856 Style Strut Question

[WD Pro]

I have a question for fellow ProFlex owners - has anyone had the 856 style rear strut powder coated ?

It is made from 5 pieces and looks to be bonded, I was wondering how it would cope with the heat ?  It's only under compression so so long as it doesn't fall apart in the oven I think it should be ok ?

What do you think ?

WD

[shovelon]

I have a question for fellow ProFlex owners - has anyone had the 856 style rear strut powder coated ?

It is made from 5 pieces and looks to be bonded, I was wondering how it would cope with the heat ?  It's only under compression so so long as it doesn't fall apart in the oven I think it should be ok ?

What do you think ?

WD

The glue will melt. Mine did when I was welding the plates on. Shot the leg right off.

[DugB]

Wow, it is bonded? When polishing a spare I picked up for the 956 a few weeks ago I noticed that it seemed to be assembled from multiple pieces, but figured it was welded. If it's just bonded I wonder why they never tried one with carbon tubes, e.g. for the high end models. Maybe I'll have to try it ;-)

- Doug :-)

[WD Pro]

I have a question for fellow ProFlex owners - has anyone had the 856 style rear strut powder coated ?

It is made from 5 pieces and looks to be bonded, I was wondering how it would cope with the heat ?  It's only under compression so so long as it doesn't fall apart in the oven I think it should be ok ?

What do you think ?

WD

The glue will melt. Mine did when I was welding the plates on. Shot the leg right off.

  What I expected but not what I wanted to hear ... !

Long shot - any idea what approx temp the joint that failed would have got to ? I think they bake the powder at around 180 deg C ish ?

Did you just glue it back together ?

WD

[DugB]

WD, they also make low-temp powders, and UV/IR-curing powders these days that don't even involve heat. You could always find some of those. I doubt this is the first time someone wanted to PC something that would be adversely affected by higher temps. If you find something let us all know!

I'm tempted to say that the guy who clear PC'd my 956 frame must've used low-temp powder, because he PC'd the frame twice...once before he stenciled/airbrushed on the graphics, and once after. One would think that the airbrushed graphics would have been ruined if he used standard high-temp powder.

If you're interested in talking to the guy, here's his email address:

len.mccreary@figurellc.com

Here's a link to the website: http://www.figurellc.com/

Look through the examples in the "Finish" section and you'll see the 956 frame...those graphics are all painted on...he didn't do exactly the right "LE", but I like the font.

- Doug

[shovelon]

I have a question for fellow ProFlex owners - has anyone had the 856 style rear strut powder coated ?

It is made from 5 pieces and looks to be bonded, I was wondering how it would cope with the heat ?  It's only under compression so so long as it doesn't fall apart in the oven I think it should be ok ?

What do you think ?

WD

The glue will melt. Mine did when I was welding the plates on. Shot the leg right off.

  What I expected but not what I wanted to hear ... !

Long shot - any idea what approx temp the joint that failed would have got to ? I think they bake the powder at around 180 deg C ish ?

Did you just glue it back together ?

WD

I did not glue it together. I cleaned the epoxy out and welded the seam.

[WD Pro]

I see 

Did you keep the other ends cool or were they OK with the heat transfered down the legs ?

If they were OK I might risk it ? What do you think ? 

WD 

[shovelon]

i don't know, but the worst that can happen is you have to rebond it.

The lugs go into the tubes like an inch. Tacking the plates on did not melt the glue. So maybe a 350 degree F. Powdercoat will do it.

But CARBON tubes with POLISHED(he likes shiny bikes) would be SO cool.

[WD Pro]

Thanks for all the input

Quick update and for future reference - I did think of just sending it for powder coat and hoping for the best but if it fell apart I would be inconveniencing the powder coater and be left with parts that I would have to de-powder coat and then re-bond 

I had a look on Windridge’s  website and it quoted 220°C so we had a little home cooking session to see what would happen  :



I hung it rather than laying it flat as it as it will probably be in this position when it is coated and will have its own weight pulling the joints apart.

Checking the surface temp with a fluke IR thermometer confirmed that A) my oven stat is crap, B) the temp control on the oven is crap (it cycles up and down by 25°C) and C) the bonds are OK up to 235°C for 15 mins I didn’t want to take it any higher or for any longer though …

WD 

[Thunderchild]

Don't let your shrink see that picture!!  You will be in MTBrs anonymous before you can utter, "I am normal." 

Thunderchild