cheap powercoat kits

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Nutz

Nutz

Joined
Jun 7, 2007
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Like ones at eastbay, horrorfreight, do they actually work ok for small parts? I'm looking for something that would do up to an 8" cube sized item.
 
i bought the harbor frieght powder coating gun as i was sick and tired of being raped by the powder coating businesses. It works exactly as it should. Parts come out perfect. I didn't like how small the oven that harbor freight sells($300.00+) was so i went down to a appliance company and they sold me a brand new electric oven that was dented for $100.00. It's bigger and has worked very well. It has paid for itself several times over.
 
I've had good success with the basic gun from Eastwood and have PCd a bunch of stuff. I too use a regular oven for small stuff but recently modified a large commercial food warmer to bake larger stuff (like a radiator support and shroud I did recently).

I would like a more powerful gun (both powder cloud volume and voltage) but once you move above the hobbiest grade systems you're into big bucks.

I also ordered the Caswell adjustable voltage unit but sent it back upon receipt because of poor quality. Its bascially just the HF gun attached to a different control unit and I figured for the price it wasn't worth risking giving it a try and then not being able to return because it was "used."

Spray powder outside with no wind or build yourself some sort of functional "spray booth" for inside spraying. Even with what I thougt would be at least somewhat effective at trapping powder I still ended up with powder all over my shop.
 
FWIW, Caswell is now selling a low end PC gun that is stronger, and has adjustable voltage (which helps if you end up with that reverse ionization junk making the powder not stick to large areas).

I've been PC'ing for a couple years now and I love it. It's faster and easier than paint, cheaper, and I get a better finish (because even I can't mess it up!).

I'm just using the Caswell hobby gun and a plain old electric oven. I've never used one of the all electric guns like Sears is selling there, but I notice that regulating the air carefully makes the process work a lot better, so I don't know how well one of those units would work. Either splendidly, or really, really badly. They don't use much air at all (like 15 psi), so you don't need much of a compressor at all to run one.

Dan
 
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Sorry for reviving the dead here, but a quick question on PC. I was looking at the Eastwood models the other night and I want to say I remember a disclainer in the catalog saying do not bake in an oven intended for food prep.

I don't have the room for a dedicated oven in the garage, what is the reason you can not use your kitchen oven for parts that fit it?

I would really like to get a home PC unit but that one reason that is keeping me from doing it.
 
Caswell, Caswell, Caswell.....and if you live in the area of Lyons, NY stop by their shop with cash and prices fall dramatically. Ask for John at the counter.

I just received their one on sale ($95).
 
Bear:

I know of someone who was PCing in a rented apartment's electric oven, and never had a problem.

That said, do enough of it and the oven picks up the powder coating funk, I wouldn't want to eat food that came from my oven, that's for sure.

Dan
 
I would NOT eat out of an oven that I powdercoated in. It leaves a nasty smell. I would not be surprised if it was toxic.

I accidentally left the one at the shop on for about four days. When I opened it a bunch of white flakes came out and got everywhere. I suspect it was powdercoat residue baking off. I sure wouldn't want that on my Thanksgiving turkey.


I'm on my third dedicated oven I recovered off of the side of the road. I keep finding bigger ones.

I also upgraded to the Eastwood Pro gun. The $99 worked well enough that I had no problem dropping the $600 on the good one.
 
If the parts you want to coat are small enough, just use a toaster oven. 110V and pretty easy to put anywhere in the garage! They are great for nuts and bolts, clips, clamps, brackets ...

Here is a pic of the t-case I just completely powder coated... :grinpimp:
T-Case1.webp
 
DanS HJ-45 said:
Gumby:

Other than cleanup and the time required to change colors, are there any other real benefits to the pro gun? Generally better construction, etc?

Dan
Click to expand...

Much better construction. More durable. Self grounding, so no more getting zapped if you forget to discharge the gun. Self regulating air pressure. Adjustable power. Nice case. The cords are nice and long and they detach from the gun.

I like it a lot.
 
I like that! very nice looking! gives me some ideas for certain!

Another question, when powder coating brackets and hinges…I know a professional P/Cer could keep the moving parts moving, but how do you actually do it? I am thinking my windshield hinges as well as door hinges would be nice to do, but I don't want them stuck, and I would like to do them myself.
 
By using push in silicone plugs to keep the powder out of holes and fiberglass tape to keep it out of everywhere else. Both the plugs and tape can be baked at 450 degrees.

Just like painting, it can take much longer to prep a part for powder than it does to actually coat it!
 
thanks again for the info! appreciate it much!

I just thought the silcone plugs were for bolt holes, didn't think that you could use them for hinges and the like!
 
Well that is assuming you take the hinges apart! If you do not plan on taking them apart then just coat them and after they have been baked and cooled you just 'break' them loose. You could also take them apart, have them drilled for bronze bushings, have a new pin made then use the plugs to plug the holes, coat them, put the bushings in and assemble with the new pins!
 
Coolerman said:
Well that is assuming you take the hinges apart! If you do not plan on taking them apart then just coat them and after they have been baked and cooled you just 'break' them loose. You could also take them apart, have them drilled for bronze bushings, have a new pin made then use the plugs to plug the holes, coat them, put the bushings in and assemble with the new pins!
Click to expand...

Where would I take them to have all that done? Sounds like the right way to do things, but I don't know where I would find the new pins, nor the bronze bushings.

If you were to p/c them and then "break" them loose, don't you take the chance of cracking or chipping the freshly applied powder coat?
 
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