Metal tank woes...

[MattDragontamer]

Yep, so I bought this tank on ebay a while back... $80 sounds like a good deal eh?
Well, its turning out to be not so much a great deal...
After a week of cleaning the varnish cake out of the tank, i finally got around to blasting the exterior.
Used a heat gun and a scrapper to get the decal off...

Here is the clean up results... So the plan is to give it a few coats of primer and then Por15 the inside.
If you have a better idea, let me know...

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[fabiodriven]

Not something I've personally ever done, but I'd probably use some JB Weld as Bondo on that one first.

[pipeline triker]

You need to solder up the larger holes or the liner will show threw the painted finish and have week spots. I use solder because it files easy but braze works fine to.

[blue27]

I had one repaired on a Z50 and the shop used lead, but solder sounds like a good way also. It will have to be something you can smoothout then skin coat with filler before paint. And will have to coat the inside also.

[fabiodriven]

Yup, soldering definitely sounds like a good way to go to me.

[jb2wheels]

Looking at 1st gen 70 tanks on ebay, etc, $80 for that still sounds like a good deal.

Seems like a strange spot to rust out, though? How's the bottom?

Regardless, it will turn out great!

[lokisbuddy]

I would perswonally braze them but there's more than one way to skin a cat.

[MattDragontamer]

So I will be trying the JB Weld method first. Reasons be that it is easy to work with, sandable and minimal risk. Here is the results after the basic spread. I used a bondo spreader to smooth it out.

I am pretty sure i won't be able to powdercoat the tank because of this. If someone knows otherwise let me know.

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[fabiodriven]

I don't know how the JB Weld will do in the oven, but it wouldn't surprise me to learn that it will be ok. That stuff has amazed me so many times. People always give me looks when I mention JB Weld to them, like it's cutting corners or something. I've used it more times than I can remember and I cannot recall a time it has let me down.

[blue27]

I heard this works, I do not know about JB weld http://www.alvinproducts.com/Products/Products.asp?id=1

[jays375]

Caswell Tank sealer works great on problems like that.Should be okay with the POR on the inside.Definately seal it.What you can't see may cause a problem in the future.Personally would get the Caswell since I have used it and it performs well.

[John jr]

So I will be trying the JB Weld method first. Reasons be that it is easy to work with, sandable and minimal risk. Here is the results after the basic spread. I used a bondo spreader to smooth it out.

I am pretty sure i won't be able to powdercoat the tank because of this. If someone knows otherwise let me know.

189660189661
I used J B Weld on the last 73 tank I did, Before I sealed my tank with Red Kote. I had about 30 holes in it. And my powder coater used J B weld to touch up the last frame he did for me before he powder coated it. Only problem I see is you'll have to put your tank sealer in after powder coat, because of the heat. Could be a little messy.

[nstyle73]

Personally I have soldered a tank before. Brazing can distort the metal. Just my experience, that worked out well in my opinion.

[El Camexican]

I wonder if it could be hot dip galvanized? I'm guessing it would fill pits up and MAYBE the smaller holes. My fear would be it distorting and then it would need a lot of sanding and a special primer before painting. Testing would be needed first on a less valued tank.

[Dirtcrasher]

WOW!! I've never seen one like it, that's Swiss Cheesed!! Usually I just throw away metal tanks; Prior owners hack the heck out of them!

Yes, solder or braise it but keep the heat low....

[BOB MARLIN]

Can they can powder over a non conductive surface like JB weld?.

[MattDragontamer]

Can they can powder over a non conductive surface like JB weld?.

After looking it up a little further, it seems that JB Weld can be baked in a powder Coating Session.
But results vary. I am willing to use this tank for experimentation. From what I read, it's all in the prep work.

[redsox]

i've said it in the other tank threads and i'll say it again. i have had great success with red kote tank sealer. i know there are others that prefer other products. i can't say enough about how impressed i am with the results. i have a 250sx tank at over a year with red kote and a 70 tank at around 5 months. the sx tank was brazed and then red kote. stuff is really great. i have very little experience with jb weld, so i can't say. i agree with jb2wheels, seems like a strange rust pattern.

