Hi all!
I have a new Salsa Timberjack aluminum bike that’s been awesome, but it chips somewhere just about every time I take it outside. It’s driving me crazy. I even have ridewrap installed and it finds all the open spots anyways lol.
My current plan is to sandblast the current paint coat off, and apply good strong coats of primer, base, color and 2k clear. I’m totally comfortable painting myself.
Are there any tips you have to keep your paint from chipping? From what I can tell, seems like Salsas are just prone to chips.
Bike photo for reference!
by ConcentrateMore4346
1 Comment
> My current plan is to sandblast the current paint coat off.
That’s got to be frustrating. I have two thoughts and I promise you I’m not trying to talk you out of doing it:
I’ve never seen a home paint job, even ones with 2-part epoxy paints, survive as long as factory paint. I know, I know, your factory paint is chipping like mad, but it takes incredible attention to prep, application, and cure to get a good home paint job.
If you media blast the frame use an expert. If you see any signs of the media blasting or any texturing of the aluminum post-blasting, you’ve hardened the surface and increased the chance of frame cracking. This work hardening effect will only be on the surface – only be where there was plastic deformation. That shouldn’t be an issue in thick areas like the headtube or bottom bracket shell, but can be meaningful in the middle of thin-wall hydroformed top and downtubes.