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Painting Exhaust Pipes....

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  • tussuck
    tussuck
    14 days ago
    Has anyone seen painted exhaust pipes?  By painted I mean NOT just black/monotone but actual colours!

    I'm thinking to doing a Mexican Blanket look on the Sporty (just because its different).  Black near the headers and then fadding into the rainbow colours.  VHT have the colour palette so thinking it might look cool. 
    240_F_158137868_K3cHBECkq1PacghV5vpIRGpeITtIxI87.jpg
  • steelo
    steelo
    14 days ago
    You’ll be the belle of the ball at the next big rally 😃 
  • wombat457
    wombat457
    14 days ago
    Never done it or contemplated it BUT you would probably need to do a few things not the least of, removing the chrome or powder coating that is on them to begin with.  You'd then have to use a "high heat engine" paint (any auto store) and hope that it took.  Don't know if it comes in colors as I have only seen it in black.

    Bottom line mate is I really don't think it is worth taking the chance.  You could end up ruining a set of pipes.  One other thing, does Powder Coating come in various colors?  If it does, that might be a way around things?
  • WideglidingNZ
    WideglidingNZ
    14 days ago
    I think the colour(s) will fade/discolor after a couple of rides i would imagine 
  • skirtster
    skirtster
    14 days ago
    It's only paint it can be removed.
  • GGUser408
    GGUser408
    14 days ago
    Or this

    rainbow pride.png
  • tussuck
    tussuck
    14 days ago
    Cheers guys...
    1.  VHT Paint comes in a LOT of colours and the distributer is here in Melbourne so I would pop down and see him directly (he also does PJ Chain lube as that's why I found him originally)

    2.  Pipes are not chrome as its all custom fabbed except for the first 8" at the heads which are factory.  I was thinking about a short chrome shield at the heads end - basically a cut short stock shield as Im not sure even VHT would hold up at the pure exhaust temps.

    3.  Skirtster is right... Its only paint so nothing to lose really.  

    4.  @GGuser... nah that pattern looks gay - a bit like the LGBTIFUCKEDIFIKNOW colours.  I like the blending look in the mexican blanket so might simply do sections of the pipe in that effect with say black in between.

    5.  Plan "Z" is to buy a chroming kit from Casswell and DYI a chrome finish.  I mean, how fucking hard can it be...lol
  • wombat457
    wombat457
    14 days ago
    Good luck then and will be interested to see how it turns out if you do end up doing it :)
  • wombat457
    wombat457
    14 days ago
    In case you can't get it done - let me know :)


    exhaust.jpg
    Funky Pipes.jpg
  • tussuck
    tussuck
    14 days ago
    Nice.... Ill try to photoshop the look tonight on my GIMP model
  • wombat457
    wombat457
    14 days ago
    Photoshop ????   What do you mean photoshop ?????  LOL
  • tussuck
    tussuck
    14 days ago
    So, Picture a stock Sporty picture from the Harley website.
    Import it into GIMP which is a program like Photoshop but free
    Then tweak the picture until it looks like what you envision for you bike project... Then as you build the bits you update the GIMP picture with the results and continue to the next bit to build. 

    In my case I'm up to the pipes. (Seat/Handlebars/New Tank/Paint are all done).  Pipes are mocked up and tack welded as we speak and now As I finish the making a mounting system Im pondering not chroming them but painting instead.
     
    2009-Harley-Davidson-Sportster-883Low-13.png
  • wombat457
    wombat457
    14 days ago
    Crap - sorry mate, I was taking the piss when I asked what photoshop was ... I also used to use GIMP when painting aircraft for FS before getting photoshop.  Again, sorry mate, didn't expect anyone to think what I posted was actually real.

    That is going to be some eye catching bike when you have finished.  Did you do the paint work yourself?
  • tussuck
    tussuck
    14 days ago
    That's fine not insult received.  
    Im a visual chap so need a picture to go by otherwise I'm lost and floundering.
    Painted it myself - figured it would be something good to learn!  Bloody good fun in the end and am now looking to paint the OEM tins in something equally as funky so I can swap and mix things up - or maybe sell them to help fund more things... 
  • wombat457
    wombat457
    14 days ago
    Thanks and sorry again have to say - you have a talent when it comes to the painting - that is pretty intricate work, impressive.  I don't think you'd have any problem doing "custom paint work" - nice little side line :)

    Don't want to get of the subject, but I assume you used an air brush to do it.

