Caswell tips and tricks

[BoDiddley]

I made this plate to cover the pump hole while doing the Caswell.  07 S4Rs.  It uses the plate O-ring for a seal and worked great.  If anyone wants to use this send me a PM with your address and I will stick it in the mail.  The only thing required for its use is when you are done with it post the same ASAP and pass it on.  

I thought because this is such a pain in the butt maybe this could be the "Caswell tips and tricks thread".  Please add to it.  



Here are a few tips (some learned the hard way) from my Saturday afternoon adventure into the world of aggravation.  Enjoy!

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You have more time than you think.

Have a "large" quantity of rags.

Large throw away towel to work on.

Find a throw away cake pan or similar item for the drain, larger the better.

Know how you are going to rest the tank while it drains.

I drained mine out the pump opening as it is away from the outer skin, and it rests easily against a
wall in a pan while it drains.  Put a towel in the pan and over the edges to protect your finish

Buy a good size throw away funnel.

2 inch masking tape for the entire back end of the tank.  Tape the bolt holes.

Roll up a rag tight and force screw it into the top fill hole.  Force it in a couple inches.  

I found that "Remoil" made buy Remington cleans Caswell off the tank without hurting the finish.  Others might work.

You "WILL" get some on the outside of your tank no matter what and you cannot use a solvent to get it off.
A small amount on one finger and the stuff is all over the outside while you are turning it.  Buy a small Remoil.

Do not try to do a tank with just one can, buy two and you will be glad you did.  It is so thick and slow it
is an impossibility that one pint would be enough to completely cover the inside.

Take your time moving it around in the tank, it moves very slow.  Notice how thick it is and how slow it
moves before dumping it in the tank.

When you start moving the tank around take an analytical approach to what you are doing.   As in one minute for one side, one minute each for the outer and inner walls, etc.  If you just start rolling it around you will be left wondering if it is getting covered.  "When you think you are done do it all again".  I moved mine around for 15 minutes and it had not started to set up.  Keep telling yourself you have time.

Thin it with two ounces of lacquer thinner as per instructions.  It gives you more time to get the inside covered.

Blow out the vent holes last but not least.

If you use a solvent to clean your O-ring, do it quickly as solvents eat at it.

Make sure Ducati R&D's ears ring with praise while you are doing this.

[gr1976]

I ordered a single motorcycle gas tank kit for my '07 S2R prior to reading your post. The Caswell website states that half of their kit should cover a 5 gal. tank. I was planning on mixing it in half batches for two coats. Do you think I will get good coverage this way  or is it really better to have two kits?  Did you pour a full kit in at a time? If so how much did you pour back out?

To protect the tank I was planning on covering the entire outside w/ blue painters tape. Any reasons not to do this?

Thanks

[ducpainter]

I ordered a single motorcycle gas tank kit for my '07 S2R prior to reading your post. The Caswell website states that half of their kit should cover a 5 gal. tank. I was planning on mixing it in half batches for two coats. Do you think I will get good coverage this way  or is it really better to have two kits?  Did you pour a full kit in at a time? If so how much did you pour back out?

To protect the tank I was planning on covering the entire outside w/ blue painters tape. Any reasons not to do this?

Thanks

I just coated a tank for a customer and one kit divided in two will do the job. Thinning makes coverage easier. I couldn't get much material back out in half batches. The tank was an S2R style. It may be a function of the hole location. If you thin the product it really slows the set up time making coverage even easier. Temperature will also affect the consistency dramatically.

I also completely covered the tank with tape. It worked great.

[ducatiz]

How thick is that piece?  Is it just PVC or Lucite?

[gr1976]

ducpainter - do you thin w/ xylene or lacquer thinner? does it really matter?

[BoDiddley]

How thick is that piece?  Is it just PVC or Lucite?

It is rigid 1/4 inch plexiglass, it works...... As for the double amount in my tank I was glad I used twice the amount as it gave me confidence that it was totally covered.  You can do it with less but IMHO I cannot see how you could get it around the entire inside.  Maybe I did not get it thin enough but I thinned two aplications with 2 ounces of lacquer thinner.  If you poured honey out of a jar at room temperature that is about it.

It is an expensive two thousand dollar tank, on an expensive bike, why would you worry about $41.00 to be sure it was done right.   I would guess half drained out

That is a good idea covering the tank in tape, I should have.

[ducpainter]

How thick is that piece?  Is it just PVC or Lucite?

I made one out of 1/8" plexi and it worked. I used strip caulking for a seal.

ducpainter - do you thin w/ xylene or lacquer thinner? does it really matter?