[MattDragontamer]

So after the first session of smear and sand, I noticed some holes i missed and that the dent on one side needed more filler... So I mixed another batch and the wait till it dries game continues...

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[Tomcall]

Looks like it should work.
Have yu checked for any leakage?

[MattDragontamer]

Looks like it should work.
Have yu checked for any leakage?

Once I am confident that I patched all the holes, I will get some distilled water and check for leaks.

[Dirtcrasher]

Get some good paint on there and coat it as well if it needs it.

Looks good!!

[MattDragontamer]

Get some good paint on there and coat it as well if it needs it.

Looks good!!

Thanks, yea I will be trying out the Powder Coat paint first, if that fails, blast it all off, rework and spay bomb it.
It will get an inter coating after the painting is done. The sanding is smooth like a babies' bottom, so it should turn out nice.

After sanding the dent patch, I applied another coat. I also noticed two small pinholes that I missed, so I filled those in too.

[MattDragontamer]

So the sanding and patching is done... Now it might take a while till Pete or myself heads down to Lloyd to get it powdercoated.

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[Big G]

Looks good Matt. I JBWelded the pinholes on my ATC90 tank, then repainted it. It's been holding up great!

[Jason125m]

JB turned out great. Goodjob. Interested to see how powder coating will work on JB weld.

[John jr]

Nows the time for a little bondo work if you have any slight little dents or puckers. I ended up painting my wifes 73 tank a 2nd time, Mainly because it was my 1st time painting with automotive paint and I wasn't happy with my paint job the 1st time, And 2nd, After putting some color on the tank I could see 4 0r 5 puckers or small indentations in the tank I couldn't see before. So I bondoed them up before I repainted.

[MattDragontamer]

Nows the time for a little bondo work if you have any slight little dents or puckers. I ended up painting my wifes 73 tank a 2nd time, Mainly because it was my 1st time painting with automotive paint and I wasn't happy with my paint job the 1st time, And 2nd, After putting some color on the tank I could see 4 0r 5 puckers or small indentations in the tank I couldn't see before. So I bondoed them up before I repainted.

I used the jb weld to fill in the big dent on the left side... That was the extra patch work. Bondo unfortunetly will bubble when heated while powder coating. Jb is suppost to hold up to 500*F. Power coating requires 300*F, so it should be fine.

[cap]

When you think you've got it all glazed and sanded out, hit it with some spray primer and you will see everything you missed ;)
Rinse wash repeat.
The good news is the more time you spend on it the better the final result.

[MattDragontamer]

So i got my tank back, using only online pics as reference (never works), I chose safter orange as the powder coat color.
Turns out that color is too light... The new fenders on Petes' '73 are a few shades darker... More like kubota orange I think.
If or when I find the matching color I will have to post it in big ass writing in it's own post for all to see and use... I'm surprised there hasn't been a post made already like that. (none that I came accross when searching...) Seems like every one I come accross has their own version.

Anywho, I still have credit left with the powder coating place, so next time I will bring a fender down to compare directly to their samples.

Here are the results anyways; pretty good, a few blemishes in my bondo, but for a rider it will be more than satsfiing.

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[barnett468]

Hello;


The finish looks nice.

The two links below are std powder coating color charts. Third row over, 10th one down is close, p/n RAL 2004

http://www.alliedpowder.com/powder_coating_color_chart.html


Here's bigger size and more samples, depending on your screen 2003, 2004 amd 2008 in the third row are closest.

http://www.armortechpowdercoating.com/docs/powder-coating-chart-RAL_2009.pdf

[MattDragontamer]

Thanks for the reference charts, I will have to see if those color codes match any the PC place has.

[barnett468]

Thanks for the reference charts, I will have to see if those color codes match any the PC place has.HI;

No prob, you're welcome. Every pc shop should have this chart, if they do not and they do not have a color that's close, they can easily order the color on the chart.