Refinishing small parts

[walkerbk]

I have my 77 280z 2+2 just the way I want her, brakes, suspension, engine... everything has been upgraded and I am getting ready to take her apart to paint and weld the frame and maybe a 4 or 6 point cage.

 

My question is what do you guys do with small parts, strut tubes, control arms other smaller brackets... Do you paint them and if so,  what paint? Rattle can rustolium, actual 2 part paints...

 

I am planning on getting a powder coating setup but am not sure if that is the best route (size of parts, chipping).

 

I am tired of playing keep up with keeping parts looking good and protected.

[EF Ian]

I get all small parts sandblasted, then I prime them and paint them with a durable chassis black paint, I prefer this to powder-coating and its easy to do.

[OldAndyAndTheSea]

You will not regret powder coating.

 

Unless it is absolutely necessary, or the body of a car, I prefer to powder coat everything.

 

Random brake line bracket? Powder coat.

Strut top bolts? Powder coat.

 

 

The only time you need to worry about powder coat is when high tolerances are needed, so avoid threads or interference fit parts (or at least those areas of said parts)

 

With powder the finish is much more durable, and the turnaround time is amazing. You can pull a bracket, give it a quick sand blast or wire brush,  shoot some powder on it and toss it in a small convection oven. Thirty minutes later, or when you can touch it, you can reinstall the same, now fresh, part.

 

That just doesn't happen with paint.

 

 

My powder coating setup, initially, was less than 200 dollars. (you do need access to compressed air, however)

 

125 - ish I think for the Eastwood Powder coating gun, and between 50-75 for the largest clearance counter top convection oven that I could find at Wal Mart.

I acquired a conventional electric home oven later, for free, on Craigslist some time later. The convection oven still sees the most use, as mI am always powder coating small widgets for my projects.

 

 

Edited April 4, 2018 by OldAndyAndTheSea

[walkerbk]

I do believe powder coating is going to be the way that I want to go. The only problem is since I am military moving a random oven around the U.S. and getting set up wouldn't make to much since. If that is the best route, I might try to pick up and scrap a oven every now and then. 

 

Has anyone tried mastercoat products? They have a very interesting rust converter with zinc phosphate in it along with the normal phosphate acid (which by itself is awesome).

 

http://www.masterseriescoatings.com/index/

[D-Hemi]

On 4/4/2018 at 4:53 PM, OldAndyAndTheSea said:

You will not regret powder coating.

 

Unless it is absolutely necessary, or the body of a car, I prefer to powder coat everything.

 

Random brake line bracket? Powder coat.

Strut top bolts? Powder coat.

 

 

The only time you need to worry about powder coat is when high tolerances are needed, so avoid threads or interference fit parts (or at least those areas of said parts)

 

With powder the finish is much more durable, and the turnaround time is amazing. You can pull a bracket, give it a quick sand blast or wire brush,  shoot some powder on it and toss it in a small convection oven. Thirty minutes later, or when you can touch it, you can reinstall the same, now fresh, part.

 

That just doesn't happen with paint.

 

 

My powder coating setup, initially, was less than 200 dollars. (you do need access to compressed air, however)

 

125 - ish I think for the Eastwood Powder coating gun, and between 50-75 for the largest clearance counter top convection oven that I could find at Wal Mart.

I acquired a conventional electric home oven later, for free, on Craigslist some time later. The convection oven still sees the most use, as mI am always powder coating small widgets for my projects.

 

 

Do you got any pictures of your setup and pictures of any of your parts you've done you can share

[OldAndyAndTheSea]

23 hours ago, D-Hemi said:

Do you got any pictures of your setup and pictures of any of your parts you've done you can share

it would be easier to just direct you to my build thread. The following is a link to my post when I first acquired the setup. The powder coating stuff starts about 3/4 down the page.

 

 

 

Edited April 6, 2018 by OldAndyAndTheSea

[walkerbk]

1st, I wish i had your abilities to work with carbon fiber. Very nice looking stuff

 

2nd, being in the military, I moved 6 months ago and will be moving in another 6 months. For this reason i had to sell my sand blaster (bought it for 50 and sold it for 50) which was the biggest mistake ever. If I can find another one for cheap I will pick one up to assist in preping parts for powder coating.

[OldAndyAndTheSea]

10 hours ago, walkerbk said:

1st, I wish i had your abilities to work with carbon fiber. Very nice looking stuff

 

2nd, being in the military, I moved 6 months ago and will be moving in another 6 months. For this reason i had to sell my sand blaster (bought it for 50 and sold it for 50) which was the biggest mistake ever. If I can find another one for cheap I will pick one up to assist in preping parts for powder coating.

 

 

1. Thanks. I knew very little about these materials before I decided to learn. Anyone can do this work. It just takes the willingness to try...(and fail). I learned these skills because I couldn't find anyone who could do what I wanted....I also couldn't afford to pay someone else to make this stuff.....and most of what you're getting is fiberglass with a carbon skin. That's not a true carbon laminate. I want my carbon to actually serve a purpose, and not just be some "bling" to look at. Weight savings/structural integrity first, then aesthetics.

2. I get that....I've found that even that harbor freight spot blaster thing works well on small stuff in a pinch. My sandblasting cabinet leaves a lot to be desired. The second you start blasting you can't see shit. The light sucks and my vacuum (wet/dry vac) assisted dust collector isn't much better. It's a struggle, but even still, it expedites the process enough to still be worth it. Nothing beats virgin metal.