The Cal-look Lounge

 

      I bought the powder coating kit from Eastwood and most likely the oven from Harbor Freight I have not made up my mind as of which oven to get. With all of the various engines that I am building and I have a lot of small pieces that require to be painted or powder coated. I would like to know if any of the members here on the Cal Look Lounge are doing powder coating any advise or recommendation you may have for me. I appreciate any feedback.

Thank You

Frenchy

Hello,
  I bought the basic Eastwood kit about 2 years ago, and I have had awesome luck with it.  I rarely paint anything anymore.  The one main thing I would recommend is to sand blast everything you intend to coat. 

For ovens I would recommend and old kitchen electric oven.  Check craigslist or even Lowes/sears to see if they have some take old outs.  They are just about the right size to do wheels, fan shrouds and seat frames.  Alot of guys I have seen are building their own oven cabinets and using the guts out of a kitchen oven.  I would like to build a new oven so I can fit a beam and some larger parts. 

There are tons of vendors for every color imaginable.  I have used Caswell powder, powder by the pound, and a few others.  I even found an exact match for the early bug off white for the seat frames and steering column tube.  Since the price of spray paint is so crazy now, the powder is actually way cheaper.  A pound of powder is about $12 and will do at least  5 steel wheels inside and out.  it would probably take 4 $7 cans to do the same thing with much worse results.  Caswell and a few others also have high temp header powder that actually works.  It goes on easy, and has lasted all winter under my bug getting blasted with road salt/spray crap. 

The best part of the whole deal is the clean up takes 30 seconds with the air hose, and the parts are ready to install as soon as they cool off.  No more sticky finger prints on parts a day after they are painted.  No runs either. 

Hope this helps.  Let me know if you have any other questions.

Brian

     Brian

    Thank You for the heads up on this subject. I cant wait to get started with this. You mentioned that you can do fan housing in an oven plenty of room.


Thanks
Frenchy

The inside dimensions of my oven are 20*20*24.  and I can hang shrouds from the side holes upside down and diagonal inside the oven. 

My oven is a really odd 110v unit I got for free.  I guess it used to be for drying out ink cartridges at a local printer??  It struggles to get up to temp since its only 110v, but the element is on the back wall, and there were 4 movable shelves built in.  With the shelves, I can do 3 stock wheels at a time.  I built a 3 sided frame (2 sides and a top) that just slides inside.  I added a few rails on the top to hang the parts from.  I slide the frame out, hang the parts and spray them, then slide the whole frame and parts into the oven to bake.  it works pretty slick.  With some creative hanging I don't think a shroud would be an issue in a standard kitchen oven.  Maybe go try it in the house quick when the wife is sleeping?  Only change is I might make the frame out of aluminum next time.  With a shroud and a couple small parts hanging, its quite heavy trying to walk carefully holding it away from your body.  I will see if I can get some pics of my setup later. 

When I come across an old kitchen oven I am going to remove the top burners and tack a piece of sheet to the top.  Build a new frame and rack setup for the inside, and weld some castors to the bottom of the oven.  The hanging frame could be pulled out and set on the now flat top to do the spraying, and the whole thing could roll into a corner when you aren't using it.  Or just use the element and the control panel and build a custom insulated cabinet.

Brian 

   Thanks Brian

 If it looks that I have a lot more to do and bigger parts I may build my own with other ovens elements and make it feasible for trans housing and front beams as well.

Thanks
Frenchy

I think building one is where I am headed too.  I would like a 3'x3'x5' tall oven with movable racks, and a hanging frame.  Pretty sure I could do everything on a bug except a pan at that point.  4 wheels all at once would be nice.  Also an occasional hard-tail bike frame.

I am sure you will find it is so much easier, cheaper, and better than paint, you will be using it for everything.

Brian

Have been thinking of doing the same, but have heard of different opinions on how robust powder coat really is. A lot of people say it is susceptible to chipping easily. Probably not a problem for interior parts, but how will it hold up for front beams out in the elements ?

Frenchy, sorry if hijacking your thread  ::)

I have had really good luck with the durability.  I have done probably 4 complete sets of engine tin, about 5 sets of stock steel wheels, a few seat frames, headers, and a bunch of small stuff.  I have scratched a few, just like any paint, but never had anything flake off. 

I think the major thing is to make sure EVERYTHING has been sandblasted, and is ruffed up on the surface.  I don't hardly even use the wax and grease remover.  I just blow them off out of the blast cabinet, and hang them to coat. 

Brian

  No problem this thread is for all to answer and to give us feedback.

Frenchy

Thanks Frenchy  ;D

Brian , good advice. Many thanks.