Where can I learn how to set up for powdercoat?

[julianf]

I know a few people on here have DIY bits from frosts etc but are there some forums about elsewhere that are more tuned into powdercoat?

As an example, I see plenty of setups on eBay by Norden but, even though the Norden website has tons of datasheets, I can never find the right info, and don't really know where to begin.

I'm hoping to find a forum where there are both hobbiests and also people are working on a pro or semi pro level (like this is for welding, or ukworkshop is for wood...) but for powder.

Can anyone point me towards anywhere?

 

[Gingle]

Auto body 101.com

 

[julianf]

Thank you. If that the best or are there others too?

 

[julianf]

Hmm... I just did a search on the forum for nordson (I spelt it right this time) and got a grand total of two hits...

From what ebay sales imply, nordson is one of the large players in the equipment provision so I'm surprised by just getting two single hits.

Either I'm entirely mistaken about using the brand to gauge level or conversation, or it's maybe not what I'm looking for?

 

[graffian]

There were three or four forums.
Powder by the Pound, Columbia Coatings and Caswell Coatings.
Not 100% sure on the names, they were sites that flogged stuff and had forums.
Think there may have been a powdercoatingforum.com
They seemed to be mostly DIY but had some pretty fancy setups, I have seen pics
of an oven with a car chassis in.

 

[julianf]

oven with a car chassis in.

You have to wonder about anyone powder coating a chasiss....

I guess if someone is paying you to do it, and thats what they want...

Thank you, i will check out the forums you mention.

 

[Ashley Burton]

@julianf think you've got enough things to powdercoat?

 

[julianf]

@julianf think you've got enough things to powdercoat?

I wouldn't powdercoat any personal stuff at all, as I think it's an inferior finish.

It is, however, quick and cheap to apply, and buyers, incorrectly, think it's somthing special.

 

[Ashley Burton]

I wouldn't powdercoat any personal stuff at all, as I think it's an inferior finish.

It is, however, quick and cheap to apply, and buyers, incorrectly, think it's somthing special.

Do you really think it's that bad?

I've never had any major issues!

 

[julianf]

Do you really think it's that bad?

I've never had any major issues!

I've seen so much outdoor powder peeling off rusty metal, or cracking off things like alloy tables, that I look at every new powdercoated outdoor item as an failure of the not so distant future.

I guess my dislike of it has generally come from 4x4 stuff. Pretty much all bolt on accessories are powder coated as, well, it's cheap and low skill to apply (compared to paint) and it all just fails given time.

I mean, nothing is forever, but, outdoors, in my experience, powder fails quicker and in a far less repairable way than paint. Get a stone chip on powder and the water creeps. It's adhesion is inferior to paint and your part corrodes behind the tired powder without even giving you a good display of what's going on. And then you have to somehow peel off the whole lot to repaint.

I've tried to buy off the shelf items without powder before. Even asked to have them bare metal at a premium price.

I think it's fine for indoor stuff, and fine for stuff that noone really cares about, but, yeah, the above is why I don't like it.

 

[brightspark]

Do you really think it's that bad?

I've never had any major issues!

you will when it starts degrading in the sun and starts cracking and rust travels underneath it epoxy primer and 2k topcoat is far superior

 

[Ashley Burton]

I don't disagree with you guys!

I just get things powdercoated as it's easy, cheap & seems to last long enough for me

I've had many bikes powdercoated over the years no problem. But possibly prep & quality of the job makes the difference also

 

[Melvyn Best]

After having to totally dismantle my ,then 5 year old kit car , to the bare chassis to strip it of the powder coating that was falling off in sheets from some areas I for one would never powder coat anything that is exposed to the weather. The chassis and suspension was stripped of PC then blasted I used POR15 followed by Hardnose top coat painted on by hand 12 years ago , still in good condition.

 

[MG David]

Earlier this month I jet washed the front suspension cross member from my MGB. It was painted with POR15 about 15 years ago. The POR15 came off in sheets in some places. I have now painted it with Jotamastic 80 and will top coat with raptor. I have powder coated some of the smaller suspension parts. It will be interesting to see how it all gets on.
Main strength of powder coating for me at present is you can still do it on a very cold day!!

 

[Ashley Burton]

@MG David Do you think it came off due to poor surface adhesion/prep maybe?

 

[julianf]

I have an unopened tin of por 15 here that I bought years ago, without realising how involved (and product dependant) their prep routine was.

...which is why it's still on the shelf, unopened.

I'd just epoxy and 2k now.

 

[MG David]

I think Por15 is very sensitive to prep. I will have been oil free and the rust will have been treated. Perhaps it could have had more tooth.