to do something about the fins & barrels before they got too bad 

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They didn't look too bad from a distance, but close up, they were starting to look tatty

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I treated myself to a bench polisher a couple of years back & it's been worth its weight in gold.  It came with a flexi-spindle (like a Dremel, but driven by the polisher motor), which means that you can work on areas that'd be impossible with the bench unit.

I ran the hard & medium mops over the fins first, then ran 150 emery cloth next.  When I'd done one barrel, I reused the emery to take down the surface.  I then ran 400 & 800 wet & dry over them.

So now the end of the fins looked better, but the black between them was not the best.  Gave them a good clean off with an engine de-greaser, then used this stuff

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I used to use it on the Katana exhaust which had been black ceramic coated.  This stuff is brilliant - it contains microscopic traces of graphite which bond to the surface when it warms up.  However, it's the filthiest stuff in existence - if you use it, make sure you wear disposable gloves.  I worked it in with a toothbrush (best throw it out afterwards)

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Give it about ten minutes to dry off (by the time you've finished putting it on, it's about time to take it off), then buff it off with a cloth. 

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Couple of hours per side, bear in mind that it you want to do the off-side properly, you'll need to remove the air-filter & gubbins

Looks well Dave,black engine fins set the engine off well.

What a transformation! It looks great!  ,  I've used that stuff on old fireplaces but would never have thought to use it on the bike  :good i:   

ps. who's that ugly guy on your cylinder head covers? when I look at mine I see a model like adonis?  

Dunno - but I keep seeing him in my bathroom mirror - reckon he's my stalker.  And I think he's sleeping with my missus  !!!

What a great change, well worth doing.  

Wow what a transformation, wonderful. What a great tip  

Great job, well worth the effort  

nice job dave have done my fins been on the think how to get the black on the block back thx for the tip 

That is the only area on the bike i can't be bothered to clean lol.
Actually, that area and wheel spokes.

Worth the effort - makes a helluv a difference.  Did the spokes over winter - pig of a job, but looks good.  Saying that, I may have them powdered next year

I need to do my spokes, just need to work out the easiest way. I like minimal effort, maximum result, not always easy to find the best results that way.

Dave let someone else do them, this is the easiest and  minimal effort. Glad to see you are getting back into your bike.

katsd wrote:

So now the end of the fins looked better, but the black between them was not the best.  Gave them a good clean off with an engine de-greaser, then used this stuff

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I used to use it on the Katana exhaust which had been black ceramic coated.  This stuff is brilliant - it contains microscopic traces of graphite which bond to the surface when it warms up.  However, it's the filthiest stuff in existence - if you use it, make sure you wear disposable gloves.  I worked it in with a toothbrush (best throw it out afterwards)

the results are great, but what did you use? the info seems to be missing. I hunted google using hints from your post, but i dont know what im looking for. thanks in advance.

Hi Wayne - looks like Amazon have stopped selling it now, which is probably why the link has gone.  This is what I used Hotspot Grate Polish - Amazon are selling this now Stovax Graphite Polish.  To top the shine up, I use this stuff - SDoc 100

Any idea why this stuff is only available in the uk? I something i think is comparable here locally, but who knows.  It's Rutland Stove Polish. I'd post a link, but I'm to new.

Yeh - that looks like the sort of stuff.  I can't think why Hotspot is not available your side of the pond - probably contains some noxious ingredient that we don't mind coming into contact with. 

To post a link - copy the page address that you wish to link to, click on the "insert a link" tab (next to the "YouTube" icon, then paste the link address in - if you want it read what it is that you're linking to (rather than a long web address), write it in the "Description" box - easy peasy, lemon squeezy !!!