Powdercoating.. Anyone know if You can Make a oven????

Hey, finally was able to get some pics up, i got a peice i coated on ebay, one thing i learned, the base metal needs to be perfect, heres a few pics, enjoy







and if anyones interested in buying ( knowing the skill on this site however, you guys could all probably just make one) Heres the actual auction site,

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...tem=7901700694

Thanks,
Brandon

[Boogiemanz1]

Brandon, nice job. Did you buff that part after coating? The swingarm on my touring bike was done with the chrome powder about 5 years ago. Yours is more glossy, even after I buffed mine...........who's powder did you use?............john

If you go to www.pendrypowdercoatings.com they have this chrome along with alot of other nice colors. This chrome has a 160+ gloss, and i didnt buff it. I just ordered there candy red and blue colors, along with a mirror and flat black, when i get some other parts coated with that ill get em up here too, The people there are really helpful too, and they have great price, i got 2 lbs of chrome for 20 dollars. plus shipping, hope this helps.


Brandon

[Avalonjr]

I hope this isn't terribly naïve but I've been wondering if an oven couldn't be constructed out of fire brick (about $1.00 ea) and a used boiler burner. (I've got a 180,000 btu unit available)

My thinking is that, like a gas cooking oven, the burners would provide the heat. The downside is that there would be some moisture as a byproduct of combustion, but a potential upshot might be that it would be a low oxygen (inert) atmosphere. As long as the burner is not cycled completely off, between burns, the LEL or combustibility of any byproducts from the powder shouldn't be a problem since they'd be burned off by the flame as they were produced rather than build up to any explosive level.

Does anyone know if powder coatings would react badly to flame based heat source?

My ulterior motive is to be able to stress relieve and heat treat with the same oven.

Any thoughts and experiences will be appreciated.

[68vert]

Check this out
www.stivermotorsports.com

[Kevbo]

The freezer turned oven sounds like a great way to save time and money. Probably want an old one with fibreglass insulation. A lot of modern freezers are insulated with styrofoam , and I 'd worry that it wouldn't like the heat duty.

If you can't find an oven to raid for parts, generic repair parts are pretty reasonably priced....though some of the sources are wholesale only. (like Johnstone, whom I use, even though there are cheaper places)

Another good idea with a PC oven is if you can run a vent to outdoors. The powder does give off some stink as it cures, and the cans have warnings about breathing it. One of the big advantages of PC is that it is (nearly!) tidy enough to do in a shop, and you don't have solvent fumes...so it is nice not to need to vent the whole shop, and be able to paint when the wx is nasty.

Finally, I've seen where some fellows have made an insulated "Foyer" for a smaller oven in order to get heat on a big part. An oven that will handle 95% of your jobs is probably ony 1/3 the size of what it takes for that last 5%.

[Kevbo]

Originally Posted by Avalonjr

Does anyone know if powder coatings would react badly to flame based heat source?

Flamability concerns aside, you want dry heat. "Static cling" holds the powder on the part. The powder is a good insulator, so the charge doesn't flow from the powder to the grounded part. If the powder gets damp, the charge is no longer stuck, and neither is the powder.

[Gene Newcomb]

I've been working on a oven in my head and a little on paper. The DIY link above is about all a fella needs to know.
I have thought about selling a kit or a completed oven but liability worries me. I'll be working on it after I get my hydraulic louver press done. I'll have to do liability insurance on it too.
Gene

[woggon]

Kujo820,
The candy red and blue are great powders. I've been working with my powdercoating guy and doing some experiements with both. I'm not sure what you are powdercoating, but if you are finishing aluminum try a sample that does not use the chrome coat first. I've tried putting a random pattern and an engine turned pattern on Al and then coating with the candy colors, the grind marks come through with a really nice apperance. It may be something to try. As a side note: I've had really poor results from the smoke color, but it was the end of the box, don't know how that would alter anything, but it may. Good luck. Also, my guy says he heats his oven to 450 f.

I have some old do it yourself books and one goes into great detail in how to make your own kiln for ceramics. It has temp regulators and goes up to 350. It says in the book it is relativly cheap to produce and can be made in different configurations. Just a thought

If at first you don't succeed get a bigger hammer