I used lacquer thinner. Lacquer thinner is just a blend of a bunch of nasty solvents which usually includes xylene.

It is rigid 1/4 inch plexiglass, it works...... As for the double amount in my tank I was glad I used twice the amount as it gave me confidence that it was totally covered.  You can do it with less but IMHO I cannot see how you could get it around the entire inside.  Maybe I did not get it thin enough but I thinned two aplications with 2 ounces of lacquer thinner.  If you poured honey out of a jar at room temperature that is about it.

It is an expensive two thousand dollar tank, on an expensive bike, why would you worry about $41.00 to be sure it was done right.   I would guess half drained out

That is a good idea covering the tank in tape, I should have.

My only concern would be further reducing the capacity of an already range limited tank. It has little to do with the money.

[BoDiddley]

I ordered a single motorcycle gas tank kit for my '07 S2R prior to reading your post. The Caswell website states that half of their kit should cover a 5 gal. tank. I was planning on mixing it in half batches for two coats. Do you think I will get good coverage this way  or is it really better to have two kits?  Did you pour a full kit in at a time? If so how much did you pour back out?

They also advised in the past of which they have changed thier minds about, drywall screws and acetone.  Ducpainter you must be a wizard with the stuff to cover with half an aplication.  How thin did you get it?

[ducpainter]

They also advised in the past of which they have changed thier minds about, drywall screws and acetone.  Ducpainter you must be a wizard with the stuff to cover with half an aplication.  How thin did you get it?

I used one ounce of thinner for a half kit which is more than the 5% they recommend. The recommendations are for old, rusty, and porous tanks that need a thick layer of the product. The Duc tank simply needs to be covered. The additional thinner only adds to the set up time, not the full cure time.

I added the thinner to part A and then mixed part B into it so as not to lose any working time.

I found that at my shop temp of 65 I had no problem, and the material stayed liquid plenty long.

Keep in mind I coat tanks with POR all the time, and POR only gives you 8 oz of product. I can honestly say I've had no reported failures of my work. I wish the Caswell coating had the same consistency as POR, and also wish it wasn't basically clear. It would make the process easier. I may contact Caswell to ask if I could tint the material to make it easier to see where it is or isn't inside the tank.

[gr1976]

They also advised in the past of which they have changed thier minds about, drywall screws and acetone.

I downloaded their application instructions and it still states to use acetone and drywall screws. Is there a different prep recommendation now?

[ducpainter]

I downloaded their application instructions and it still states to use acetone and drywall screws. Is there a different prep recommendation now?

If you are coating a new tank I'd skip both.

The drywall screws don't accomplish enough to justify the time IMO.

If you're coating a used tank that's had fuel in it acetone won't do squat.

That tank should be washed out with soap and water to remove fuel residue, POR makes a graet cleaner called 'Marine Clean', then allowed to thoroughly dry before coating.

[disclaimer]

I'm not a chemist. I'm working from experience.

[/end]

[gr1976]

I have some of POR's marine clean so that's good news. The tank I am going to coat is used but shows no signs of deformation. I am a little nervous of what chemicals to pour in there that could potentially attack the tank.

[ducpainter]

I have some of POR's marine clean so that's good news. The tank I am going to coat is used but shows no signs of deformation. I am a little nervous of what chemicals to pour in there that could potentially attack the tank.

If I was doing a used plastic tank I wouldn't use warm water in the dilution of the Marine Clean as POR recommends. That might cause rapid absorption of water. You also want to remove excess rinse water as soon as possible to avoid expansion. Air flow through the tank will accelerate drying. The key is to get the tank clean or no product, no matter how good it is, will stick.

As I said, I would avoid solvents because in my experience they are ineffective at removing residue and are bad for the finish.

You can forget about any suggestion of the solvent 'softening' the surface for adhesion. That isn't going to happen from a solvent rinse.

Some day I'd like to get a piece of a Duc tank to see if POR will stick. It's a much friendlier product IMO.

[BoDiddley]

I downloaded their application instructions and it still states to use acetone and drywall screws. Is there a different prep recommendation now?

From Caswell

http://www.ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=25074.1290

[ducatiz]

Some day I'd like to get a piece of a Duc tank to see if POR will stick. It's a much friendlier product IMO.

After we are finished testing I'll send you a slice of one.  I have a few tanks I sent for testing.  I have one that's a control that isn't being tested (but it's been drilled so unusable).  It will be sectioned for some final testing and I'll keep a piece aside.