powder coating on the cheap
 

I just got into this recently. as usual the CHEAP ASS(TM) stuff coming
in from the chinese industrial revolution has provided me with a
complete system so inexpensive I couldn't *not* try it.

Armed with some black "micro texture" polyester (which is what most
people think of when you say powdercoated it's semi-gloss with a fine
uniform sandblasted looking texture) and some halogen work lamps, I
coated most of the brackets in my engine compartment, valve cover, my
intake manifold, air cleaner housing and everything else I could get a
hold of...

This stuff is remarkably easy to work with, I concocted a makeshift oven
with bricks and the halogen lamps... after some fiddling to make the
inside more air tight and considerably longer baking times than what is
called for with infrared lamps; I had a hard plastic, very tough and
attractive coating.

A reasonably crafty person can easilly do production quality finishes
with this setup in a garage. I wont mention (lest I be accused of spam)
where I got the setup.

--
Simon
"I may be wrong, but I'm not uncertain." -- Robert A. Heinlein

Re: powder coating on the cheap
 

But how will it hold up? Real powdercoating is done around 500-450degF.
__________________________________________________ ___________________
2003 TJ Rubicon * 2001 XJ Sport * 1971 Bill Stroppe Baja Bronco

"There is a very fine line between 'hobby' and 'mental illness'."

Pronunciation: 'jEp Function: noun Date: 1940

Etymology: from g. p. (G= 'Government' P= '80 inch wheelbase')
A small general-purpose motor vehicle with 80" wheelbase, 1/4-ton
capacity and four-wheel drive used by the U.S. army in World War II.
__________________________________________________ ___________________

Simon Juncal wrote:
> I just got into this recently. as usual the CHEAP ASS(TM) stuff coming
> in from the chinese industrial revolution has provided me with a
> complete system so inexpensive I couldn't *not* try it.
>
> Armed with some black "micro texture" polyester (which is what most
> people think of when you say powdercoated it's semi-gloss with a fine
> uniform sandblasted looking texture) and some halogen work lamps, I
> coated most of the brackets in my engine compartment, valve cover, my
> intake manifold, air cleaner housing and everything else I could get a
> hold of...
>
> This stuff is remarkably easy to work with, I concocted a makeshift oven
> with bricks and the halogen lamps... after some fiddling to make the
> inside more air tight and considerably longer baking times than what is
> called for with infrared lamps; I had a hard plastic, very tough and
> attractive coating.
>
> A reasonably crafty person can easilly do production quality finishes
> with this setup in a garage. I wont mention (lest I be accused of spam)
> where I got the setup.
>

Re: powder coating on the cheap
 

But how will it hold up? Real powdercoating is done around 500-450degF.
__________________________________________________ ___________________
2003 TJ Rubicon * 2001 XJ Sport * 1971 Bill Stroppe Baja Bronco

"There is a very fine line between 'hobby' and 'mental illness'."

Pronunciation: 'jEp Function: noun Date: 1940

Etymology: from g. p. (G= 'Government' P= '80 inch wheelbase')
A small general-purpose motor vehicle with 80" wheelbase, 1/4-ton
capacity and four-wheel drive used by the U.S. army in World War II.
__________________________________________________ ___________________

Simon Juncal wrote:
> I just got into this recently. as usual the CHEAP ASS(TM) stuff coming
> in from the chinese industrial revolution has provided me with a
> complete system so inexpensive I couldn't *not* try it.
>
> Armed with some black "micro texture" polyester (which is what most
> people think of when you say powdercoated it's semi-gloss with a fine
> uniform sandblasted looking texture) and some halogen work lamps, I
> coated most of the brackets in my engine compartment, valve cover, my
> intake manifold, air cleaner housing and everything else I could get a
> hold of...
>
> This stuff is remarkably easy to work with, I concocted a makeshift oven
> with bricks and the halogen lamps... after some fiddling to make the
> inside more air tight and considerably longer baking times than what is
> called for with infrared lamps; I had a hard plastic, very tough and
> attractive coating.
>
> A reasonably crafty person can easilly do production quality finishes
> with this setup in a garage. I wont mention (lest I be accused of spam)
> where I got the setup.
>

Re: powder coating on the cheap
 

But how will it hold up? Real powdercoating is done around 500-450degF.
__________________________________________________ ___________________
2003 TJ Rubicon * 2001 XJ Sport * 1971 Bill Stroppe Baja Bronco

"There is a very fine line between 'hobby' and 'mental illness'."