    I also prefer a picture to relate to for the same reasons as you.  Tried doing stuff in the past with a "picture in my mind" and it never worked out well at all.  Not sure if I lost the picture or my mind :)
  • GGUser260
    GGUser260
    14 days ago
    Quoting tussuck on 05 Aug 2022 05:49 AM

    So, Picture a stock Sporty picture from the Harley website.

    Import it into GIMP which is a program like Photoshop but free
    Then tweak the picture until it looks like what you envision for you bike project... Then as you build the bits you update the GIMP picture with the results and continue to the next bit to build. 

    In my case I'm up to the pipes. (Seat/Handlebars/New Tank/Paint are all done).  Pipes are mocked up and tack welded as we speak and now As I finish the making a mounting system Im pondering not chroming them but painting instead.
     

    2009-Harley-Davidson-Sportster-883Low-13.png
    What about trying to replicate the heat discoloration that occurs in titanium exhausts? Might not look as random as the rainbow but could give the illusion of having titanium pipes?
    263464751947-8_600_grande.jpg
    9377695_5_TL.jpg
    Ti_ano.jpg
    cool to hottest colour change
  • tussuck
    tussuck
    14 days ago
    Quoting wombat457 on 05 Aug 2022 06:20 AMedited: 05 Aug 2022 06:21 AM

    Thanks and sorry again have to say - you have a talent when it comes to the painting - that is pretty intricate work, impressive.  I don't think you'd have any problem doing "custom paint work" - nice little side line :)


    Don't want to get of the subject, but I assume you used an air brush to do it.

    I also prefer a picture to relate to for the same reasons as you.  Tried doing stuff in the past with a "picture in my mind" and it never worked out well at all.  Not sure if I lost the picture or my mind :)

    Yes used an airbrush after I had taped everything up to lay down the Kandy colours and the black sections.   Process was:

    Primer, Silver Basecoat, Silver flake (1000micron), Base Kandy all over, then did the tape masking and laying down the darker Kandy colors. 
  • tussuck
    tussuck
    14 days ago
    Quoting tussuck on 05 Aug 2022 05:49 AM

    So, Picture a stock Sporty picture from the Harley website.

    Import it into GIMP which is a program like Photoshop but free
    Then tweak the picture until it looks like what you envision for you bike project... Then as you build the bits you update the GIMP picture with the results and continue to the next bit to build. 

    In my case I'm up to the pipes. (Seat/Handlebars/New Tank/Paint are all done).  Pipes are mocked up and tack welded as we speak and now As I finish the making a mounting system Im pondering not chroming them but painting instead.
     

    2009-Harley-Davidson-Sportster-883Low-13.png
    Quoting GGUser260 on 05 Aug 2022 06:28 AMedited: 05 Aug 2022 06:46 AM

    What about trying to replicate the heat discoloration that occurs in titanium exhausts? Might not look as random as the rainbow but could give the illusion of having titanium pipes?

    263464751947-8_600_grande.jpg
    9377695_5_TL.jpg
    Ti_ano.jpg
    cool to hottest colour change
    I was thinking along those lines as well... Would be easy to emulate I think.  

    But thought that you see these a fair bit around as well and wanted to have a crack at something I have not seen yet. 
  • Jay-Dee
    Jay-Dee
    14 days ago
    Quoting tussuck on 05 Aug 2022 05:49 AM

    So, Picture a stock Sporty picture from the Harley website.

    Import it into GIMP which is a program like Photoshop but free
    Then tweak the picture until it looks like what you envision for you bike project... Then as you build the bits you update the GIMP picture with the results and continue to the next bit to build. 

    In my case I'm up to the pipes. (Seat/Handlebars/New Tank/Paint are all done).  Pipes are mocked up and tack welded as we speak and now As I finish the making a mounting system Im pondering not chroming them but painting instead.
     

    2009-Harley-Davidson-Sportster-883Low-13.png
    Just as well you explained that. I wrongly interpreted you were talking about a model of the Gimp from Pulp Fiction, I was thinking WTF.
  • John.R
    John.R
    13 days ago
    The Gimp from Pulp Fiction and the vision for these pipes certainly have one thing in common 😂
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