TRADITIONAL SHAOLIN SPITFIRE (Wu Tang Forever)

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Playing around with the bar position... I kinda dig this layback look, however, it would take 2 city blocks to complete a turn 🤣🤣🤣

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I wanted to use a blend of paint and bare metal on this build. So I stripped the front half with oven cleaner, now I'm scuffing the original paint so that the red primer shows through. The idea is to emulate flames and burn off. We'll see if the RATina comes out the way I want it to.

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So I have this Pearl Ex powder that, when combined, is pretty close (exact, with time and blending) to Schwinn coppertone.

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My idea is to dry brush the glitter over the painted areas of the frame to create a bronzing effect that also replicates sparks and embers.

Before:

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Well it doesn't translate entirely in the photos, but this is step one. It does look bronzedish, and I can see it working out as I build layers. I hit it with clear to set what is there, then I will dust it again and sand it back.

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Time to bolt on some fork legs. I will probably run some rebar through them as well, as reinforcement.

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Tapped and drilled alignment holes. Top set are perfect.

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Bottom are offset a touch, but they will be the larger holes for the bolts, so I have quite a bit of tolerance.

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I like your Gold Dust idea.

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After the wash, I dryed it off thoroughly, and rubbed it down again with boiled linseed oil. That was the magic ingredient. I don't have much luck with clear on bare metal. I've done all the right things in the past, and inevitably, it still starts to flake off over time. The BLO, however, gives you a polished look, while enriching patina.

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I will probably hit the front again (sparingly) with a little more oven cleaner, so the bare metal shines bright. The coppertone dust looks good up close on bare metal, but like oxidization from a couple feet away.
 
Cool RaT-ina application, Bobby! I had to keep paging along to get to the final effect. The 0000 steel wool really blended the finish together. I like the idea of a burnt fade you achieved with this method! And the bronzing gave the bare metal a heated up look from the fire.
 

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