Adventures with Powdercoating

[bazwell]

Glass bead works well in high pressure water. Like that, it is just about unbeatable!
I saw a demo for a machine (which you can't get any more) here in Oz where they took the paint off a Pepsi can without damaging the can. I love that machine!

I don't imagine it would be very good dry, as the glass would fracture too much and chew up the surface.

 

[fmcandrew]

Actually, these were hit with a medium glass bead...the parts look stinkin brand new and the finish was very smooth to the touch (almost like a light polish). Love what the glass beads do...just don't like the impact when PC'ing...:bang head:

 

[SpecOps13]

PATMAX, I need to come see you when I'm feeling just a little better... I thought you were going out of this but it sounds different now. :clapping::clapping::clapping:

 

[bazwell]

Actually, these were hit with a medium glass bead...the parts look stinkin brand new and the finish was very smooth to the touch (almost like a light polish). Love what the glass beads do...just don't like the impact when PC'ing...:bang head:

I like it! I think the little shiny dents look nice. I just cleared over a few parts like that and got a really interesting metallic silver.

 

[fmcandrew]

The peening helps with adhesion and it does look kinda cool!!

 

[fmcandrew]

Ok, all you PC'ers...I have found a REAL good PC dissolver.

http://torchsurfacetech.com/catalog/i1.html

This stuff is called Erase and it works far better than the much reveared Eastwood dissolver. Costs $195 for 5 gallons and they ship for FREE:eusa_dance:. The stuff is enviromently green and washes up with water. I've aleady used mine a bunch of times and it makes f-ups less of a time consuming process. I saw no reviews on this but the price was hard to pass up on. The company is very responsive and the product was shipped UPS and got to me asap. I really like how the dissolved powder is not suspended in the solution as it ready collects on the bottom. Simply poor into another container to seperate solids from liquids. Eastwood stopped selling theirs:bang head:, so I was kinda forced to find another dissolver.

Frank

 

[PATMAX]

Nice find Frank but I may not do enough stripping to justify $200 bucks. Everything I read about sounds great though. Wish we could have split a bucket!
PATMAX

 

[sdt354]

Sounds great, thanks Frank. The Eastwood stripper is very slow acting and toxic as hell. I still end up scruibbing the old pc off, though it does loosen it up.
Steve-o

 

[wildweasel_pt]

You have a cheaper option at $75 for a gallon. the problem is if you have to strip a big part...

 

[fmcandrew]

With 5 gallans the only limitation is finding a container to fit the part. There is a paint stripper in a spray can I got from Home Depot that works well on powder, but it is real nasty stuff...can always resort to that if 5 gal bucket is too small...

 

[fmcandrew]

On the cheap booth...should help with the dust and coverage issues...so much better than PCing on the saw horses :worthy:

 

[PATMAX]

Sweet cabinet.. Love the lighting. Can't see the hangar set up but I'm sure its fine. Is it filtered in back?
I've got a shitload of parts stripped and ready for outgassing and coating. I need to set aside a good solid weekend to catch up and package everything safely.
Plus all the parts for my Rattlecan Special. Uggghh! What have I got myself into?!


When in doubt...Gas it !!!

 

[Fire-medic]

I like the looks Bazwell got w/bead-blasting & clear PC'ing. I have been too-lazy to search on the web for some comparables, but I think that is a look I could live-with.

Pat, do you bead-blast? Is that what you have at work which allows you to do the frames?

 

[sdt354]

Nice booth Frank. I need to build one for sure. Cleanup is a big part of pc work. Though I've become much neater.
Steve-o

 

[PATMAX]

I'm doing aluminum oxide. Leftovers from a big expansion project at work. Comes in a huge tyvek like sack of 1,000 pounds maybe? I'll shoot a few pictures of the set up. Its best if one wears a tyvek suit and full hood but I just wear long sleeves, double billed fishing hat and glasses. Still get an occasional blast in the face if the angle I blast at is right. I don't wear gloves because I am too macho for that! It takes me about 20 minutes of actual blasting time to do a frame and 15 minutes to set up. It is messy and loud though because it is a commercial size set up. For smaller parts, we have a lighted, ventilated blast cabinet probably 48 x 48 x 36. Plenty big for wheels and such. I'll shoot a picture of that too. Don't want to make ya'll jealous but it is a sweet set up I got access to. I hate to think what some guys have to pay to get this kind of stuff done. Out of curiousity, I contacted a local commercial powdercoater to strip and coat a bare frame, no swing arm in gloss black-$250.00

 

[PATMAX]

My big job blasting set up.

When in doubt...Gas it !!!

 

[fmcandrew]

Yes...it's filtered, but on the sides. I just put in an 8ft earth ground in...sooo much better than dealing with the tiny ground clip that comes with the guns...

 

[fmcandrew]

The hanger is a lazy suzan with 2 hooks dropped down...this allows a rack or single item to be hung...the lazy suzan also allows the part to be turned for better coverage.

 

[bazwell]

I have powdercoated a few bits and bobs over the past few months.

These pics are some carby bits that I did in flat black, and the brake calipers. The calipers I painted black before I got the powdercoat gun, so I re-did them to match the forks.

 

[PATMAX]

Baz, I'm digging those carb parts. I must be a voyeuor cause I love seeing everyone else's projects.