Those of you who do your own powder coating….

[Cassius086]

I figured that might be the case. I used old bolts in the various holes so the threads wouldn't get coated with powder, so I'll probably just use a nut, bolt and a couple washers on the battery box's mounting points when I get around to doing the powder coat.


Thanks!

[GateKeeper]

I figured that might be the case. I used old bolts in the various holes so the threads wouldn't get coated with powder, so I'll probably just use a nut, bolt and a couple washers on the battery box's mounting points when I get around to doing the powder coat.


Thanks!

NO, don't do it that way.....tape it off.....the powder coat will stick to the nut, bolt, washer, and when you go to remove, it will crack the powder coating and could leave you a mess......

plug holes with plugs be it cork or wax, or something, but not with a bolt to remove latter....

just tape off the area you don't want the powder coat to be......

.

[cowboyup3371]

Agreed. Tape, mask off, or plug any threaded hole/bolt on the bike as well as anything that needs to slide through a hole (like the brake stay) before you powdercoat.

[tkent02]

Interesting little trick, had to remove the powdercoating from a few pieces I screwed up. Gloss black, having troubles with it. Paint remover didn't touch it, sandblsting an hour with my wimpy compressor only got most of it off one 4" x 6" part, still a lot of it left….

So I tried overcuring it, 500 degrees for a half an hour, back to the sand blaster, the PC came off like butter. One minute to get all of it off with the blaster, the stuff just flakes off in big areas.

[GSX1000E]

So now you are going to be the GSR pitchman for the OvGlove?

[tkent02]

No but I did find out my old riding gloves have a hole in the thumb. OWwwww.

[Mayhem63]

This is just an example of the products used to plug,cap or cover before you coat.
If you do a search you can come up with others...I personally liked to use the glass cloth tape on the surfaces that take a gasket or on the triple tree where your tubes slide into.
It's flexible and withstands 500 deg.
All the plugs are silicone so the powder doesn't stick to them.
And the tapes (different colors = different temp threshold) hold up pretty good.
The best being the glass fiber tape

http://www.intechservices.com/Masking-Products

[Cassius086]

NO, don't do it that way.....tape it off.....the powder coat will stick to the nut, bolt, washer, and when you go to remove, it will crack the powder coating and could leave you a mess......

plug holes with plugs be it cork or wax, or something, but not with a bolt to remove latter....

just tape off the area you don't want the powder coat to be......

.

Should have clarified...I had no intention of baking the part with the bolts and washer in place. Just applying the powder and ever so gently removing the washers and bolt prior to baking.

But masking still sounds like a better idea!

[GateKeeper]

If you bang the part or whatever too hard, the powder will fall off, by the time you get the nuts and bolts and what not off, you will need to powder again.....

just mask it off

remember for a great job, prep work is key.....

Hey I am no expert on this, and have never actually done any powder coating, but from reading and talking to folks this is the way it's done......

.

[tkent02]

Should have clarified...I had no intention of baking the part with the bolts and washer in place. Just applying the powder and ever so gently removing the washers and bolt prior to baking.

But masking still sounds like a better idea!

Hard to remove the bolts without knocking off some of the power, it just falls off if you bump it or anything.

I have been using regular masking tape, put it on with a little "tab" so you can peel it off easily before curing the part. Still sometimes a bit of powder falls off.

Also in some places just lick your finger and wipe the powder away from where you don't want it, works well in places you can reach.

[tkent02]

Cooler cure temp worked a lot better…



Still a bit of an orange peel texture, is that too much powder or not enough?

Something else?

[GateKeeper]

I wish I knew.....but that is looking really good,,,,,your getting better and better at this....way to go.....

.

[Mayhem63]

Could be one of two things (or both)
Could be a tad to much powder and/or
Not knowing who manufactures the powder for Eastwood it might have to be hotter initial temp to let the powder flow, then drop down for final cure.
I remember you saying they recommend 500 till glossy then down...that just seems to high for my taste.
I would try 400 to flow then drop down and let cure longer.

Like I have said it just takes practice and patience/trial and error.
Then it becomes second nature.
But it does look much better!

[tkent02]

Getting better, but not perfect yet:



Another question, is there something I can use to fill little gouges in the metal? I have some pieces that are good but for one or two big gouges, too deep to grind or polish out. Can something like JB Weld be used as bondo to fill the holes before powder coating? I think it would work if it can take the heat.
Anything else work better?

I have a broken stator cover here, may try the JB on it unless someone has a better idea.

[Mayhem63]

I have used JB Weld in the past on some things with moderate success.
Sometimes it works good, others not so much... the trick is to make sure there is no air bubbles in it.
There's little alternative
They tried something years ago but it didn't pan out.
We usually send something to a friend of the shop and he uses brass and a welder to fill in stuff, then we just ground it down.