Restoration videos are extremely satisfying to watch, especially when it's as well put together as this one. Thanks to Awesome Restorations on YouTube, we can watch this stunning visual transformation of an old rusty Harley-Davidson sign into what ends up looking like brand new.
Simply starting off with a wire brush, the expert restorer goes to town on this thing. The way he sped the video up really captures just how much the brushing does. After the dust settles -- and a quick spray down -- he wipes off any remaining surface rust from the sign. It's at this point that you can really see what this thing looks like. The color shows itself, and, although it's faded and corroded, this sign looks pretty awesome in original form.
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After considering keeping it the way it was, he decides to take it further by taking it into the sand blaster. Here, he goes through the process for setting up the machine and spraying the sign. Once he takes this sign back to bare metal, the pitting and imperfections become much easier to spot. Using a file followed by some fine-grit sandpaper, he gets the edges of the sign back to being smooth once again.
The magic happens when he breaks out the paint. He shows his painting process in a very detailed and straightforward way. Laying down the black base coat first, it was already starting to look good. He follows it up by hand painting the first batch of lettering with a red metal paint. After that, he lays down the white lettering. Showing off the final result, this sign looks absolutely fantastic.
You have to respect those talented people out there that love to restore. Not everyone has the patience or the time for it, but some people have incredible passion for bringing old things back for a second life.
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This post was originally published on August 21, 2020.