80LS1T Posted December 1, 2003 Share Posted December 1, 2003 I was looking through my Eastwood painters product catalog tonight and I saw they they sell basic powder coating kits for under $200(you get a sprayer, high temp fiberglass masking tape, Two 1/2lbs containers for power coating, moisture filter and some other little things)! I didnt think it was too bad of a price...or is it? Anyways I have an extra oven to "bake" the parts taht I would like to coat so that end of the proccess is covered. What I want to know is has anyone done power coating themselves? If so how hard was it to do? Is it basically like painting? How hard is a power coating? I would like to paint my suspension parts(springs, strut housings, control arms) I have never had a part powder coated so I dont know if it chips easy or not? From what I understand it doesnt and this is why so many people like to have parts powder coated. Also if it is a really hard compound will I be able to paint my springs or will it just crack when the suspension goes through its full motion? Thanks a lot guys! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ToplessZ Posted December 1, 2003 Share Posted December 1, 2003 I was just reading an article in one of my car mags and it advised not to powdercoat springs as heating them could cause the springs to loose thier intended rate and eventually sag. I would like to hear more on the 200 dollar kit. I thought about powdercoating for a little side cash Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
80LS1T Posted December 1, 2003 Author Share Posted December 1, 2003 Go to Eastwood and type in "10112" for the search option, that is the part number for the $159.99 kit that I am thinking about buying. They also have a "PRO Deluxe Kit" that is $849.99, but they say this is more for doing large batches of parts. So would the 350*-400* curing temp be too much heat for springs? Its not like a torch where its like 2000*+. I didnt really think that 400* would be a problem? Anybody else have a clue if this is a concern? Guy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 240zxt Posted December 1, 2003 Share Posted December 1, 2003 I bought the kit at a car show a few months ago on sale. It came with two extra bottles of powder, twice as much tape, plugs, wire, etc. AND it was like 20 bucks off. So if you know they're gunna be at a car show in your area, check it out. I haven't gotten to try it out yet though because I haven't taken the time to get an oven. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
80LS1T Posted December 2, 2003 Author Share Posted December 2, 2003 RacerX do you have any tips on how to apply an even coat on the springs? I was thinking the same thing, that the coat on the inside would be less because its kinda harder to get to. Well I guess I can tell my girlfriend what to get me fore x-mas! Man by the time I'm "finished" with my car Im going to have enough tools to have my own shop! LOL Guy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Z8 Posted December 2, 2003 Share Posted December 2, 2003 I have the setup from Eastwood, you can also go straight to the Hot Coat website. I have done my entire suspension and am very pleased with the results. I bought a home convection oven with digital controls/timer for $100.00 to cure with. To do your springs hang them horizontal so you can move the gun inside as well as outside the spring for even coverage. Another tip is the fiberglass tape can get expensive, use aluminum foil. Its cheap and easy to get on and off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
80LS1T Posted December 2, 2003 Author Share Posted December 2, 2003 What is the address for the Hot Coat website and where did you get a oven with a digital readout for $100? Guy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Z8 Posted December 2, 2003 Share Posted December 2, 2003 Well I just looked again and couldn't find the website, but it really was there!! I had tried to go around Eastwood and see if I could get product cheaper, but their (hotcoat) website wouldn't accept my order for some reason (this was about 3-4 weeks ago) I'll keep looking and it I track them down I'll post it. I went to the local used appliance store and they had a Jenn-Air oven/microwave wall unit that was pulled when someone remodeled their kitchen. Not much of a market for a built in unit. It's a top end home convection unit with digital controls, preheat cycle and timers. The microwave works, I can heat my coffee in the garage while waiting for parts to cure Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rreford Posted December 3, 2003 Share Posted December 3, 2003 Harbor Freight sells a setup for ~$60 that has been working well for me. I've used a professional gun and spray booth before, and I think I get comparable results with the cheap gun. How long it lasts, don't know, and I've never compared it to the HotCoat system that Eastwood sells. I use the Eastwood powders. Don't coat anything that can't stand 400F temps for 20 minutes. Also, have really good ventilation and a really good mask/respirator - you don't want this stuff in your lungs. Any oven you use will no longer be suitable for food preparation - something to consider before taking over the kitchen stove! