BigBendBroncos

Bronco Tech => Builds/Projects => Topic started by: lonesouth on May 08, 2013, 09:29:01 PM

Title: Cheap Powder Coating at Home
Post by: lonesouth on May 08, 2013, 09:29:01 PM

I'm making a foray into powder coating small parts at home.  I picked up a harbor freight system and three powders, also from harbor freight, red, white and black; and an air fitting.  Total cost = $70.35 after a 20% off coupon on the system.  Now I'm looking for a free toaster oven to cure in.  I'll use this thread to document my results, success and failure.  I have access to a sand blaster at work, though I may need to get my own later.

First thing I'm going to coat, and this is ambitious, is a Ford 5.0 cover plate.  I say ambitious, because I plan to make the Ford symbol white, the lettering at the bottom red and the base coat black.

(http://i1010.photobucket.com/albums/af224/lonesouth/for%20sale/794d3974-41d2-4853-b2a1-17087e72468f_zps7618baf6.jpg)

Title: Re: Cheap Powder Coating at Home
Post by: JustaFordGuy on May 08, 2013, 09:36:55 PM

That will look awesome. I always wanted to get that kit from HF. Can't wait to see how well it works. I think I have an old toaster you can borrow, if it works I may want it back so I can use it with my own kit. ;)

Title: Re: Cheap Powder Coating at Home
Post by: lonesouth on May 09, 2013, 10:38:39 AM

toaster is the only thing I'm waiting for.  Let me know if you have one and I'll try to stop by tonight.

Title: Re: Cheap Powder Coating at Home
Post by: JustaFordGuy on May 10, 2013, 10:00:24 PM

Deb and I are camping this weekend so I won't be home until Monday. call me next week.

Title: Re: Cheap Powder Coating at Home
Post by: lonesouth on May 14, 2013, 01:22:18 PM

picked up a cheap toaster oven from Goodwill for $10.74, going to shoot this thing and bake it tonight after the kids are asleep.

Title: Re: Cheap Powder Coating at Home
Post by: JustaFordGuy on May 14, 2013, 03:57:54 PM

Cool, I can't wait to see how it turns out.

Title: Re: Cheap Powder Coating at Home
Post by: lonesouth on May 15, 2013, 09:04:41 AM

Shot the red first, then white, and finished with black, baked to flow between colors.  I cobbled together a mini-vac with some vacuum tubing a frapuchino cap, some fittings and a ball needle.  My spray booth was a recycle bin with some electric fence wire strung across.  Toaster is a cheap $10 deal from good will.  The thermometer wouldn't fit in the oven with the part, so bake temps were a guess. Testing just the oven with a thermometer showed swings from 350-450, not the most stable out there. 

I was able to use the mini-vac with great success to remove all of the overspray that wasn't on the letters.  Wiping the letters after coating the black was an exercise in precision and patience.  There are a few burs that could be sanded/filed and one smudge where I got a little overzealous wiping off the letters.  I may repair these and reshoot the black.  the blemishes can't be seen from five feet, but are visible holding it in your hands.

Original
(http://i1010.photobucket.com/albums/af224/lonesouth/PowderCoating/794d3974-41d2-4853-b2a1-17087e72468f_zps7618baf6.jpg) (http://s1010.photobucket.com/user/lonesouth/media/PowderCoating/794d3974-41d2-4853-b2a1-17087e72468f_zps7618baf6.jpg.html)


After shooting red
(http://i1010.photobucket.com/albums/af224/lonesouth/PowderCoating/A174E23A-304B-4EF0-A72F-FB1D4C5FA3C8-412-00000052E6354870_zps72a5e2ea.jpg) (http://s1010.photobucket.com/user/lonesouth/media/PowderCoating/A174E23A-304B-4EF0-A72F-FB1D4C5FA3C8-412-00000052E6354870_zps72a5e2ea.jpg.html)


Partially cured red
(http://i1010.photobucket.com/albums/af224/lonesouth/PowderCoating/C393CBB5-FF39-46EA-B602-B6F8BC7306FD-412-00000052ED5A6834_zps92205633.jpg) (http://s1010.photobucket.com/user/lonesouth/media/PowderCoating/C393CBB5-FF39-46EA-B602-B6F8BC7306FD-412-00000052ED5A6834_zps92205633.jpg.html)


After shooting white
(http://i1010.photobucket.com/albums/af224/lonesouth/PowderCoating/2147501C-DF1A-467B-A3E0-872CB6AF3768-412-00000052F86EAD9F_zps67254a49.jpg) (http://s1010.photobucket.com/user/lonesouth/media/PowderCoating/2147501C-DF1A-467B-A3E0-872CB6AF3768-412-00000052F86EAD9F_zps67254a49.jpg.html)


After shooting black, partial wipe
(http://i1010.photobucket.com/albums/af224/lonesouth/PowderCoating/A19CD997-7CC5-4BCA-90C2-B3E1F1DD9761-412-00000053046E2A9E_zpsc443f6a6.jpg) (http://s1010.photobucket.com/user/lonesouth/media/PowderCoating/A19CD997-7CC5-4BCA-90C2-B3E1F1DD9761-412-00000053046E2A9E_zpsc443f6a6.jpg.html)


After shooting black, full wipe
(http://i1010.photobucket.com/albums/af224/lonesouth/PowderCoating/89D6E8A6-1AB7-4667-AF42-5A0D239A3E44-412-00000053097F4FDE_zpse34f62a3.jpg) (http://s1010.photobucket.com/user/lonesouth/media/PowderCoating/89D6E8A6-1AB7-4667-AF42-5A0D239A3E44-412-00000053097F4FDE_zpse34f62a3.jpg.html)


Fully cured
(http://i1010.photobucket.com/albums/af224/lonesouth/PowderCoating/1DB557E5-93FB-4ED0-B0A1-0B885233A721-412-00000055E1AC2D8B_zps8d27786b.jpg) (http://s1010.photobucket.com/user/lonesouth/media/PowderCoating/1DB557E5-93FB-4ED0-B0A1-0B885233A721-412-00000055E1AC2D8B_zps8d27786b.jpg.html)

Title: Re: Cheap Powder Coating at Home
Post by: JustaFordGuy on May 15, 2013, 12:35:26 PM

That turned out awesome.

Title: Re: Cheap Powder Coating at Home
Post by: lonesouth on May 15, 2013, 04:29:59 PM

so, what do we have that needs to be powder coated?

Title: Re: Cheap Powder Coating at Home
Post by: vanolefan on May 15, 2013, 07:53:03 PM

Wow! I am going to harbor freight this weekend.