Powder coated one of my wheels

I just got done with my first wheel for the Model A, it came out pretty good I think. I got a free oven from a buddy's mother who just got a new one I had my own powder coat gun but until now was using just a small toaster over. The color I went with is caramel got the powder off ebay for $18.00 I'll do all 4 wheels pretty cheep. I did only do the face the rest I will spray bomb

 

wow great job. looks awesome! so how hard is it to get set up doing pwder coat for home use?? Can you enlighten us? I am interested

 

Looks very good, I agree with 19-c can you send details and how hard was it?

 

X3 for a how-to!

 

Its not hard at all, I started watching some videos on youtude. I would say the hardest part is the prep. the parts need to be real clean. I have a blast cabinet already for removing most anything rust paint, then I wipe it down with a solvent usually acetone it what I have on hand then blow it off with the air hose. I did check first with an oven thermometer to make sure it was close or right on the temp. I bought my gun off ebay its a Craftsman powder coat gun no need for the air compressor it creates its own like a hair drier. I preheat the oven around 375-380 some power company's let you know the best temp settings and bake times. I usually find that 20-25 minutes its good. I have had some bad luck no matter how careful I am may be the old metal with contaminates not sure but if it does come out crappy its a pain to get the coating off with a blaster you need a chemical to remove it first.

 

One thing I forgot to add is the 20 minute time starts after you see the part in the oven take on a dull shine that's what I was recommended so the part is at temp because the thicker the material the longer it take to get to temp.

 

I think it would be fun to try. Hmmmmm I wonder if the wife wants a new oven for her birthday?? A win win situaiton haha

 

so there is no electricity involved in powder coating the parts? I always thought they charged the parts so the powder would stick??

 

That's how I started with the toaster oven the wife loves the new one. Also a very important note the oven must be electric no gas, our oven is gas so I hade to settle for the toaster oven.

 

I have to say that wheel turned out really good and should hold up for a very long time .
I haven't tried to do any parts yet but I have read a lot about powder coating and everyone says the very same thing . The most important thing to do besides having the right temperature is that the parts must be super clean form all contaminates ! Other than that is seems to be a fairly simple process that most any of us should be able to do .
I hope the other 3 wheels turn out a nice as the first one did .
Great Job !

RetroJim

 

Dude that looks great, love that color.....Camel huh?

 

Had another thought, aluminum a different process that plain steel. I found out the hard way it came out all bumpy and semi dull You have more prep there including degassing the piece first baking in the oven for a period of time. I have not got this down yet working on that next because I want to do my intake for the A.

 

Hey, 74;

Wheel looks real nice.

Just out of curiosity, how do you control the thickness of the coating on the wheel, esp around the lugnut area? Reason I ask is, because @ work (a large midwest transit bus co), they found out *real* quick-like, that too thick a coating (done by an after-market jobber), meant the lugnuts wouldn't hold torque, & the coating would peel off, too.
Granted, they use (almost flat)flat-captured-washer-nuts, & torque them to ~ 500 lb-ft, & auto/small truck use a tapered nut, but I'm curious as to how well this lasts & the nuts hold torque. Not sure what the auto/truck wheel industry standard for thickness is - & can't say I've had a problem, either. Got some wheels that will need to be done in the future, is why I ask.

Anybody care to chime in?

TIA.

Marcus...

 

nice job on the wheel

 

My gun has a ground clip that you attach the parts that's where the static comes to play. You get the tip of the gun to close to the part you with hear a snap from the static if you are touching the part at that time you get the shock from it.

 

Thanks for all the great comments.

 

A quick way to remove powder that has been cured is with a torch. Just run a flame across it long enough to turn it to ash, then wire brush or back to the blaster.

I have been using a Eastwood gun for years with great results along with a old kitchen oven.
Joe

 

Do have a Eastwood gun but never seem to use it, the advantage to that gun is they hold lot more powder being you can just put the powder coat container right on the gun. My Craftsman gun you can only load so much powder, but I only do small items so it has not bothered me yet.

 

Mmmmmm, I love powder coat!

 

Does it stink really bad when you bake the parts? would you dare do it in the house or will it stink the whole house up??

 

It doesn't smell bad, but it doesn't smell great either. Just kinda smells like what you might expect cooking paint to smell like. But not in a bad chemical way. It doesn't really linger.

 

I see Eastwood had a "hot coat" gun for about $70 and a "dual voltage" gun for about $175 any experiences with either one??

 

I would not use the oven in your house, they are warnings that if you use the oven for powder coating you don't want to cook food in it any longer.

I have used the Eastwood gun I do own one but have not touched it in a long time since I bought the craftsman gun. Someone else may chime in who uses ether of those guns. the one I have uses a low amount of air pressure and pretty much is the same operation as my Craftsman but I don't need to fire up the compressor. I believe I paid $65.00 for the Craftsman.

 

Im looking for an oven also/ used / free, be sure to clean the oven out well before using it, whatever baked on grease etc my contaminate your powder. What ebay seller did you get the powder from ?

 

The powder I bought on ebay came from this seller powdercoat101

 

Hey fellas I happen to own a powder coating shop here Wyoming I recommend Prismatic Powders for my powder. They offer 6500 hundred different finishes and its very affordable. There are so many possibilities with powder coating.

 

You can also remove powder coat with regular old Zip Strip paint remover. Brush it on nice and thick, and the powder coat will start to bubble up. Scrape off the majority of it with a putty knife, and the rest comes off easily in the blast cabinet.

 

I like it because you don't have to wait for the paint to cure all it it takes is 10 minutes for the part to cool down to room temp and it's ready to install. I got a free oven and a free toaster oven from my same buddy. It's surprising how much stuff that can be done in a yard sale toaster oven with no big investment. I use an Eastwood gun and powders. There are probably cheaper suppliers but it works for me.

An oven in the garage takes up a lot of valuable space. I keep the powders and gun in the oven but I got excited about a project and I preheated the oven and forgot to unload it and I had to buy a new one and restock my powders.



The linkage was powder coated in a bench top toaster oven and installed only minutes after they were coated.

 

I also have a Craftsman, the best part about it is has it's own built in fan for spraying but it's a pain to clean up afterwards. I like the Eastwood Hotcoater because you just screw the jar into it. If I ever buy another it will be the Hotcoater. Here's my set up...

 

I did this Model T light a few days ago came out pretty good has a great shine.