Powder coating, curing trial.

[dragnusa]

I know theres a few people here that do their own powder coating so I figured Id see if anyone else has ran into the problem Im having. I have been placing my pieces on expanded metal when I spray them, the problem Im having is that the powder isn't wanting to hold to the part where it touches the metal tray. I sand down the of both the tray and the part before I start to get a good ground between the two. Am I doing something wrong

 

[CCR]

Like Ceebee said. Ground cant touch the powder. My powder-coater usually hangs the frame from inside the headtube making contact were the powder wont be. Uses the brake mounting hole on forks. Hanging from inside the bb, fender mounting holes, kickstand mounting hole or rear dropouts are probably good places too.

 

[dragnusa]

Right know Im using a toaster over so hanging stuff don't really work. Like when I did the sprocket I actually sat it on a socket so I could do both sides and it did good except for the greasy finger print. Heres a pic of the last part I just did you can see areas along the edge where the powder wouldn't stick.

 

[dragnusa]

The areas in the pic are like that from the time I spray it. Going to try making a little hanger stand and see what happens.

 

[pick]

I agree with all the above comments. Buy yourself a cheap old used oven, they are fairly accurate temp wise & give you a lot more flexibility in hanging/coating parts. Don't plan on using the oven for cooking after using it for powder coating unless you like the taste of PC. I use hooks to hang my parts & having a good ground & properly prepared part is the key to a good finish. Hooks can be made out of coat hangers or bailing wire etc.

 

[XC204]

This post runs through a few of the trials and tribulations that I ran into making my setup for powder coating. CeeBee was a great help in getting the setup running. I started with a toaster oven I set it on the Bach panel and fashioned a rod to hang sprockets and small parts from worked much better than using it flat in its normal orientation.
http://www.ratrodbikes.com/forum/index.php?threads/home-powder-coat-trial.73271/

 

[XC204]

The effect you are having on the areas where the part touches the exp. metal is called Faraday effect basically the charge builds up in the corner formed by the part and the exp. metal before it gets enough powder it then repels further powder deposits. So like CeeBee says hang the part as you coat it and cure it. I rigged up a cover for the door on the toaster oven so as not to lose too much heat.

 

[dragnusa]

Thanks for the help guys, Got a few of my friends looking out for a wall oven so I dont have to upgrade the electrical in my garage.

 

[dragnusa]

So I had a chance to get a big roaster for cheap so I figured Id try curing powder coat in it. It seems to work great except it will heat up your shop pretty good.
handle bar neck out of a newer cruiser in the roaster

Nice even finish on it.

 

[jerrykr]

did you set the toaster oven on end so you could hang something in there?

 

[dragnusa]

The last few parts I did for my build off bike I did. but the spring door made it a pain getting the parts out. The roaster is much easier to use and can do more parts at one time. I have a feeling I will be powder coating alot of stuff this winter.

 

[XC204]

Cool me too have about 4 frames and forks I want to do. Oh and I just ordered 5 lbs of powder from Columbia Coatings they were about 4$ a pound cheaper than Powder by the Pound you can also get 5 free sample cards at a time.

 

[dragnusa]

[quot="XC204, post: 849513, member: 7114"]Cool me too have about 4 frames and forks I want to do. Oh and I just ordered 5 lbs of powder from Columbia Coatings they were about 4$ a pound cheaper than Powder by the Pound you can also get 5 free sample cards at a time.[/quote]
Will have to check them out I've been looking for true blue and a hunter green