Tank rehab

[Docwits]

Quick question for you all.

About to start on my tank, already stripped the paint, and outside rust. Removed the emblem brackets and welded the holes from them shut. The tank looks pretty clean inside, but thought I should do some cleaning in there and then coat it.

What should I do first? I am planning on doing some knee dents, and there are a few small dents I will need to fill. Didn't know if all of that body work would be ruined by the clean/seal of the tank.

Should I leave it in primer while I seal it and then paint it?

Any guidance would be greatly appreciated.

 

[FarmBoy72]

If you are going to apply a sealant inside, then you will want to do it after you have the bodywork done. Then do your final painting after coating inside, just in case the sealant gets out.

-FB

 

[Docwits]

thanks FB, that's what I thought but wanted to ask others who would know better than I!

 

[arfstrom]

Yea, I used Por-15, and one of the bottles tells you it will strip paint, I wasn't very good with all my seals, in fact one of them I got was a PVC cap for this project, the stripper, ate it up. It dissolved in my drain catch bucket. I used Kreem first a year or two, then I forgot to make a hole in the cap, so the inside lining started to coming apart due to the vacuum effects.
Then there is the curing process. which for Por-15 was about 4 days, so I suppose if I was in a hurry, I could have gotten the painting done during the curing, I did do something that wasn't mentioned in the instructions, The last position I left the tank to solidify the remaining lining stuff that I couldn't get out, I left it upside down, so the stuff would fill the void on the top of the tank near the neck.

 

[TimmyT]

I have done my research as my tank is one of the last 2 big things until my bike is ready to fire and here is where I'm at. I paid over $300 to have my tank overhauled. The airbrush guy stiffed me and got nothing done but the guy who referred him had sandblasted the inside and outside of the tank, filled in the sides where the logos were, and primed it for me. The sandblast did wonders but I had to spend a couple hours experimenting with a vacuum to get the leftover sand out. So So after 10 months all I have is a bare tank. I took it to a spring and rad shop who then coated it for me with god knows what for $150. Their work is guaranteed so I'm only worried about chasing down the drug addict painter/ tattoo artist to recoup the cost. The coating seems very well done and none of the hassle or stress was mine.... oh except for the $12 I have left in my budget to re-prime the tank (after the sealer is everywhere) and for final paint.

If I was to do it myself I would use por-15 and squander my money on going big.

I was going to do gloss black until i got introduced to the artist, then I wanted skulls and chicks. Then after the reality check I thought gloss black again.

Out of resent...protest...humor...tribute... I am thinking I might just have a final coat that closest resembles the color and texture of a good primer for my finished gas tank.

I don't have any opinion on getting dents out, but Im here if you want to discuss getting them in!