Prep for powder coating

[Gary Max]

I am waiting on Mr. Brown to show up with my new powder coating system. I already have the oven---What do I need to prep the casing before I powder coat it??? I have the casings decapped and drilled for tubes---do I need to wipe them down or buff off the oxidation.
Thanks

 

[cozee]

Polished or not, always wipe down with some type of grease remover. Acetone and Naptha will work well. Also wipe down with a used dryer sheet to help remove static electricity. Nothing like going to all that work and find a chunk of dust in the clear because it clung to it before the coating was applied.

Also be sure that you have good contact between the casing and the rack you hang them on. The better the contact, the better the charge. The better the charge, the better the coverage of powder. Below is a picture a just a couple racks I've built. As you can see I use aluminum foil at the bottom so the neck of the casing slips down over a taper so as to act as a plug and to help with electrical contact. I also drape a small piece of foil over the top of the post so that the drilled primer end will also be plugged and have added contact. Down fall to the foil as opposed to silicone tape or plugs is that sometimes it gets pc'ed to the casing but does come off easily. I periodically have to to clean/gring an area for the charging clamp.

 

[Gary Max]

I am still working on build my racks that's one of the things I am working on today. I am thinking that Wet Black and Chrome are going to be the two coatings I am going to use. Is that 1/4 rod that you are useing???
Thanks for the help

 

[cozee]

Yes, 1/4" rod. Some stainless, some cold rolled. Hot rolled expanded for the bottoms. Look around for chrome powder. Most fall pc's short and look a bit on the faux side. I will be brush plating in a few months as part of a Goldwing restoration/rebuild I'm doing. Figured I'd try some casings then, both regular and black.

 

[Gary Max]

My system is here-----I still need some stuff from town but it's getting closer---I am going to build a small shoting area just for casings---I am thinking---Big cardboard box to contain the overspray.

 

[cozee]

Here is mine. What you don't see on the back side is the evac fan from a power vent furnace to get rid of any vapors coming out of the oven during baking. Vented outside.

 

[Nightingale]

Question - I often have an area of the casing neck around its edge that will not take the powder. The casings have all been cleaned. Casings are posted on my rack and suspended from the top which is the only contact point. Any susgestions? thanks

 

[Gary Max]

Here is the system I bought-----just south of $300.00

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[cozee]

Originally posted by Nightingale
<br />Question - I often have an area of the casing neck around its edge that will not take the powder. The casings have all been cleaned. Casings are posted on my rack and suspended from the top which is the only contact point. Any susgestions? thanks

Okay, help me out cause I can be a little slow at the end of the day. Your casing is slid down over a post so the primer end is the only area making contact? If so is the casig simply setting on the post or is it wedged in some way as to make a tight fit? It could be possible the charge has weakened by the time it gets down to the neck thus causing the inability of the powder to adhere. Also, are you shooting the powder straight at the casing or at a downward angle?

 

[Gary Max]

Heck Greg you are doing better than me---I try to get the hard questions taken care of before noon-----are you turning/sanding your tubes before you powder coat them???

 

[cozee]

Originally posted by Gary Max
<br />Heck Greg you are doing better than me---I try to get the hard questions taken care of before noon-----are you turning/sanding your tubes before you powder coat them???

I do 2 finishes, satin, and polished, both are done on the lathe. The satin is achieved by using #0000 steel wool and Brasso. The polished is just that, polished to a mirror finish. Both get wiped down with Naptha, the main component found in lighter fluid then coated.

 

[Gary Max]

That should save me from messing up the first batch. I am working in the shop on a order but need to sneak into town and get supplies. I am wanting to give this a shot (pun intended) this week still.

 

[cozee]

Gary, feel free to email me directly and I will help you out the best I can with the pc'ing. The Brown Truck just dropped off my first gallon of casting resin so I will be off on a new learning experience the next couple of days!!

 

[Nightingale]

Thanks Greg, I'll pay attention to both suggestions - john