This winter I want to take my bike apart and get it powder coated. My rattlecan paintjob looked nice but did not hold up very well to the tightening and adjustments that come with motor bicycling. Can anyone give me some information on what I should expect my costs to be to have the powder coating professionally done. I am going to have the frame and chainguard done but no fenders.
Powder coat costs?
- Thread starter raneyd
- Start date
Powder coat can vary between dealers,-If you want a basic color,check with a friend whom might work at a factory that coats their parts,they might help you out for nothing.I have my own oven and gun because of the expence.I can do a harley frame ,basic color for less than 10.00 a shop would charge 300.00-500.00 to do it.My first setup came from HARBOR FREIGHT and i still use it today.I have the use of a 30ft.x125 ft oven than can bake a semi truck bed.powder can also be baked, with a heat lamp think about setting up a small business at home to coat parts.You can do it for less than letting someone else do it for you.HARLEYS DAD
I just bought the same Harbor Freight powder gun on sale yesterday for $59.00. I bought the paints in 16 oz cans for $3.99 each. I found an oven on FREECYCLE.COM for free. I now powder coat my own parts. It's fun and cheap. Not hard at all.
Biker mike go to eastwood.com they have any color powder you could ever want. HARLEYS DAD
Yep, Eastwood, thats the place!
I understand you are joking, but just in case somebody doesn't know, my understanding is once an oven is used for powder coating, it is poisoned or contaminated for use by food. So don't use the kitchen oven for powder coat or the shop powder coat oven for food.
Jim
Jim
If anyone is looking for a great chrome.candy,hightemp,powder check out www.absolutepowdercoating.com.They also carry aerosol touch-up to match. HARLEYS DAD
Measured my oven, nope
Went to the second hand store and measured the ovens, nope
Measured an old pizza oven, close but still nope.
How would a person construct an oven big enough for a bicycle frame?
Went to the second hand store and measured the ovens, nope
Measured an old pizza oven, close but still nope.
How would a person construct an oven big enough for a bicycle frame?
If you are going to do this for yourself,try this ,get a old freezer and a couple of 1600 watt infra red lights.The freezer will hold the heat very well,if you let your oven preheat to 375 -425 this will work,your times will vary somewhat.Play with sone scrap and keep time on when your powder flows. HARLEYS DAD
The freezer idea is pretty darn good. On a couple sites they talk about the powder coat ovens and the fan system for air circulation. Do you think a freezer would need to circulate the air?
yes and no,you dont want to pull any air out of your box,you will loose all your heat fast.you can put an old computer fan in one courner to keep a small amount of air moveing.dont forget the powder will be blowned off before it cures. HARLEYS DAD
Dont forget the high temp tape or plugs to put in the bolt holes of your frame because the coating will distroy them.Rubber plugs work also.HARLEYS DAD
A guy at my work and I were discussing this today. We quickly concluded that there must be hundreds of different ways. Many cultures cook in ovens made of indiginous clays or pottery. People make their own kilns, brick ovens etc. Heat it w/ gas or electric if you only need 400-500 deg. Very interesting! I'm lookin' into it.
I would steer away from using gas as a heat source. Some paints are flammable when in dust form. I think the electric elements would be the safest way to go just in case. Just my two cents.
Any freezer or refrigerator that I have seen in the last 30 plus years has foam insulation. Ovens use fiberglass. I think the foam will melt?
Just a thought.
I don't follow the powder problem with bolt holes? Do you mean it will plug the holes?
Jim
Just a thought.
I don't follow the powder problem with bolt holes? Do you mean it will plug the holes?
Jim
Powder will get on threads,as it flows it will make them larger or smaller ,nuts and bolts will no longer fit untill you remove it.if you tape first you will avoid this.HARLEYS DAD
It's true you wouldn't wan't a gas element inside the oven chamber. I like the electric element approach for simplicity. You can leave the elements wired as they are and run 2 ovens worth in your new oven big enough for a frame (making sure that you have the amperage of course). Your oven in your kitchen is a steel box, wrapped in fiberglass (or other insulate), inside a steel box. There are no exotic materials (except maybe the ceramic coating which is for ease of cleaning). It doesn't need to seal; it just needs to hold temp. I think someone being thrifty about this could get a nice oven made for a couple maybe few hundred dollars. As was already mentioned ovens can be found free, insulation is not expensive, and steel can be salvaged fairly cheaply. Your biggest expenses are welding (if you have to pay for it) and steel. A brick oven could be done very cheaply; bricks can be had for free as well. Pardon the cliche, but the possibilities are endless. I'm gonna build one. I must look somewhat like the Cheshire Cat about now (I'm smiling with excitement)! Thanks for the thoughts everyone!
I would also look for double door storage cabinet,they are around 6ft tall 4ft wide and24inches deep.You could line it with foil back insulation board,lowes may have some damaged sheets for almost if not free ,check they might have a damaged cabinet also.I got one there a while ago for 20.00 HARLEYS DAD