DIY powder coating

[birddog1148]

We have seen those DIY powder coating kits that Eastman and HF sells. I wonder if one of those MR Heat radiant propane heaters would work to cure parts. Just an idea until i can find an old electric oven for cheap to put in the shop. So excited to have a new shop!
http://www.harborfreight.com/10-30-psi- ... 94244.html
Something like this but mine is 2 burner.
http://www.zimbio.com/Home+Improvements ... e+Tank+Top

[Steve Arndt]

Body shop IR panel heaters work for big parts.
Propane heater would be a waste of time.
I bolted an old Sears full size oven to a shopping cart from k-mart. Wallah, portable oven. :)0

[SCOTTRODS]

There are a few folks that use the IR heaters (Of all kinds of shapes and sizes) to cure powder. The trick is this - You MUST get the temperature of the part, up to cure temp and sustain it for the required time/s. The issues with using IR heaters is getting the temp consistent over the whole part, for the proper times needed, and containing the heat, so you can maintain that needed temp.

Powders all have a cure schedule you have to follow to get proper results. When you begin the cure cycle, it's best (if possible) to stay within a window of 5% of the parameters, both in heat and time.

If you're curing small enough items, it might be feasible to use a toaster oven (one that maintains the temp pretty well), or s similar item. They sell 'em cheap at the goodwill store. What items do you plan on coating?

Also, over on the Paint and body Threads, I threw a bunch of solid powder coating information out there for the guys. You might visit that thread to see some directional shifts in information shared here. PM me for some links and sites for learning more than you can stand about powder coating. The equivalent of this site to VW's.

There's a guy on one of my PC forums that has used a similar burner inside a large metal box to cure powder.... Gotta control the heat though.... it aint as easy as it sounds....

[Dale M.]

Body shop IR panel heaters work for big parts.
Propane heater would be a waste of time.
I bolted an old Sears full size oven to a shopping cart from k-mart. Wallah, portable oven. :)0

Ironically that is exactly what some of the 4ft square and larger ovens use.....

Dale

[Steve Arndt]

Anything is possible, but for DIY, regulating the temperature would be difficult.

Old electric range/ovens cost 20 bucks at thrift stores or garage sales.

Steve

[SCOTTRODS]

I got my latest Electronic controlled Kitchen oven (for powder coating) for free off craigslist. One of the top burners was trashed so they bought a new oven and was giving this one away..... Powder coating, you don't need the stuff on top, so it works out very well for me.

GE TrueTemp is very accurate for home ovens.... When you get (or if you get) a kitchen oven, to work with, I recommend laying a pizza stone or an un-glazed floor tile, on some legs just above the burner on bottom, so it helps even out the heat across the whole space. I just cut some 2 inch pieces of 2" angle iron and made "tents" to set the pizza stone on in my oven. Helps immensely. Also retains heat so you can open the oven to check part metal temp, without losing too much heat. Recovery time is shorter.

It's just a matter of controlling the temp closely..... I can halpe with homemade oven controls too. Using a PID from ebay, and a Contactor or an SSR, it's pretty cheap to do. You can go spendy too, like me, but I am a bit into Overkill,... I understand you can never have enough.

Like I said,... I can help you if you want.. just PM me and I'll see what I can do.

[birddog1148]

I got my latest Electronic controlled Kitchen oven (for powder coating) for free off craigslist. One of the top burners was trashed so they bought a new oven and was giving this one away..... Powder coating, you don't need the stuff on top, so it works out very well for me.

GE TrueTemp is very accurate for home ovens.... When you get (or if you get) a kitchen oven, to work with, I recommend laying a pizza stone or an un-glazed floor tile, on some legs just above the burner on bottom, so it helps even out the heat across the whole space. I just cut some 2 inch pieces of 2" angle iron and made "tents" to set the pizza stone on in my oven. Helps immensely. Also retains heat so you can open the oven to check part metal temp, without losing too much heat. Recovery time is shorter.

It's just a matter of controlling the temp closely..... I can halpe with homemade oven controls too. Using a PID from ebay, and a Contactor or an SSR, it's pretty cheap to do. You can go spendy too, like me, but I am a bit into Overkill,... I understand you can never have enough.

Like I said,... I can help you if you want.. just PM me and I'll see what I can do.

Thanks will do

[Steve Arndt]

I also let mine shitty old oven preheat for like 20 to 30 minutes. It really overshoots the temp and takes a while to stabilize. Don't trust the temp dial either. I use an infra red gun and probe all around inside the chamber and adjust the temp dial until I get the number I need (360 I think for the harbor freight powder I'm shooting in my Eastwood gun). I have thermo couples and all that, but just taking an extra 10 minutes to dial it in manually works for me. I haven't noticed a difference which burners I use if the parts aren't too close to the elements.

The hardest part is transferring a powdered part to the oven without dislogging powder (and static) and screwing it all up).

s

[SCOTTRODS]

The hardest part is transferring a powdered part to the oven without dislodging powder (and static) and screwing it all up).

s

No Kidding. In the Kitchen oven style, it can get troublesome. I did that for a month or so before I ponied up for a walk-in sized oven..... I am planning on building a second (actually 3rd) oven for mid sized parts too. It's so much easier to put stuff in the oven if it's set up to be usable. I have known folks to turn them on their side so loading is easier (Width is usually more than height) hanging parts instead of laying them on the racks....

The Static thing is a pain because the parts will attract lint from the clothes you are wearing if you're not careful handling the powdered part.... lint in the air is your enemy too.... hair,.... dust.... spider webs..... anything. Clean is of the essence.

I don't have problems knocking powder off the parts... but it could happen to the best of the best too.

These issues Steve listed, are reasons many hobbyists have trouble with Powder coating.

Be creative and there is always a way around the problems.

[Steve Arndt]

Another trick I've been using: Get your needle nose and pliers that you will use as tongs in the hot oven. Put stainless wire on your parts to prepare them for hanging in the oven. Make a dry run of placing the parts into the oven pretending that the part is powdered already. If you can't get it hung up in your oven now, then you won't be able to with powder on it. I made little wire hooks that hang directly off the top burner element. I make little looks in the wires on my parts. Then I just slip the loop/wire onto the little hooks.

[SCOTTRODS]

Another trick I've been using: Get your needle nose and pliers that you will use as tongs in the hot oven. Put stainless wire on your parts to prepare them for hanging in the oven. Make a dry run of placing the parts into the oven pretending that the part is powdered already. If you can't get it hung up in your oven now, then you won't be able to with powder on it. I made little wire hooks that hang directly off the top burner element. I make little looks in the wires on my parts. Then I just slip the loop/wire onto the little hooks.

Great Point - If there's ever a doubt, I always do the same "Dry Run" loading parts. Last thing I did that was that close was within a half inch of the door as it shut..... And the part touched the back all of my Large Oven.... That touching part was to stay un-coated, so it worked out pretty well.... another half inch and I'd have had a whole new process to work out I think.