The Shop > Finishing
First go at power coating
Bishop:
I got a powder coating system from ebay and had a go coating a part I made tonight. The part is just an aluminium toggle switch cover that I turned on my lathe. The finish is great and the process is so easy I can't believe I waited this long to buy the gun :doh:
The gun and 3 small jars of powder was $130 and the toaster oven cost $20 on craigslist. I was worried I would be spraying powder everywhere but at 4psi the powder stayed contained inside the cardboard box you see stored on top of the cabinets. The gun and control box is mounted on the left side of the cabinet and there is a small compressor that was unused previously sitting on the floor. It will only take me a few minutes to get setup to powder coat a part.
I would say if you have been thinking about getting a powder coating setup, don't delay, it's easier than painting with a brush.
Shawn
Dawai:
Love my "home shop" powder coating system. it is a cheap durable painting method.
I learned.. hot up the part, it burns off the fingerprints and other minor things that stop the powder from sticking to the part. Big shops have wash tanks, strip the part, ph modifiers that stop spots when it dries..
I heat it up to 400, shoot the coat hot, it "flows out" and then you bake it..
Baking.. what I have learned is the powder goes through a set.. heat it up to where it "flows out" and looks shiny (from velvet to shiny) like "SOLDER", then bake it the "ten minutes" the powder company requires..
difference is.. a "soft set" that never cured you can scratch off with a fingernail versus a super-hard coating you can't get off even if you want to. IF you over-bake it, it looks cracked open like the desert soil..
THICKER metal takes longer to get to "flow out" temps.. thin metal is quicker, mass and acceleration.
If you find a easy way to "remove" the baked on cured coating, share it..
I got success pictures, don't have the pic size reduced where I can share..
MY OVEN, a free kitchen oven, the thermostat is a bulb type (stock) that keeps the temp within 2 degrees of setpoint.. I (being a madmodder) cut the back out of the oven and extended it deeper where I can get car oil pans and valve covers in it. I kinda wished I had took two ovens and welded them back to back, doors on both sides.. (could bend pvc easily then..)
Powder coating makes a excellent sealer-primer.
ieezitin:
Shawn.....
Im Intrigued…….. it certainly did a nice job. Who was the vendor on Fleabays?
Anthony.
dickda1:
I use one of those cheap infrared thermometers from Harbor Freight to monitor the surface temperature of parts in my toaster oven
Bishop:
Thanks for the tips guys, it really is a great and simple solution for getting a nice durable finish on parts. Anthony the kit I ordered is from Eastwood, it does require a compressor and dedicated stove but its worth it I think.
I tried posting an eBay link but my ipad doesn't seem to want to copy the link over correctly, you could search for "NEW Eastwood Hotcoat Powder Coating System Deluxe Kit"
Shawn
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