Had mine powder-coated by a down-&-out powder coater (he'd just lost a big commercil contract). Charged me $20 a wheel, and that included a second sand blasting to remove any traces of oil from handling. Being a big spender, I paid him $25 just 'cause I was so happy with the outcome. And have remained happy for over a year now. No chipping even though tires have been swapped twice. I vote powder-coating.
Powder. You'll get more film build and that will fill the blasting texture...plus...powder offers better coverage(unless you're an incredibly efficient painter)....and it's more cost efficient----sealer, color, catalyst, reducer vs. $20-40 a wheel. No brainer Spokes?....I'd rather paint roll bars or tubing!
powder is hands down the way to go. they want $75 a wheel 'round here. at that price i'll paint 'em myself, but check prices in your area. it would cost the same to have a bodyshop spray them.
Powder will hold up much better then paint ever will. I deal with two powder coaters here for my job. One of them showed me a job he did and it had a clear powder over the color. It was amazingly deep looking. It looked like it had 8 coats of clear over candy paint. Powder has come a long way in the past 5 years.
We are painting less and less and powder coating more and more. We pay $75 a wheel too and for that money it isn't worth dragging out all the spray equipment, the clean up, and the cost of paint and primer these days. Plus, it reaches into spots where you have trouble getting paint to go. Don
I have a set of spoked wheels and was told by the powder coater man that powder coating does not do well if it has to bridge a gap between the rim and the spokes (assuming the spokes are removeable and not welded). Because the spokes are removable or can be adjusted the wheel supposedly flexes along with the spokes. And so I opted for painting, but if everybody is doing the powder coating and are not finding a problem, then maybe I should rethink the whole thing.
Powder for sure. Never needs polishing and lasts forever. Powder coated my frame. A damp cloth and she's good to go.
If the spokes are removable, dismantling the wheel and having the rim and hub done separately would be better. I would go for plating or, if stainless, polishing the spokes to get the contrast. Look at the Borranis on the classic Ferraris to see what I mean. It's the contrast that makes them cool.
Your powder coater sounds like a quitter. I have been getting spoked wheel powder coated, for over 15-years, and have yet to see an issue. Best part, the 15-year-old ones look like they were done yesterday.
The Jalopy Journal
