Caswell coating bad idea? Heard horror story - Ducati.ms

LessPeople_MoreRobots · Dec 7th, 2011, 1:24 pm

Hey guys

So I was talking to a friend of mine that owns a shop, and he's pretty much my go-to guy for bike mechanics. The guy is awesome.

I started to ask him about Caswell coating, and if he does them for people. He stopped me and says "this if for the expanding Duc tanks I'm guessing?". He says he's coated some plastic tanks before, and he highly recommends not doing it. Apparently the Caswell coating drys rock hard, but the plastic tanks can still expand/contract in heat, or with gas pressure inside, etc. So the Caswell will crack inside over time, because it doesn't have the flexibility.

He says metal tanks still expand/contract, but not to the degree that plastics do, and so he's had no issues with these coatings on metal tanks.

Anybody else have any input on this?

davy.j · Dec 7th, 2011, 3:54 pm

Just to clarify, your friend has coated some plastic tanks with Caswell in the past.
Has he actually had the Caswell epoxy coating crack inside a plastic tank or is he just worried it might happen?
(Caswell coating is phenol novalac epoxy, just about the hardest, most chemically resistant epoxy known to man)

.

moto · Dec 7th, 2011, 4:05 pm

No problems here in over 6 years on both CF tanks, Fiberglass kevlar tanks and OEM plastic tanks.

-M

LaRossa · Dec 7th, 2011, 4:09 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by LessPeople_MoreRobots

Hey guys

So I was talking to a friend of mine that owns a shop, and he's pretty much my go-to guy for bike mechanics. The guy is awesome.

I started to ask him about Caswell coating, and if he does them for people. He stopped me and says "this if for the expanding Duc tanks I'm guessing?". He says he's coated some plastic tanks before, and he highly recommends not doing it. Apparently the Caswell coating drys rock hard, but the plastic tanks can still expand/contract in heat, or with gas pressure inside, etc. So the Caswell will crack inside over time, because it doesn't have the flexibility.

He says metal tanks still expand/contract, but not to the degree that plastics do, and so he's had no issues with these coatings on metal tanks.

Anybody else have any input on this?

I don't believe it!

flynbulldog · Dec 7th, 2011, 5:07 pm

Why don't you contact Caswell and ask them about this very issue?
They probably have a better idea about it than we do.

Gilly · Dec 7th, 2011, 5:11 pm

I'm not knocking the idea of this thread.... but whenever someone recounts some story, it's usually the same case of the woman, the peanut butter, a certain dog, usually a german shepherd and the surprise birthday party.

TheX · Dec 7th, 2011, 5:13 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by flynbulldog

Why don't you contact Caswell and ask them about this very issue?
They probably have a better idea about it than we do.

The voice of reason!

va duc · Dec 7th, 2011, 5:15 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gilly

I'm not knocking the idea of this thread.... but whenever someone recounts some story, it's usually the same case of the woman, the peanut butter, a certain dog, usually a german shepherd and the surprise birthday party.

German shepherd ?

Sick bastard!

I did my steel tank last winter with Caswell, and a buddy's with por 15 the year before. so far so good?

I know this doesn't help, but I'm a post whore.

Gilly · Dec 7th, 2011, 5:30 pm

I sent Caswell a message asking all the best questions... we shall see what they say. I would think they would make an effort to have this info available on their website, but I could not find anything Ducati specific.

fastrob691 · Dec 7th, 2011, 5:33 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gilly

I'm not knocking the idea of this thread.... but whenever someone recounts some story, it's usually the same case of the woman, the peanut butter, a certain dog, usually a german shepherd and the surprise birthday party.

That happened, really, but it was a Rottweiler, and a large woman. And crunchy peanut butter. I read it on the internet so it must be true.