Powdercoating anyone?

[DanielW]

I've considered doing it myself and also had it done. But a couple of years ago I brought a set of Allis rims and the fenders from my tool trailer to the powder-coaters I used at a former job and for some home projects, and they surprisingly told me they wouldn't recommend it for all the reasons stated above. It's a great, durable finish that'll last ages in static applications. But if you scratch/ding it (which you're inevitably going to do on a set of working rims before too long, and will definitely do with a set of fenders in no time) and it'll just harbour surface rust behind it and eventually peel off. They told me a good epoxy sealer/primer and a good top coat would be better, which is what I did.

 

[Don B.]

More powdercoating today
Doing the front spindles as we speak right now, last of the gray at least for a while.
Back to black at least for a handful of stuff.
I've talked to others (back when I paid the last time to have it done/ and since on various forums) and most ive talked to seem to agree that powdercoating in small batches rather than an assembly line type setup such as in a factory seems to fare better. I've never had anything coated that the coating fell apart. And some of which leads a pretty tough life. Hopefully my DIY coated stuff lasts as long.

 

[Don B.]

Proper preparation

Without an acetone clean and sandblasted rough surface powder coating ain’t gona stick.

Powder coating might not have overspray but the electric gun application and oven curing makes it a challenge for the garage hobbyist to apply correctly.

I have been using the Eastwood "pre* as a final wipe down with a few of my parts getting a lacquer thinner wipe instead. The stuff I've been able to do "farm to table" style but rather straight from sandblaster to coating with no sitting around in between I've only blown off with an air wand with no wipe down in between.
The only thing so far I have questions about regarding durability might be the gas tank straps as those are galvanized to begin with and I've discovered a couple of galvanized peelys once coated.... But trying to scratch with a thumbnail they don't seem to be going anywhere

 

[m16ty]

It appears that the difference may be in as they say "size of sample". Your's is two, welding man's maybe 200.

Well when somebody says "all" powder coat messes up and flakes within a couple years, I can show you 2 that haven't.

Also have a 2018 forklift that was powder coated from the factory. In all fairness, I did notice the other day that it was flaking some underneath. Again, I account that to lack of surface prep. The forklift still looks as good as new on the top side, I'm betting they skimped on the prep on the bottom.

 

[stevieb49829]

Don, how hard is it to find the right color powder to use? Mine would have to be a dark red/black metallic to match my engine color. steve

 

[showcrop]

Don, how hard is it to find the right color powder to use? Mine would have to be a dark red/black metallic to match my engine color. steve

I am not Don, but if you dare you can consider what I post. When I have taken parts to the cxoater they have had hundreds of little aluminum plates with different color and texture of powder coat to help you select.

 

[Don B.]

I had to go thru 3 different greens (and redo the door hinges as I used those as my test pieces) to get the right one for my truck door and hood hinges. Those sample plates aren't always right and those (my name for them) model car bodies they show are also "off" especially if looking at pix of them online.
Look at the RAL color system as I found that easier to pick. All are a 4 digit code for example all greens are 60xx. I believe blues are 50xx not sure about the reds what number they started with.
You can even Google (for example) "difference between ral 6009 and ral 6028".
It will bring up a color square that's 1/2 and 1/2 each color you are considering. There Are a lot of places online to buy powder, Sherwin Williams among others even sell them. I bought all but the green I liked from the Eastwood store, I happen to have one about an hour north of me. They sell a lot online, but there are only about 5 brick and mortar locations in the whole US. Mine is the farthest west in the whole USA. (Alsip IL)
Next closest is parma OH (wherever that is) and one in pasadena MD and I don't remember where the other 2 are, I believe one is in PA somewhere.
Most online ones will sell by the pound and some give a price break at 5 lb. Some only sell in 25,50 and more lb quantity. Unless you are doing it commercially you don't need 25+ lb. Some sell it 8 oz at a time. The black and red I have used so far seem to go the "farthest". The squirrel gray seemed to go on the thinnest and I had to recoat a couple of times. I coated them, baked them, pulled them out of the oven, recoated, baked the gray parts again "just" until I saw the powder melt and coated again.
Some recommend a powder primer, I haven't heard of a down side listed for priming while others say priming "not necessary". Everyone who recommends it says it's even more durable with it than without. The important thing is it has to be CLEAN. If it starts out greasy or oily it's best to pre bake these parts before the first layer of powder even after blasting. A wipe down (I'd do this only for "cold" parts) with acetone or something like Eastwood "PRE" before coating never hurts. But make sure parts are dry before laying on the powder. I sometimes wipe things down then bake them just a few minutes to make sure they're dry before I coat them. I'm still new at this and am still learning myself. I figure I'll completely get the hang of it about the time I'm done coating everything I want to coat for this particular job.... But for the difference in Price "having it done" vs DIY version, I can't afford not to DIY. I couldn't believe the difference here within the past couple of months when taking a pile in foe a quote for someone else to do it for me vs what I had done before nnalert. Eastwood always has a sale, for what you can get the powder gun for (I suggest the dual voltage one, you'll mostly use "high" setting) plus a cheap electric kitchen oven from marketplace or a garage sale you're still cheaper than what it will cost to get it done for you.
Hope it's ok with everything I posted on this one, I know it's more than you asked for.

 

[Don B.]

Well when somebody says "all" powder coat messes up and flakes within a couple years, I can show you 2 that haven't.

Also have a 2018 forklift that was powder coated from the factory. In all fairness, I did notice the other day that it was flaking some underneath. Again, I account that to lack of surface prep. The forklift still looks as good as new on the top side, I'm betting they skimped on the prep on the bottom.

This isn't "universal" by any means but I mostly seem to see factory manufactured parts that were powdercoated that peel and don't hold up than parts that were (re?) done after the fact.
I've asked local powdercoat guys about it and they say it's all in the prep and when your goal is to cram a certain quantity of parts down an assembly line vs handling smaller quantities of parts piece by piece more attention can be paid to details
In manufacturing where they have mass quantities to lay down color on, places like the EPA are ever present and VOC emissions has gotten to be a big sticking point of f which you don't get with powder. Ever noticed driving by "certain" body shops and even some of your neighbors they're always paint fumes in the air? These VOC s are in those fumes. (VOC means volatile organic compounds). I definitely am not an expert on what those might contain or what problems they bring. I've seen it mentioned on spray paint rattle cans bought locally, even.

 

[Fixingfarmer]

They thought us how to do it on a toolbox in high school I still have it it’s holding some model railroad stuff. Looks perfect but been inside

couple of the local factories use it and will run a flatbed through (or racecar)for you I have had it done. My trouble with it is though it is perfect at the start and fast inevitably it will get scratched and then what to I do? If I fix it you can tell where I was. If I modify a hold down same answer.

 

[Don B.]

If you look at that RAL color system they show paint as small as the "touch up" to gallons to match to any given color.
That RAL system I think was based in Europe.