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Owen Posted December 3, 2003 Share Posted December 3, 2003 rreford, I saw that HF setup last weekend, does it really work that well? It's a toy I wouldn't use often so I figured the HF one would be cool. Question to all you guys, I've seen posts on other sites where infrared heat lamps, big ones with like 1000+ watts of power, were used to cure the powder instead of an oven. Anyone here ever do that? Owen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rreford Posted December 3, 2003 Share Posted December 3, 2003 The HF system has worked great for me so far. I find that is using a lot less powder than the professional gun, too. Coated an intake manifold, valve covers, coolant piping. If you're not going into business for yourself, it would probably do you just fine. The IR lamp is interesting. Don't know how you'd get an even cure, but you'd probably have to go that route to cook big stuff. I want to powder coat the window channel for a 240, but I don't have access to any oven any where that size. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ToplessZ Posted December 3, 2003 Share Posted December 3, 2003 Any ideas about finding or building a bigger than kitchen sized oven. I would like to powdercoat some things that are a little larger??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Z8 Posted December 3, 2003 Share Posted December 3, 2003 I am working on setting up a bigger oven now. I have a couple of ideas but need to do further research. My first thought was to find a 55 gallon drum or large tank and install the elements from my oven in it. But my latest thinking involves finding a chest freezer that is shot and then stripping out the plastic interior and insulation. Then cut a opening in the back side that I can match up with my oven opening. If I remove the oven door and use the gasket from the door (you can buy more of this kind ov gasket if needed) I could then attach the oven to the chest and could lower items in from the top and shut the lid and bake away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ToplessZ Posted December 4, 2003 Share Posted December 4, 2003 ive got some ideas on this as I think about it more. If I could find two decent ovens and use the guts from them in a custom sized oven I would have lots of space. I was looking at something for larger scale work maybe for a side job or something. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Z8 Posted December 4, 2003 Share Posted December 4, 2003 Thats what I'm doing, The Tek-Coat company in Columbus wants $60.00 for a valve cover! I have started doing parts for friends for much less. I don't expect to make alot of money at it, but if it puts a few dollars back into my pocket it'll be a first for my car hobby. You will also need a sandblasting set up if you're going to get into this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ToplessZ Posted December 4, 2003 Share Posted December 4, 2003 Yes I have seen some nice sandblasting setups really reasonable actually there is a company in ohio too cant recall the name. Wish I wasnt at work I would like to get online and do some more research and price out some materials to build my own oven. Any thoughts on this matter would be great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
80LS1T Posted December 4, 2003 Author Share Posted December 4, 2003 Now I dont know if anyone will know what I am talking about but here it goes.... Over here in Wisconsin farmers use big huge tanks to hold their fuels in. Most are atleast 150 Gallons. They are kind of oval at the base and tall. I think if you put the heating elements in one of those you could cut a side off it and use it as an oven? It would take a little bit of work to get the "door" sealed half way decent but it would be a pretty big oven once done! Not to mention it would be pretty cheap. Heck I've got 2 of them sitting out side by our storage shed just rusting away! The only down part of it is I think you would have to have it set up outside because it wouldnt be insulated? I dont know how well it would work but I thought I would through it out there! Heck just spend the $10,000 on the walk-in over that Eastwood sells! Guy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Owen Posted December 4, 2003 Share Posted December 4, 2003 I checked out hotcoat.com, they actually sell IR heat lamps specifically for curing powder coated stuff. They had pictures of bike frames and stuff. So I guess that means its good! And from what I understand, the curing this way is FAST. Owen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
80LS1T Posted December 4, 2003 Author Share Posted December 4, 2003 Here's another idea I just thought of.... What if you build a 3 sided box with a top and bottom but one side missing. Then you buy one of those IR heat lamps and put tha on the open side? Then you could hang stuff on the inside and the box would help keep most of the heat in a confined area? Guy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ToplessZ Posted December 4, 2003 Share Posted December 4, 2003 With the heat lamps it doesnt seem like you would have alot of control over the temperature though would you? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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