COOL TOOLS - Fresh Powder Part 2

RPM COOL TOOLS PART 2

Fresh Powder >> We discover just how fun...and EASY...it is to powder coat from home thanks to Eastwood! by

Toby Brooks

W

hen building a project car, there is no shortage of one-off abricated parts and pieces that result.

At the same time, even purchased parts can sometimes need refinishing in order to enhance durability, improve the overall look, or both.

With this need in mind, typical options include paint, chrome plating or anodizing, ceramic coating, and powder coating among others. Among these, typically only paint has been a viable

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option for the do-ityourselfer, however, many times paint can simply not stand up to the rigors and demands of a high performance ride.

On the other hand, powder coating has been around for over 80 years and is an excellent choice for adding color and durability to basically any metal surface. The process was originally developed in Europe in the late 1940s as a means of applying an organic polymer powder using static electricity. Once applied, the part is baked at high temperature to

may 2016 | RPM Magazine

“flow” the material and the end result is a highly durable and beautiful finish that will most assuredly outlast paint.

While the benefits of powder coating are well known, until recently, getting parts coated meant the time, hassle, and expense of taking parts to a professional powder coater. Oftentimes, builders may have just a few small parts and pieces to coat, making this option less than appealing.

Within the past few years, a number of companies have come to market with do-it-your-

self kits that allow powder coated finishes to be applied from the confines of your very own shop. One such company is Eastwood, an industry leader in tools and supplies in the custom auto industry. We decided to give Eastwood a call to see if they might have a budget-friendly system that would allow us to start coating some pieces we had recently completed for Project aPocalypSe Horse. What we discovered was that not only did Eastwood offe a powder coating system, but also virtually anything you might need

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1 & 2: We have been curious about home-based powder coating systems for a while, but honestly were a little intimidated by the whole idea. After a quick call to our friends at Eastwood, we decided to give it a go and we are glad we did. We ordered their Dual Voltage Gun Elite HotCoat starter system with oven (#15785, $209.99) which comes with your choice of four colors of Eastwood’s 34 available powder colors and finishe . We also ordered a few additional colors, a #58045 HotCoat masking kit which includes high-temp tape and silicone plugs ($78.99), some Eastwood Pre-Painting Prep spray (#10041Z, $9.99), and an Eastwood digital infrared thermometer (#31223, $29.99).

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to start coating parts yourself.

The first item we needed was a powder coating gun. We opted for their new dual-voltage kit.

Since we planned to be doing a large number of small items, the dual-voltage system

is preferred, as the 15kv setting is perfect for coating small areas, while the traditional 25kv setting is better for bigger stuff In addition to a powder coating gun, you’ll need some other items to get started, too.

3, 4, & 5: While powder coating may be durable, it isn’t magic. Just like with traditional paint, surface prep is key. We glass bead blasted our part in the blasting cabinet first efore blowing it off tho oughly with an air hose. We then hit it With Eastwood’s Pre-Painting Prep spray and a new shop rag. Acetone or denatured alcohol are good alternatives that will remove grease and oil without leaving a residue behind. After scrubbing, it is a good idea to remove any lint left behind by the rag and to ensure any gasses in the metal are released prior to coating. You can either go over your part with a torch or pre-cure it in the oven prior to coating. We set the temp to 400 degrees and let our part bake for 15 minutes before pulling it out to continue the process.

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COOL TOOLS

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7 6: Here’s the setup. With your part hanging from a conductive wire hanger, the ground clip is attached. We learned the hard way that you really need to hang your parts with putting them in the oven in mind, because once the powder is applied but before the part is cured, is NOT the time to make adjustments to the hanger. One wrong move and you’ll have to start all over. However, with a little preplanning, you should be able to figu e it out without any problems. We discovered our hanger here was too long to fit in the oven as we were trying to hang it to cure.

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may 2016 | RPM Magazine

7: Time to coat! Had we thoroughly read the directions prior to 8: In addition to a myriad coating, we would have discovered that it is necessary to dial your of solid colors, Eastwood compressed air source way down prior to coating, as it only takes also stocks gloss and matte about 5-10 psi to coat effe tively. A good moisture fil er is a must, clears, textured finishe , and and Eastwood supplies one with the gun. After blasting powder specialty finishes li e single all over the place at 100 psi, we promptly recognized our mistake stage refle tive chrome (as and dialed it back. Lesson learned. While we used the regulator seen here) and translucent/ on our air compressor to dial the pressure back, we have already candy colors. Although our added a good external regulator to our shopping list to allow for first stage ch ome base came more precise adjustment. With the pressure correct, you simply out good, the translucent point the gun at the part, depress the saftey switch with one colors can be a bit more hand, and pull the gun’s trigger with the other. Thanks to static challenging and unforgiving electricity, the powder leaves the gun in an eerie, smoky kind of to apply. We’ll get it, but it will fashion before clinging to the metal surface. Pretty cool! take a little practice.

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Obviously you’ll need a variety of powder coating colors, and a masking kit is a wise choice, too. Unlike paint, powder coating needs to cure at high temperatures for an extended period

of time. Usually parts are cured at or around 400 degrees F for 20 minutes or more. As a result, typical painters’ tape would just burn off n the oven. High temp tape is a must, as

9: With the part ready to remove from the oven, we realized some oven mitts or high temp gloves are a must. We used welding gloves, but we picked up some BBQ gloves from the home store for next time.

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COOL TOOLS 10

are high-temp resistant silicone plugs. Because powder coating tends to be relatively thick when applied (up to 10 mils compared to 0.5-1 mil for standard wet paints), it is a must to prevent its application to any surface that cannot accommodate the additional thickness, including bolt holes and threads.

It is also a good idea to get an infrared thermometer to ensure that the applied heat is adequate, and without question an oven is a necessity, as well. Don’t fool yourself into thinking you can use the one in your kitchen, either, as the curing process can result in outgassing and unpleasant fumes sure to ruin the taste ofKen’s yourtowing next photo batch of cookies.

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may 2016 | RPM Magazine

While we opted for Eastwood’s Bench Top Powder Coating Oven (#15635, $99.99 if purchased separately) in our starter kit, provided you have the room, a Craigslist used range could be a great option, too.

After giving the process a try, we were surprised at how quick and easy it was to achieve professional-quality results. As an added bonus, considering the relatively low cost of a system like this, you could probably recoup your investment with your first batch of parts you didn’t have to take to your normal powder coater. In all, we are thrilled to say we’ve added Eastwood’s HotCoat kit to our shop’s assortment of cool tools!

10 & 11: Here are our finished trial pie es. We did the shifter bracket in back using Eastwood’s High Gloss Black, while the tube in the center is Satin Black and the tube on the right is Battleship Gray. With a variety of other other colors to try, we are excited by the possibilities the system has added to our build. The only real limitation other than your imagination is the size of your oven. While the Eastwood oven is perfect for small parts and pieces like these, larger parts would either require a larger oven or to have them done professionally.

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