How to etch speedline wheels - Advice needed
08-05-2008, 08:13 AM
#1
Three Wheelin'
Thread Starter
How to etch speedline wheels - Advice needed
I think i have come up with a good enough electronic template for the Speedline for Porsche and the offsets now and will be having some made up for the end of the week in heavy duty laser cut vinyl to practice with before trying on my actual rims.
However i am stuck with how to actually etch the aluminium. From searching around the choices seem to be to blast the rim with some sort of media like aluminium oxide or to apply a corrosive such as phosphoric acid to actually produce the etch on the rim. This was always going to be the part that i would struggle with so if anyone has metalworking experience your input would greatly help.
Also, just as a double check, if someone could trace or do a rubbing of the Speedline for Porsche etch and that of the offsets from their wheels and PM it to me so i can check sizes and measurements against my template i'd be extremely grateful.
Once i get the template's i'll update with some pictures.
However i am stuck with how to actually etch the aluminium. From searching around the choices seem to be to blast the rim with some sort of media like aluminium oxide or to apply a corrosive such as phosphoric acid to actually produce the etch on the rim. This was always going to be the part that i would struggle with so if anyone has metalworking experience your input would greatly help.
Also, just as a double check, if someone could trace or do a rubbing of the Speedline for Porsche etch and that of the offsets from their wheels and PM it to me so i can check sizes and measurements against my template i'd be extremely grateful.
Once i get the template's i'll update with some pictures.
08-06-2008, 07:38 PM
#3
Instructor
08-06-2008, 08:42 PM
#4
Three Wheelin'
Thread Starter
Anyway, in regard to the trademarks. It is not as if i'm looking to pass off another product as Speedline/Porsche only to reinstate the etch due losing it through the poor clear coat, which Porsche chose to use, not being able to stand up to the UK weather and road salt. Any fonts used have been from Microsoft's standards and a Porsche font provided by a very well known forum
Back to the matter in hand anyway - do you know what kind of acid is used for window etching? I was thinking of going down the aluminium oxide blasting method once i collect the templates on Saturday morning.
08-06-2008, 10:26 PM
#5
Rennlist Member
In the picture I posted last week on your other thread the answer to your question was answered. Look at the picture closely and you will notice the entire rim is wrapped in protective material. You would not need such protection if you were using an acid etch. I did try the acid etch and immediated switched to the other method, but hey you seem to be having fun breaking the code on your side of the pond. go for it and enjoy the journey.
As I have said many times - none of this process (restoration of Speedline wheels is as easy as it seems. After careful analysis I would say anyone needing a serious restoration ( bent rims, heavy corrosion under bolt heads, many bolts needing replaced really anything major should consider parting the rims out and buying brand new. I feel as long as they are still available at a cost that is reasonable it is almost a wash as the funds spent to buy new vs cost to properly restore a set of Speedline wheels.
If I were to do a proper restoration of a set of Speedline wheels. Here is what I would consider necessary - true the wheels to make sure they are absolutely straight (est $80 to $320 per set depending on what is needed).
Inner hoops need to be sanded primed and painted, or stripped, and sanded then powder coated hard cost for this process is $125 per hoop.
Outer hoops have to be stripped, polished, re etched, and then clear coated after assembly or depending on clear coating chosen possibly done before assembly again an estimate is $125 per hoop.
Bolts need to be stripped all loctite removed (manually) then they need to be re plated. More than likely depending on where you live and how much weather your wheels have seen be prepared for broken bolts. Where do you get new bolts? FVD.de $6.00 each, nuts #$6.00 each unless they have a sale going on at $5.00 each. But they are the 32mm long shaft bolt and our wheels were built with a 37 mm long shaft so now what do you do??
Centers have to be sanded, primed, sanded, and primed again. Extra time must be taken to tape off the inside of the wheel center and the area where the flanges of the hoops go to keep paint out to get a proper job. The centers then have to be painted front and back and everyone who touches your wheel at this point is suspect for banging into something and chipping the fresh paint. Estimate to paint each center is anywhere from $75 - 125 .
Can the bolts be reused? some say not - what about the crush ring and O ring gasket - about $250 per wheel for both.