Pronunciation: 'jEp Function: noun Date: 1940

Etymology: from g. p. (G= 'Government' P= '80 inch wheelbase')
A small general-purpose motor vehicle with 80" wheelbase, 1/4-ton
capacity and four-wheel drive used by the U.S. army in World War II.
__________________________________________________ ___________________

Simon Juncal wrote:
> I just got into this recently. as usual the CHEAP ASS(TM) stuff coming
> in from the chinese industrial revolution has provided me with a
> complete system so inexpensive I couldn't *not* try it.
>
> Armed with some black "micro texture" polyester (which is what most
> people think of when you say powdercoated it's semi-gloss with a fine
> uniform sandblasted looking texture) and some halogen work lamps, I
> coated most of the brackets in my engine compartment, valve cover, my
> intake manifold, air cleaner housing and everything else I could get a
> hold of...
>
> This stuff is remarkably easy to work with, I concocted a makeshift oven
> with bricks and the halogen lamps... after some fiddling to make the
> inside more air tight and considerably longer baking times than what is
> called for with infrared lamps; I had a hard plastic, very tough and
> attractive coating.
>
> A reasonably crafty person can easilly do production quality finishes
> with this setup in a garage. I wont mention (lest I be accused of spam)
> where I got the setup.
>

Re: powder coating on the cheap
 

I'm not afraid to mention vendors that I have no financial stake in.
Dunno where you bought your powdercoat system, but Eastwood is featuring
a bottom-of-the-line system for about $125 (use your own toaster-oven),
they go up to the multi-thousands from there:

<URL:http://www.eastwoodco.com/>

Their dead-tree catalogue came in the mail last week. It's a
stroke-book for tool junkies.

Mmmmm. English wheel.....


Simon Juncal wrote:
> I just got into this recently. as usual the CHEAP ASS(TM) stuff coming
> in from the chinese industrial revolution has provided me with a
> complete system so inexpensive I couldn't *not* try it.
>
> Armed with some black "micro texture" polyester (which is what most
> people think of when you say powdercoated it's semi-gloss with a fine
> uniform sandblasted looking texture) and some halogen work lamps, I
> coated most of the brackets in my engine compartment, valve cover, my
> intake manifold, air cleaner housing and everything else I could get a
> hold of...
>
> This stuff is remarkably easy to work with, I concocted a makeshift oven
> with bricks and the halogen lamps... after some fiddling to make the
> inside more air tight and considerably longer baking times than what is
> called for with infrared lamps; I had a hard plastic, very tough and
> attractive coating.
>
> A reasonably crafty person can easilly do production quality finishes
> with this setup in a garage. I wont mention (lest I be accused of spam)
> where I got the setup.
>

Re: powder coating on the cheap
 

I'm not afraid to mention vendors that I have no financial stake in.
Dunno where you bought your powdercoat system, but Eastwood is featuring
a bottom-of-the-line system for about $125 (use your own toaster-oven),
they go up to the multi-thousands from there:

<URL:http://www.eastwoodco.com/>

Their dead-tree catalogue came in the mail last week. It's a
stroke-book for tool junkies.

Mmmmm. English wheel.....


