How are you powder coaters cleaning the metal? Bead blasting?

Turbosax2 and I coal slag for the final cleaning (before brake clean and preheating). We may glass bead it before coal slag, or use some chemical if it has paint on it.

Are you guys using the $70 Harbor Freight kit?

My brother and I are using an Eastwood gun. He's used the HF gun as well and likes the Eastwood better. But they both produced similar results.

Damm powder coating sure looks fun a nice to do

It sure is a heck of alot funner then paiting I myself perfer the Eastwood gun They even called like 3 weeks after I ordered it to make sure I was happy with it. Thats the only company that has ever done that for me! Some places you order like 2-3 grand at one time and you never hear from them! I order a $120.00 kit and they do a follow up call you cant beat that!

As far as cleaning the part its been posted on the best way on page 1 I think!

AGAIN to all the new guys trying it simple rules and you get great results!

1. Make sure its clean
2. Dont touch it with bare hands after its clean
3. The best tip everPRE HEATthe parts before shooting!

I'm wanting to get started in PC pretty soon, but I have question about the pre-heating. Do you just pre-heat the part let it cool and then spray it? Or do you have to wipe it off or clean it after you pre-heat it?

Depends. If oil comes out of the part then let it cool, clean the part thoroughly again to remove all the oil, then preheat again, and repeat as necessary. I have had oil come out of very few parts (with cam gears being an absolute b*tch). If the part looks good after preheating, let it cool below to between 150-200* (usually takes a minute of two to cool) then spray it. If the part is too hot when you shoot the powder flash cures (powder starts flowing out) and it won't cure as well as it should so it won't be as durable.

I picked up a Sentry ST653 IR thermometer off eBay for about $35 to use when powdercoating, and also for use on the car. Neat little tool.

Any more powder coating tips not mentioned above for us future DIY'ers?

PC is pretty straight foward all the main tips are already been mentioned. I could fill your head with tips and tricks, now will you remember them when the time comes most likely not its better to wait untill you have a problem then ask for tips on how to avoid it. Plus its a better way to learn then you know the cause and the fix. Again if you keep your parts clean it should go pretty smooth for you (and I do mean clean). If and when you get started I'm sure it would be no problem if you post in here or PM any of us. But please its alot easier to help with pics so snap a couple and post them with the problem.

Good Luck and enjoy doing it.

Just for fun, here's a few things I've done recently.

Looks pretty clean little specs of dirt on the lower TB plate and intake tube. Next time when you do a intake manifold with bad cast spots like that one has shot it with primer pc frist kinda help fill in some of the holes. Also you might try on your next VC mask off the inside part where the oil cap is. Makes it a little bit more stock and cleaner look to it. Those are just my thoughts take em for what they are worth or not. Looks real good.

The specs of dirt are probably because I powdercoat right next to the blast cabinet, oh well. Good eye though! Good advice on the primer, I'll have to try that out next time. Any special considerations when using it? I did mask off the inside of the vc where the oil cap goes but forgot to wipe the powder off the top before sticking it in the oven, woops!

Sometimes no matter how well you clean, you just will not get them to come out perfect.
You have to remember, your dealing with around 14 year old parts not brand new parts.
Now if you coat a brand new piece and you have a flaw, then something went wrong in the process.

Parts look very good to me though, keep practicing there's no secret to it

Carlos Tirado
Tirado Custom Coatings

I love that wrinkle black VC. I wanna do mine in wrinkle gray. Keep the pics coming, its really motivating

Well I have had my HF kit sitting in its box for a couple months, I was board, and my wife left her jetta at home. And lets say I need some practice. I also noticed that it scratched easy. I can never seem to find a spot to hook the part so I don't loose any powder.




Missed it

man, I'm jealous. I'd love to have my own powder coating setup!

i do believe that i must do this. it is freakn awesome !!

Does the solid and clear come together in one powder or do i have to all ways shoot a clear on to get the glass look ?

as long as we are showing off PC work here is some of mine.



befor

after

Some more stuff I've done

Ok I'm bumping this thread from the dead . I finally got my ghetto homemade stove working and powder coated a few things like my vc and fuel rail. I wanted some advice on the throttle body and motor mounts. First with the throttle body, are you all doing this before a rebuild or does everything inside hold up fine to the heat of the oven, ie shaft seals etc? And with the motor mounts will the rubber hold up ok to the 400* required for the powder? Thanks for the help and here are a few pics of the test subjects. Not perfect but I think the came out pretty good for my first time.

The awesomeness of the stove .

The vc before with the chipping paint.

Baking in the stove.

Finished product. Super shiny in the sun


Sorry about the crappy iphone pics .

Do you have a thermometer or way to make sure that it's getting to the right temperature in that thing?

back when i used to pc million dollar cranes for grove crane intl we used a semi truck carwash setup to get the parts cleaned. really was just a good soap with a light acid added to it. the green plastic tape and silicone plugs are great for keeping the powder out places it shouldnt be.

i would say the most important thing next to a clean part is fully baking your parts. the heaver the part the longer it needs to bake. follow the directions of the powder you get and you should be good to go. if you want real durable long lasting stuff put down a zinc based primer, bake that for like half the time you would bake your topcoat. the zinc bonds real nice to most any metal and lasts forever. its what jcb uses on all of its heavy equipment.

The little bubbles and splits are due to not enough outgasing if any. Plus its always good to apply a coat of primer on parts exposed to oil.