Let us assume you are still with this process and everything is painted, straight, plated, laid out ready to assemble - now you have to get all the parts assembled with 40 bolts/nuts straight so the wheel runs true. (it is possible to get everything right up to this point and still make a mess out of your restoration. If after 10 bolts being assembled per wheel they still run true then all 40 bolts have to be loctited and torqued to proper setting in the proper sequence.
You have to want to do any of this to really go ahead, or you will disassemble a used set and they will now become parts. If some how you get frustrated and decide to ask for assistance with a shop who specializes - it could cost $700 just to assemble and clear coat part of your wheels.
How do I know so much? I have been restoring wheels for some time and there are still sets that are plain painful, it seems everything that can go wrong will and then it really gets expensive to finish.
I say to any Porsche owner who wants perfection with a wheel restoration - go buy new. Everything else is going to have some character somewhere in the restoration process. Remember we are talking about 14 year old wheels that have been used. Some have seen hard use, some have been wrecked and while someone can straighten, weld a crack or make a straight wheel again - I say what is you life worth, what is any member of your families life worth. I no longer will have a rim welded and will straighten if it is only a minor bend. It just is not worth it.
Please keep all of us up to date with your project.
Jim
As I have said many times - none of this process (restoration of Speedline wheels is as easy as it seems. After careful analysis I would say anyone needing a serious restoration ( bent rims, heavy corrosion under bolt heads, many bolts needing replaced really anything major should consider parting the rims out and buying brand new. I feel as long as they are still available at a cost that is reasonable it is almost a wash as the funds spent to buy new vs cost to properly restore a set of Speedline wheels.
If I were to do a proper restoration of a set of Speedline wheels. Here is what I would consider necessary - true the wheels to make sure they are absolutely straight (est $80 to $320 per set depending on what is needed).
Inner hoops need to be sanded primed and painted, or stripped, and sanded then powder coated hard cost for this process is $125 per hoop.
Outer hoops have to be stripped, polished, re etched, and then clear coated after assembly or depending on clear coating chosen possibly done before assembly again an estimate is $125 per hoop.
Bolts need to be stripped all loctite removed (manually) then they need to be re plated. More than likely depending on where you live and how much weather your wheels have seen be prepared for broken bolts. Where do you get new bolts? FVD.de $6.00 each, nuts #$6.00 each unless they have a sale going on at $5.00 each. But they are the 32mm long shaft bolt and our wheels were built with a 37 mm long shaft so now what do you do??
Centers have to be sanded, primed, sanded, and primed again. Extra time must be taken to tape off the inside of the wheel center and the area where the flanges of the hoops go to keep paint out to get a proper job. The centers then have to be painted front and back and everyone who touches your wheel at this point is suspect for banging into something and chipping the fresh paint. Estimate to paint each center is anywhere from $75 - 125 .
Can the bolts be reused? some say not - what about the crush ring and O ring gasket - about $250 per wheel for both.
Let us assume you are still with this process and everything is painted, straight, plated, laid out ready to assemble - now you have to get all the parts assembled with 40 bolts/nuts straight so the wheel runs true. (it is possible to get everything right up to this point and still make a mess out of your restoration. If after 10 bolts being assembled per wheel they still run true then all 40 bolts have to be loctited and torqued to proper setting in the proper sequence.
You have to want to do any of this to really go ahead, or you will disassemble a used set and they will now become parts. If some how you get frustrated and decide to ask for assistance with a shop who specializes - it could cost $700 just to assemble and clear coat part of your wheels.
How do I know so much? I have been restoring wheels for some time and there are still sets that are plain painful, it seems everything that can go wrong will and then it really gets expensive to finish.
I say to any Porsche owner who wants perfection with a wheel restoration - go buy new. Everything else is going to have some character somewhere in the restoration process. Remember we are talking about 14 year old wheels that have been used. Some have seen hard use, some have been wrecked and while someone can straighten, weld a crack or make a straight wheel again - I say what is you life worth, what is any member of your families life worth. I no longer will have a rim welded and will straighten if it is only a minor bend. It just is not worth it.
Please keep all of us up to date with your project.
Jim