Simon Juncal wrote:
> I just got into this recently. as usual the CHEAP ASS(TM) stuff coming
> in from the chinese industrial revolution has provided me with a
> complete system so inexpensive I couldn't *not* try it.
>
> Armed with some black "micro texture" polyester (which is what most
> people think of when you say powdercoated it's semi-gloss with a fine
> uniform sandblasted looking texture) and some halogen work lamps, I
> coated most of the brackets in my engine compartment, valve cover, my
> intake manifold, air cleaner housing and everything else I could get a
> hold of...
>
> This stuff is remarkably easy to work with, I concocted a makeshift oven
> with bricks and the halogen lamps... after some fiddling to make the
> inside more air tight and considerably longer baking times than what is
> called for with infrared lamps; I had a hard plastic, very tough and
> attractive coating.
>
> A reasonably crafty person can easilly do production quality finishes
> with this setup in a garage. I wont mention (lest I be accused of spam)
> where I got the setup.
>

Re: powder coating on the cheap
 

I'm not afraid to mention vendors that I have no financial stake in.
Dunno where you bought your powdercoat system, but Eastwood is featuring
a bottom-of-the-line system for about $125 (use your own toaster-oven),
they go up to the multi-thousands from there:

<URL:http://www.eastwoodco.com/>

Their dead-tree catalogue came in the mail last week. It's a
stroke-book for tool junkies.

Mmmmm. English wheel.....


Simon Juncal wrote:
> I just got into this recently. as usual the CHEAP ASS(TM) stuff coming
> in from the chinese industrial revolution has provided me with a
> complete system so inexpensive I couldn't *not* try it.
>
> Armed with some black "micro texture" polyester (which is what most
> people think of when you say powdercoated it's semi-gloss with a fine
> uniform sandblasted looking texture) and some halogen work lamps, I
> coated most of the brackets in my engine compartment, valve cover, my
> intake manifold, air cleaner housing and everything else I could get a
> hold of...
>
> This stuff is remarkably easy to work with, I concocted a makeshift oven
> with bricks and the halogen lamps... after some fiddling to make the
> inside more air tight and considerably longer baking times than what is
> called for with infrared lamps; I had a hard plastic, very tough and
> attractive coating.
>
> A reasonably crafty person can easilly do production quality finishes
> with this setup in a garage. I wont mention (lest I be accused of spam)
> where I got the setup.
>

Re: powder coating on the cheap
 

Lee Ayrton wrote:
> I'm not afraid to mention vendors that I have no financial stake in.
> Dunno where you bought your powdercoat system, but Eastwood is featuring
> a bottom-of-the-line system for about $125 (use your own toaster-oven),
> they go up to the multi-thousands from there:

ah you pried it out of me: Columbia coatings
http://www.columbiacoatings.com/
they have the harbor freight system starting at 65 bucks which is
cheaper than HF usually sells it for, and they include a few bits you'll
want.

--
Simon
"I may be wrong, but I'm not uncertain." -- Robert A. Heinlein

Re: powder coating on the cheap
 

Lee Ayrton wrote:
> I'm not afraid to mention vendors that I have no financial stake in.
> Dunno where you bought your powdercoat system, but Eastwood is featuring
> a bottom-of-the-line system for about $125 (use your own toaster-oven),
> they go up to the multi-thousands from there:

ah you pried it out of me: Columbia coatings
http://www.columbiacoatings.com/
they have the harbor freight system starting at 65 bucks which is
cheaper than HF usually sells it for, and they include a few bits you'll
want.

--
Simon
"I may be wrong, but I'm not uncertain." -- Robert A. Heinlein

Re: powder coating on the cheap
 

Lee Ayrton wrote:
> I'm not afraid to mention vendors that I have no financial stake in.
> Dunno where you bought your powdercoat system, but Eastwood is featuring
> a bottom-of-the-line system for about $125 (use your own toaster-oven),
> they go up to the multi-thousands from there:

ah you pried it out of me: Columbia coatings
http://www.columbiacoatings.com/
they have the harbor freight system starting at 65 bucks which is
cheaper than HF usually sells it for, and they include a few bits you'll
want.

--
Simon
"I may be wrong, but I'm not uncertain." -- Robert A. Heinlein