Powder coating issue
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 2,084
Likes: 1
From: Aussie expat in Saudi Arabia
For someone new to powder coating, I'd say to stick with the "correct" method first. If nothing else, any mistakes are a whole lot harder to clean up if you spray an object hot. If you bugger it up spraying cold, then you only have to blow the powder off with your compressor and start again. Bugger it up hot and you have to actually strip the pc off...
C6 the C5 of tomorrow
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 6,665
Likes: 2
From: Twin Cities Minnesota
Wow, have you actually talked to anyone else about powdercoating?
The guys on the coating forums all preheat...(well maybe there are a few who don't)
I started out doing it cold, it's a LOT easier to do it hot, fewer mistakes, a more even coat. If you do bump it or touch it, first you damage it less because the powder is stuck on better, and if you really mess it up you let it cool, sand out the mistake, reheat and recoat.
The guys on the coating forums all preheat...(well maybe there are a few who don't)
I started out doing it cold, it's a LOT easier to do it hot, fewer mistakes, a more even coat. If you do bump it or touch it, first you damage it less because the powder is stuck on better, and if you really mess it up you let it cool, sand out the mistake, reheat and recoat.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 914
Likes: 10
From: Brooklet Ga.
I have a good friend who owns a powdercoating business and all of his stuff is slightly preheated, he has this huge machine with several stations the parts move hanging from a chain conveyer first to an alkaline cleaning bath then they move to a wash station that uses heated water to remove the alkaline cleaner, then they move to a hot air dryer and then to the actual coating booth from there they move to a station where the parts are hung on big racks with rollers and they are rolled into a big oven to melt the powder and slow cool to cure them. Hope this helps
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 2,084
Likes: 1
From: Aussie expat in Saudi Arabia
Wow, have you actually talked to anyone else about powdercoating?
The guys on the coating forums all preheat...(well maybe there are a few who don't)
I started out doing it cold, it's a LOT easier to do it hot, fewer mistakes, a more even coat. If you do bump it or touch it, first you damage it less because the powder is stuck on better, and if you really mess it up you let it cool, sand out the mistake, reheat and recoat.
The guys on the coating forums all preheat...(well maybe there are a few who don't)
I started out doing it cold, it's a LOT easier to do it hot, fewer mistakes, a more even coat. If you do bump it or touch it, first you damage it less because the powder is stuck on better, and if you really mess it up you let it cool, sand out the mistake, reheat and recoat.
There's a world of difference between pre-heating and hot-flocking, and I disagree completely with your comment "it's a LOT easier to do it hot" - this is obviously what works for you. If you find it hard to do with the parts cold then I think there's a problem with your gun.
Last edited by saudivette; Dec 31, 2008 at 01:47 AM.
