I want to introduce myself, I write for a a DIY powder coating site. I have been powder coating for several years now and I just made the site to make it easier for other new powder coaters to get started. I started powder coating parts for a restoration several years ago and I am very happy happy with the outcome. Been doing it ever since. If anyone else here is interested in powder coating or already is into powder coating, you might want to check the site out. Powder Coating: The Complete Guide I just finished an article on How to build your own powder coating oven. Feel free to ask me any powder coating questions, I would be happy to answer them.
Your article on building the oven is interesting and well done. However ,the $1,000 for materials to build it takes it out of the realm of diy for me. For a small commercial shop with some dedicated space this set up could work to your advantage.
I know a guy that made his oven from a double deck pizza oven. cut the top from one, the bottom outa the other and added about 3' to the middle. kept the heating element.
The powder chromes are still nowhere near the brilliance of actual chrome. The closest I have seen so far would be ceramic coating, but they are still lacking.
Thanks. $1,000 is not very economical unless you will be doing a lot of powder coating. If you're just doing your own project, you can do all of the small to medium parts in a household oven and outsource the large stuff to a shop.
I have seen several very innovative powder coating ovens. Usually they are more interesting than actual purpose built ovens. People have used filing cabinets, fridges/freezers, double ovens with the center cut out and pregnant ovens. There are some good cheap ways to go about it. When I find another household oven to go with my current one, I plan to cut the sides off of each of them, use some sheet metal to bridge the gap between the two, brace them together with some angle iron. If it doesn't work out, all of the materials were free so no big loss.
Saw one awhile ago, two ovens back to back with the backs removed and a short 'tunnel' connecting them. The convection fans were relocated and in use. .
I have an oven that a friend of mine pulled out of his mother's house after a remodel. It works great, but it will only take a 14" wheel not a 15". (if you don't see it, I am on a very small budget.)
Everyone want a gas oven out here.... electrics are at the curb for free...... Yes- 15'' inch wheels and then some..... Plus+ tortillas on the top! The fans gotta be on in the shop though...... Although a DIY deal,the outlay of $ I have saved is- well, beyond. Everything,and anything that will fit get's done. Painting days are over,unless it's spray bomb,and that get's prepped like no tomorrow.....
I remember after the first few batches of powder coating, I was very happy to say goodbye to spray paint. It is great to be able to apply a finish that can take a beating without dealing with the hassles of wet paint. You're welcome.
I bought a Redline Ez50 gun when my local powder coater wanted $75 minimum on some small brackets. I found a good used oven on Craigslist for $50. I love the finish and can't beat the price. I want to build a bigger oven though. I like welding. Thinking of building an oven out of some plate I have. Here's some parts finishing up..
Just finished a new article. Learn how to spray multiple coats. Also covers 2 tones and fades. http://www.powdercoatguide.com/2015/07/spraying-multiple-coats.html#.Vbj3mrWz5kE
Decent site, but certainly not a 'complete' guide.... I've been home coating for probably 7-8 years with good results. There's been some miscues on occasion, but you learn from them. One stripping method you missed is a torch/wire brush. Heating the coating will soften it and you can wire brush it off in most cases. A propane torch is all that's needed, use a hand brush for the best results. This will remove most of the coating in all cases, sometimes all of it, you may need to follow up with some sand blasting. Trying sand blasting only is a waste of time, it takes forever... I don't care for the chemical strippers, too messy/expensive. Scotchbrite discs work pretty well too, but some care needs to be exercised on softer parts. One subject you missed entirely is 'filler', i.e. what do you use to fix defects in a surface before coating. There are specialized fillers available, but all are expensive. I've had decent luck with JB Weld, but the only sure method is to fill with metal, welding or brazing. DON'T use solder, it will run off at cure temperatures. Very good advice about 'outgassing'; any cast part should be 'cooked' prior to coating, particularly cast aluminum parts that have seen use in oily/greasy environments. It may take more than one heating cycle to get it all out. Multiple coats can be done with the 'pre heat' method, it just takes some practice. Great choice for battery trays if you apply 3-4 coats. You can sand runs/defects out between coats with 220 paper. 'Chrome' coatings are a waste of time; you'll get neither the brilliance or the durability of plating. They photograph much better than they look in real life... Prep prior to coating will effect how well the coating will resist chipping/peeling. The smoother the surface, the more likely it will chip. Best results will be with a sandblasted surface. I wouldn't recommend blasting chrome as this will 'fracture' the plating and can lead to the plating peeling off. Powder will stick pretty decently to chrome as-is. Do make sure any 'loose' plating is removed though... One thing to keep in mind about powdercoat; while it's a very durable finish, IT'S NOT PAINT. Powder actually has a softer surface compared to paint (which is why it doesn't chip as easily) but will 'micro-scratch' very easily/quickly and it will be almost impossible to remove these (think about the plastic toys you had or buy for your kids and how they dull over time). It's also impossible to touch up if it gets chipped/scratched. If you want to use it on body panels or trim items, a top coat of hardened urethane clear will help a lot to fix this, but you're back to a finish that will chip. Absolutely great stuff when used in the right place, but again, it's not paint.
Thank you very much for sharing your experience. You put out a lot of info and it's very generous of you to share it. I will be checking back in on your site. Thanks again!
Thanks for the comments Steve. It is a work in progress, I add info every couple of months when I am in the mood for writing the articles. Not going quite as fast as I expected. I will be covering filling techniques in the future, I have used both lab metal and jb weld to fill with good results. I personally found the wire brush to be slower than sandblasting and didn't continue on with it, I haven't explored that area any more since I now have a drum of powder stripper that makes short work out of any "oops" situations. I will give your method a try and if it works as well, I will include it on the site. I personally am not a huge fan of chrome powder coat either, something about it just has a lifeless look. to me. However, it has its place as a base coat for candies. I actually really like the bonded black chrome. It isn't true to an actual black chrome shine, but I like the gunmetal look of it. I completely agree with you as far as the prep. Just like paint, prep is everything, well along with following the correct cure temp and time.
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