OK all you powdercoating pros out there! Just picked up a free oven today and want to start powdercoating my own parts. Any tips and pics of your setups would be appreciated!! Planning on picking up the Harbor freight gun. Does anyone have experience with it? If it is no good, please give me some ideas for a reasonably priced unit.

 

I have been powder coating for just over a year now with great results. I have 3 HF guns (one for blacks, one for grays & one for reds). Got them on sale for $50 each. I also have a 60 gallon 6.5 HP compressor & blasting cabinet. You got a better deal on the oven - paid $5o for mine. The process I follow is:

Blast the parts, bake them in the oven for 30 minutes at 400 degrees. Once they cool down, I put the parts in zip lock bags until I get enought parts to fill the oven with one color. Then I PC a batch, hang them in the oven, then turn the oven on (400 degrees) and bake for the curing time plus 5 minutes - it takes my oven 5 minutes to get to 400 degrees.

I have tried the Eastwood gun but favor the HF gun. The HF guns have a foot pedal versus a hand held trigger of the Eastwood.

One time I did a gloss black batch after doing a cast grey batch. I cleaned the heck out of the gun after the grey batch. I looked at the gloss black parts after they cured & they looked metallic! That is when I decided to have different guns for different color groups.

Picture of the engine compartment of my 76. All the brackets, gas line & vacuum lines, carb springs and thermostat housing are powder coated.



I would strongly suggest you cure in a well ventilated area. I have an exhaust fan in a window next to the oven. The "chrome" powder has the worst "aroma" when curing.

 

Same as above. I did the same have a double oven but bought the gun from Columbia Coatings (same as harbor freight) but comes with alot of the other stuff you could need tape plugs and some different powders and really great people to talk on the phone too (good help). I bead blast blow it all off and then wipe it all down with acetone. Don't touch the stuff unless you have disposable gloves(skin oils). He is right have enough to fill the oven. Learn how long you need to get it to heat and hold temp use a oven thermometer ( oven calibration). I have found that when you have a lot of nook and crannies it is best to preheat then shoot and bake. the powders have different temps but on the average only 20 min's to bake. Hay have fun and play with the powders you will not believe how it will work out. O yea really tought to get off if you mess up (aircraft stripper, a plastic bag and lots of time). GOD LUCK AND HAPPY COATING
wro87

 

I have the Eastwood system. Works pretty good.

I preheat everything now, it just works better.

and yes never bake inside or in an oven you eat out of!

Keith

 

what do u guys use to tape parts off with? the kinda tape from eastwood or does duck tape etc work?

 

Most vendors that sell powder, sell accessory items like hooks, hangers plugs and heat resistant tape. When I PC something that has areas I don't want powder on, I wrap the area with this special tape. Works very well.

I would not recommend using Duct tape - that could melt & possibly burn.

 

Before I pc a part, I'll typically blast it or scrub it clean, wipe it down then outgas at a bit higher than cure temperature for twice the cure temperature time - so if powder cure is 10 mins @ 400F, then I'll outgas for 20 mins @ 425F. Once it cools, I go over it with acetone and if the rag comes away dirty, re-outgas it then wipe it down again with acetone. I'll do this as many times as it takes for the rag to come away clean. Just before I hit it with the pc, I run a propane torch over the jub quickly to make sure there's no bits of lint or rag material left on the job.

I pre-heat the oven and put the part in for curing only once the oven's come up to temp - that way the part is only in tere for the cure time.

Personally, I only have one gun and use it for all my colours without any problems.

Don't use duct tape as that will turn to rat $hit and leave melted adhesive on your job. To mask parts up, either use hi-temp tape or even aluminium foil an ordinary masking tape. If you're worried about the tape burning during cure, wait until the powder starts to flow out then pull the part from the oven and unmask it then pop it back into the oven for full cure.

A few parts I've done for my 82...

 

Saudi,
The valve covers look terrific! What color is on them and is the black PC too?
Regards,
Alan

 

I have a hand-held Craftsman gun that was given to me. I also use a free oven that I put out in the shop. Have had fantastic results. Just wish I could find a larger oven. It would be nice to PC crossmembers, rad support etc. Here is a pic of the Enkei wheels that came with my Corvette. Kind of got that 'old-school' look.

 

Thanks Alan. They're powder coated with "chrome" powder and the black is "mirror black" pc.

Wayne

 

 

u do some beautiful work there Saudi

 

can i use the oven in my kitchen if i dont have a wife/gf to go nuts about it?

 

Thanks mate. I've also had some ball tearer stuff ups


I wouldn't, it can be a bit smelly and you shouldn't use the same oven for food

 

I have the Eastwood gun and I put the old oven out in my shop when I remodeled the kitchen. It's one of Montgomery Ward's finest appliances, but it gets the job done. I haven't used it all that much, but if I can turn out stuff 1/2 as nice as Saudivette's I
d be a happy guy.

 

what actually makes it so the oven would be bad for food? and i have an old toaster oven that is adjustable to 450, would that be suitable?

 

Thanks mate, but it's not super hard to do. Check this place out: http://forum.eastwoodco.com/forumdisplay.php?f=9
Loads of information and answers there


Go for it then. I still wouldn't prepare food in the oven once you've cured pc in it though

 

Every where I have read about powder coating strongly discourage the use of you regular oven. You do get spatter from the curing process. I should take a picture of theinside of my oven so you can see what a year plus of curing does.

Keep an eye out of Craigslist - I see ovens locally for free.

 

Five years later, the inside of my oven looks like hell. Still gets good and hot, though.

 

The bottom element looks BAD but as long as it works - we're happy!