Filling Pits before Powdercoating

I've got a set of valve covers and an oil pan for my 425 Olds I need to powdercoat...But they have some pits in them I need to make go away...Any tips on what I should use?

 

not bondo

 

Oh don't worry...I stopped all use of bondo when Boyd died, you know out of respect....

 

the metal to metal filler will work with powder coating

 

Use Lab metal... It is high heat resistant..similar to JB weld but better..I have used it with great success on powdercoated parts.. Jason.

 

Lab metal is expensive! My welding buddy told me the same thing...

How well does JB weld work? or is there an even better alternative to JB weld but not as expensive as Lab metal?

 

can you sand lab metal or JB weld to match the existing substrate?

 

We use "All Metal" which is in the bondo family but has a hign metal content. works good as long and oven temp does not get above 400 degrees. S

 

I'm sure you can....I brazed up an old John Deere seat frame that was cracked and then took J.B. weld and put it over where I brazed...then sanded it a bit and tapped it here and there with some 40 grit to get the cast texture back...Painted it green....Looks brandnew.

 

You can sand and file lab metal.. It is expensive but it is the best thing to use.. Gonna spend money on powdercoating but use inferior product underneath so it will pop when they heat it up?? You get what you pay for.. Jason.

 

What about using brass to fill the pits...like you can do for chroming? or lead? will they work?

 

If Lab metal is really the best thing to use...it kind of makes me want to just prime and paint them...It seems like there a alot of people who use J.B. Weld and get good results...

 

It all depends on the powdercoater.. If he gets his oven over about 400 it will pop.. My coater gets stuff up to 450 then down to 350 to cure...JB doesn't work for me...Jason

 

I'll have to ask how hot it gets...So how about brass and led as fillers? is it the same deal?

 

Solder is out, it melted. JB Weld looked like paint lift around the edges. Never used Lab Metal but it sounds like the way to go. My .02.

 

I use JB weld original formula, its cheap, its files and shapes well, and its happy in the oven. I do believe its all in the surface prep. I strip and clean the part, then I outgas (pre bake) the item before the jb goes on, then do the JB, feather it when its dry, and prep the item again with acetone, pre bake again and powder and bake to cure.
Always works well and I do lots of tanks with multi layers of base, flake, clears etc (equals many times through the oven.
admittedly, it did look like crap when I first started using and experimenting with it.

 

Why don't you go to the local bone yard and get valve covers and a pan from any late Olds V8. They all fit from 64 330's to late 307's. Including all big blocks, all sheet metal is interchangable. The only difference is the 60's Toro pans are 6 quart capacity with a windage plate inside, but you don't have to use it for the pan to work. If you get late 307 valve covers, they only have five holes for bolting it on but you can drill the places to use them on your 425 heads.

 

a friend recommended JB quick, claiming that it holds up to heat better. He says his powdercoater told him to use it. I have been using it on powdercoated parts and I have not had a problem yet. I just try to keep it as thin as possible, ad keep the surface clean.

 

who sells the lab metal ?
thanks

 

You know you just came up with probably the best way do it...

If I still need to fill the pits, I guess I'll try some lab metal...I really only want to coat them once with no problems.

 

we have a powdercoater here that swears by the JB Kwik. He used it on my shitty-assed oil pan, the only way you can tell where he used it is by the spots that actually look nice !!!

 

WOW! That Lab Metal stuff is around $170 a gallon! Not sure what quanities are available, but you would have to use a lot to make it worth your while. Like Jason said though, if you don't know what temps your powdercoater is running, you could be in for a disaster if you use anything else.

Specialized Coatings, here in Huntington Beach, told me to use JB Weld or "All Metal" filler as well, but their temps will allow it.

I think bottom line here is you better find out what temps your powdercoater is using first, then decide the direction to go. Looks like there are plenty of "easy" options for this sort of thing depending on the coaters process.

 

I've started some body work using JB Weld with the understanding that my body shop had used JB Weld when doing prior powder coating for me.

But I've just read the JB Weld package, which I should have done before using. JB Weld does not conduct electricity. I just used my multimeter to prove this.

Aren't the parts that get powder coated supposed to conduct electricity?

Thanks,

Mike

 

Talk to your LOCAL powdercoater. Lab Metal can be bought in pint cans. IASCO in Minneapolis sells it.

 

Fastenal is supposed to carry it, also.

Several of them in Omaha.

Mike

 

Lab metal HAS to go on a small bit at a time...it's not like bondo, you can only put it on so thick...if you've got a big hole to fill, you'll need to go over it with Lab Metal several times...it "builds", but not easily.

I've used it on a rear bumper where we did some welding and had to smooth it...it fills and sands decently and doesn't pop off when heated...prolly the best stuff for powdercoating out there...

R-

 

Use polyester body putty, it handels the heat very well. I have used it on many parts,it works doe's not lift.--TV

 

How big are the pits? If they are small, you can have it powder coated then sanded and coated again. I've done this with pieces that have very small pits with good results.


Doc.

 

Powder coater here told me he had a two part filler that could be used for filling small defects before powder coating.

 

Yes, but you can hot flock anything!
I once hot flocked a wood ball while coating some other stuff just to see if it would stick. I was using the ball as a plug at the time

I tried the "all metal" filler but didn't have great results. It changed shape after heating/coating. Might have been my rookie body work attempt too.

The JB Weld has worked very well for me. On larger patches I have pre heated the part in the oven and hot flocked it so the powder sticks to it. Came out great.