Adventures with Powdercoating

[fmcandrew]

Steve,

I'll be shooting my Holeshots this winter and will post pics...wont know how it all holds up until I get a few miles on them. I'll do my cans in the candy red...should be fine as they are far enough away from the real hot stuff...

 

[sdt354]

I was just looking at different colors and types of Powders to see what new stuff is out. Someday we'll have a low temp cure for plastics I hope. In which case my whole ride will get the PC treatment.
Anyway I was wondering if any of you PC guys have herd of this method-"Coated parts can be air-cooled or water quenched. Higher gloss may be obtained by water quenching the part immediately after post heat."
Is this something anyone has herd of?
Steve-o

 

[fmcandrew]

No...but I could research it...I have heard, but not experienced, a piece lossing some gloss as it cools from the oven...so If you could cool it rapidly, perhaps it would not loose that gloss...just haven't seen that myself and I'm shooting almost exclusively in high gloss powders...

 

[fmcandrew]

It's been awhile since I posted in this thread...just keeping it alive with some engine bling I'm working on...

 

[marsmax85]

looks sweet !! :clapping:

 

[PATMAX]

What is the color on those valve covers? I have red on my daily driver but was thinking if using the chrome under a translucent red. Thanks for keeping the thread fresh.

 

[fmcandrew]

Pat,

I bought the covers polished and shot a transparent red (Eastwood) over it (on the thick side to get that candy look). For most of the other red items on my bike I did exactly what you stated...translucent red over chrome powder. The bolts will be mirror black...just gives it a very personal look.

I'll pull my origionals, strip & shoot mirror black - then see if anyone wants them.

Marsmax85 - I appreciate the compliment...it's a hobby that's turned into an obsession

 

[PATMAX]

I can't say I have an obsession but I have more parts prepped and stripped that I could possibly consume myself. I am not doing as much technical research and study as I should. People talk about "doing something you love", well I like working with my hands and I sure ain't making money with PC'ing. It affords me the ability to maintain or buy more Vmax stuff though.
I really respect and enjoy our community but I'd be lying if I said its all roses and sunshine. While my cores are usually of the highest caliber, I do get sub par parts in exchange. I've lost out a few times with "unusable" parts of which the pile is getting larger but I learned a few lessons and try to out a caveat out that if something is damage or worn beyond reason, I must be able to back out of a price or deal. I disdain having to do that and will do whatever extra needed to make it work out. Sure there are days where I just don't want to sit with my face in a media blaster but I try to treat all as I would hope to be treated.
In the end, there are probably enough guys just on this Forum spread out the USA to preclude anyone to having to start their own PC ing venture but local shops can do good work. Not all are reasonably priced. If you think you might enjoy seeing results of your own handiwork, go for it! There is plenty of us willing to help.

 

[fmcandrew]

I hear ya Pat...I have a full time job and a CPA firm on the side, so making a living off of PC is not in the immediate future. I do, however, truly enjoy taking something that looked like **** and make it better than new. You & Sean are saints to this community...being in business does involve risks, but you both extend that a bit further than I'd be comfortable with. I don't turn work down, but I don't aggressively seek it out either. I like to go the extra step & spend the extra time...it's a benefit to those I help but it carries a cost and most certainly erodes margins...

I like learning new things and I'm lucky I have the funds to support my interests. The new flavor is welding...maybe, when I'm semi retired, I'll open a small shop and just offer services for the recreational market...I like doing it because it beats sitting on my arse all day long

 

[bazwell]

Pat, maybe just charge a deposit on your exchange parts. Refund the deposit when you get "the correct return part in powder coatable condition" back in your hands.
That way people know what it could cost them if they don't return it, and you never need to chase anyone up!

 

[Karmakatt]

Sean just finished a 3" Extended Swingarm in cherry Apple Red Powder Coat along with a few other pieces...I'll send some pics when we're done..

 

[Traumahawk]

That is looking VERY nice.

 

[Karmakatt]

Thanks man...we've been planning since December. Should raise a few eyebrows when she's done

 

[PATMAX]

Great idea from Bazwell. I sorta wish I didn't have to do that as I'm always the trusting type and for the most part, the Vmax community is pretty good. It's not a business I run so if I had to take a few. "Hits ", it would kill my budget and ability to provide this service.
I have been lax in posting up my work here so I better get busy!

 

[fmcandrew]

Hey guys...every now & then I get the urge to test a product to see if it'll make the powder coating experience even more enjoyable. One of my least favorite activities is stripping the part to be PC'd. I've tried everything and it always seemed that everything worked OK, but nothing worked great. Additionally, the processes that worked OK, kinda took forever. Case in point...bought 5 gallons of Berryman's professional parts cleaner. Stuff works really well at removing grease/dirt, but was also supposed to be an aggressive paint remover. While it does remove paint...aggressive isn't the term I'd use as I've left parts soaking for 48 hours only to find 20% of the paint still stubbornly attached...I haven't tried a PC'd item, but I'm sure it wouldn't do much to it.

So...while surfing my PC supplier of choice, I noticed a new stripping product. At $30/gal I figured what the hell. The stuff is called S-6 Snap Stripper and all I can say is WOW!!!!

This **** (while nasty) will strip anything you put in it (and I mean anything) in litterly 1 - 2 MINUTES!!! And does it completely!! I stripped all my engine side cases & kickstand in 15 minutes.

Pros:

1. Fastest stripper I've ever seen
2. PC, paint, gasket material, whatever...gone in minutes
3. Easy to use...just dip, or brush on
4. Only water rinse required
5. Very, very slow evaporation rate (even in open air).
6. Can be used in a plastic bucket - no special container required

Cons:

1. Nasty - There is a price to pay for the speed...use in WELL VENTED area & have good safety equipment on (I suggest outside use)
2. Aluminum - It does attack it, but you only need 2 minutes, so I saw zero damage on my parts
3. No flashing agent - the kickstand, after being rinsed with water, flash rusted in about 5 minutes. No big deal, there are ways around this (I ususally bead blast and phosphate before I PC - especially with steel)

Unknown:

1. Cost effective - I guess it depends on how long it lasts. I purchased Erase (PC stripper) at a higher cost and it didn't strip paint & enamels very well, if at all (but has held up well after considerable use). The S-6 has already saved me a boat load of time. With all other strippers I'd always bake the part after stripping just so that I could see all the missed clear coat (it would turn brown) that had to be blasted off.
2. Longevity - Time will tell. I need to redu the Vrod I did last winter (fiance doesn't like the color) so I'll be putting the product through its paces this summer

Link is below...personally I feel this is the first product that does what it claims.

http://www.shop.allpowderpaints.com/Strippers-Removers_c158.htm

 

[fmcandrew]

First time shooting calipers...broke them in half, yanked the pistons & seals, degreased, then bead blasted...look like new

I decided to mask the mating surfaces...some do, some don't. First time using this green clear high temp tape. This stuff rocks! Sticks very well, easy to trim and transparent. Blows the Eastwood tape away!!

Semi-finished product...still needs bolts shot in wet black and re-assembly

Fronts are being done too! Sean sold me a decent pair, but they look spanking new now!

 

[Karmakatt]

Some more of Sean's work on KarmaMaxx..

 

[[email protected]]

Is this a vmax part or something you picked up at the **** shop?

 

[customizedcreationz]

Hey I think my wife has one of those in her drawer......

 

[Karmakatt]

Actually, they're D3 Rubber/Adonized Aluminum Bar Grips to match the rest of my newly modded Max. Kind of surprised you guys didn't see that. Considering you spend your entire life on this forum :rofl_200: