DIY powder coat

[beerbattered]

Anyone have knowledge/opinions on home powder coat kits and supplies?

[civlized]

Originally Posted by beerbattered

Anyone have knowledge/opinions on home powder coat kits and supplies?

I just purchased a kit from Harbor Freight this past weekend. One thing I didn't know is you have to place any powder coated parts in an oven to cure them. Never really thought about how it works until after I bought it and started reading. Guess I need to find an oven. Not a good idea to use the kitchen oven for this.

[LS614]

You can find used or even new electric ovens that are super cheap. Also, check out the powder coat kit at Eastwood Automotive, it's pretty affordable and easy. The only catch that Civlized mentioned is that you need an oven other than the one in your kitchen, and you are limited to what you can powder coat by the size of that oven

[2door]

Some home powder coat kits use heat lamps instead of an oven. The limiting factor is size of the piece you're doing. To do a complete bike frame would require several high wattage heat lamps and the item needs to be rotated so it heats evenly. DO NOT put powder coated parts in your kitchen oven. It can leave toxic residue.
By the way here's a hint: If you go to a local powder coating shop, ask if they have any large runs of a particular color coming up. Often they will throw your parts in with a large batch. This is usually base colors, black, blue, red, etc. I had a complete Ford rear axle housing done for the cost of materials, about $7.00, because the powder coater was doing lawn furniture in gloss black for a local landscape company. He just threw my housing in with the chairs and tables.
Tom

[OCCstingray]

If the parts you are powder coating are small enough, you could always use an old toaster oven to bake them. Or like 2door said, I have seen powder coating kits that use heat lamps to cure the parts. I have been looking into getting that same kit from harbor freight as well, but haven't got around to getting it yet. Powder coating has many benifits, more durable, easier cleanup, and more full-proof in applying because it won't run like regular paint will.

[Buzzard]

Here's how I prepare all my steel frames, first I glass bead all the paint entirely off the frame and fork, disassembled from the frame, knock out all cups and hardware, check for knicks and dings and magnaflux for cracks and imperfections, commercial powder coat at my dealer for a bike frame is $45. Choice of colors and metal flecking, black and silver are my favorites.
buzzard

[Humsuckler]

id definitley look at the eastwood kit as i have had experience with them ask yourself this, whos been restoring antique cars for years.... harbor freight? nah. lol

its fairly easy, and you can recover your sprayed powder with a spray box built with a shop vac and a filter

i have baked parts with much success inside of a $25 used oven, as well as a toaster oven.

i can tell you right now that researching parts prep methods should be your main learning concern as the actual pc work is easy

have fun! buy eastwood

if you dont clean your prepped parts rght, dirt, gunk, and solvents will come through your powder and result in an inperfect sheen.

you can create candys and multi layers by "hot flashing" altho you have to be reasonably quick as you have to pull your baking parts fromt eh oven and lay your topcoat on and get them back in so the two colors will blend,

[Buzzard]

I would like to do my own powder coating but parts as big as a bike frame need an oven as big as a refrigerator and they cost into the $1000s and my shops too small for one even if I could afford it.
Eastwood makes some excellent products I have one of their metal buffing set ups that works great. Right now I'm looking into an anodizing set up. I would like to anodize some aluminum bike rims and other small parts. You can get into this with out a huge outlay of cash. I've already got a large battery charger and sulfuric acid and distilled water are relatively cheap. I'll have to find a container large enough for the rims that the acid won't eat up or destroy. I understand some plastics will work.

[LS614]

I'd say that the most chemically resistant plastic is HDPE or #2 plastic. I would reccomend looking in a marine or agricultural supply place. An automotive store might have an HDPE bin big enough for 1 rim. It depends on the size. Good Luck!