deadlight frames refinishing

James384 · Post by **James384** » Thu Nov 17, 2005 12:11 am

It's about time for me to replace the lexan in the deadlights, or cabin side windows on Atom. I had a bad quality chrome job done on the bronze frames while in Hong Kong in 1993 and it's been peeling off ever since. I seem to remember this subject covered here somewhere before but I missed it. What experience have others here had on refinishing options? I'm looking for an alternative to chrome mainly because of the expense and having the frames out for a long time.

Sanding off the chipped chrome and polishing the frames is an option but I seem to remember streaks of green from the bare bronze running onto the white cabin trunk paint. I don't think a clear coating will last either.
Has anyone found the bare bronze discolors the paint below it?

How about priming and painting with a simulated aluminum or chrome coating? Any experience with that or anything else?

Thanks.

James
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Jason K · Post by **Jason K** » Thu Nov 17, 2005 4:52 am

I refinished my bronze frames in August by sanding and polishing the old tarnish off and replacing the lexan. I've had no discoloration of the cabin trunk paint at all - though they haven't been back in place for very long. I certainly hope that doesn't happen. It's also worth noting that the portlights hadn't been replaced or maintained since, uh, ever (actually at least ten years) and were heavily tarnished. Even then, there was no streaking.

Post by **Tim** » Thu Nov 17, 2005 7:43 am

Next time, I was going to try either clear powder coat or clear Awlgrip on the cleaned and polished frames. The clear lacquer that I use is my white whale, though I continue to maintain it annually.

That said, what seems to really cause the lacquer's failure is the cold in the winter; the port frame contract and crack the lacquer, causing it to flake and peel. The year I had the boat indoors all winter, the lacquer remained in good condition.

Still, the sun will take its toll, and I would guess that frequent recoating of lacquered frames would be necessary, at least.

I think some verdigris streaking is likely when the freshly-polished frames begin to tarnish, but that after a while the surface will stabilize and the streaking will end. But I don't have a significant streaking problem with any of the bronze hardware that I've allowed to go natural.

Allen · Post by **Allen** » Thu Nov 17, 2005 1:50 pm

Hi James,

Kaholee has no coating on her bronze and has not had any problem with the bronze ports causing streaking of the paint under them. I am planning on getting them shined up and periodically polishing them. Depending on the polish you use, if you do not clean it up out of all the seams you might have a problem (things like Brasso), but a soft tooth brush used on the seams after initially polishing usually takes care of this. My favorite is Nevr-Dull which in impregnated in a cotton-like wadding and does not leave so much residue. My experience with coatings has been that fixing them after they fail is more work than periodic polishing.

Hope things are going well with you.

James384 · Post by **James384** » Fri Nov 25, 2005 10:33 pm

Thanks for the replies. I'll probably go with the bare bronze again and see how we do. At least they'll match my original green patina winches that I never seem to get around to polishing.

James
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