The process is relatively straightforward, but depending on the piece of metal you’re working with, it can take some time before it is truly ready to receive its powder coating. Pickling can be a nasty process and not al… Paint Masking Tape will not hold up in the high temperatures that the oven will reach. The only thing is is that If I wash them off with water they rust and that messes up the coating. How to Prep Metal For Powder Coating Much like painting and welding, preparing metal for powder coating is multi step process that must be followed in order to have the best results. Additionally any moving parts must be either removed or taped up using high temp masking tape. Required fields are marked *. In this video Matt is going over how to prep motorcycle parts for powder coat using blast cabinets. With metal, this means cleaning the surface and removing any previous finishes. Powder coating is a finishing process for metal materials. More complex parts like alternators, Carburetors, and Steering components will require a lot of time devoted to making sure all of the pieces are properly taken apart and sealed. For most parts there are certain areas that you will want bare metal to remain. Specifications for preparing galvanized steel for powder coating also include hand tool cleaning as an acceptable method to clean the substrate before surface profiling. Heat causes the chemicals to react and bond to the metal surface. The type of coating is dependent on the base metal. You can use a wire brush, wire metal wheel, sandpaper, or even a grinder to freshen up the metal for coating. Much like painting and welding, preparing metal for powder coating is multi step process that must be followed in order to have the best results. Surface Prep for Powder Coating Expert Preparation is Essential to a Good Finish. The first and most important step of the process is cleaning. I tend to find my masking comes out best when I use both Silicone caps and high temp masking tape as the caps allow coverage of things that the tape may not fully cover, or cover properly which can be frustrating to learn after you’ve coated the whole thing. With that said, anything with moving parts must be taken apart and coated separately, then reassembled after. How to Prep Metal For Powder Coating November 21, 2015 Uncategorized frankwilliams8782 Much like painting and welding, preparing metal for powder coating is multi step process that must be followed in order to have the best results. Don't let this steer you away, compared to paint, cured powder will resist temperatures up to 250ºF and all types of chemicals including DOT 3 brake fluid. This step will take care of any coatings that are currently on the part. All rights reserved. Your email address will not be published. High Temp Masking Tape is the answer to this dilemma, coming in sizes from 1/8″ to 2″ this tape will be able to cover any size area needed. Pretreatment For Better Powder Coating Results. I have some metal parts that I have sand blasted and now I need to wash them off to remove the dust. In addition to cleaning the surface, the next step for preparing a surface for powder coating will typically involve a chemical etch or etch and conversion coating process, or sandblasting the surface. If you were to wipe it down with a rag there is a potential that contaminants on the rag or towel could be transferred to the part. This doesn’t mean powder coating is indestructible, but it is among the most durable coating options you’ll find. May 7, 2015 - This article explains the masking materials needed when Powder Coating. Of course not all of these provide the same services or serve the same segments, but the basis is the same. As a surfacing material, powder coating provides a corrosion-resistant layer over metals as a means of protecting them from rust and … Powder coating also tends to dry flawlessly and produces much less hazardous waste than liquid finishes. Call Powder Vision Inc. to request all types of powder coating services in Washington State. Here’s an overview of what you should know about preparing metal for powder coating in Washington. A conventional oven is suitable for this purpose if the metal is small enough to fit, otherwise, an infrared heat lamp or other flame less heat source needs to be used. […] Powder can be a very stubborn material to work with because the part being coated must be super clean in order to create the best finish. Project: Powder Coating a Dirty, Unprepped Part. You’ll need to clean all the way down to the base metal, which means removing any oils, dirt and paint. For many applications, powder coating provides a superior finish that can’t be beat. A good pretreatment allows the powder coating to better bond physically to the metal, withstand exterior weathering, and prevents flash rust prior to powder coating. WHAT IS POWDER COATING Powder coating is an advanced method of applying a decorative and protective finish to a wide range of materials and products that are used by both industries and consumers. Now that any previous coatings are removed, use a blow gun to remove any dust. Unfortunately, powder coatings aren't compatible with water-based paints. If you have a metal that is more porous, this is a beneficial process because it will have been more likely to absorb oils during manufacturing. Depending on the type of part you will be powder coating, different levels of disassembly will be required. It the powder is applied across a moving joint the curing proces… Having the ability to sandblast opens up a lot of options in the garage, not just for powder coating. Smaller parts can be put into wash basins, but larger parts may need to be sprayed down in a booth. Sandblasting will clean your part to clean bare metal while providing a texture to the part which allows the powder coating to adhere to. Your email address will not be published. Powder coating your rims is a great way to update a truck, car or motorcycle. How to Clean New Steel Without Sandblasting: In this Instructable, I will show you one other way of prepping your metal for paint or powder coating. When sandblasting, you will want to sandblast every single area of the part, completely, and thoroughly with clean media. p.s. If you have any particularly stubborn oils clinging to the metal surface, you may find it helpful to soak the part in acetone for a while. I still have a lot of work to do before this part is ready for powder coating. Preparing Steel for Powder Coating. As he was installing the parts onto his car, the […] For now, I will talk about the type of media that you want to use for powder coating prep. It the powder is applied across a moving joint the curing process will lock the two together. It can also be used with other metals like titanium. Powder coating is a process that is used in the automotive industry to protect metal parts.Powder coating is often applied to car, truck, or motorcycle parts. If, for example, you were powder coating a carburetor, all of the openings must be plugged with rubber plugs to prevent powder from getting into any of the crevasses and openings. The best method of cleaning as you prepare your metal will depend primarily on the size of the parts to be coated. Covers high-temperature tape, silicone plugs, and more. Apply the powder to the galvanized part in accordance with the manufacturers instructions. Adding Custom Effects to Powder Coat | Eastwood Blog. I, as well as many others, have stressed the importance of cleaning your parts, … The process is relatively straightforward, but depending on the piece of metal you’re working with, it can take some time before it is truly ready to receive its powder coating. Instead of wiping the part down, you should completely spray down the part with PRE Painting Prep and then let it air dry. By far most effective method would be to Media Blast the part but if you do not have access to a blaster a good sanding with 80-120 grit Sand Paper or a Flap Disc on an Angle Grinder should be able to handle the job of stripping off any coatings on the metal. Powder coating constitutes an alternative coating to paint, commonly found as an exterior layer on items with steel or aluminum cores. You can also go the extra mile and bake the part even before applying the powder. CONVERSION COATING. Clean metal by itself can be immediately powder coated but that will not give you superior performance and weathering characteristics. Of course, for the powder coating to actually set well and provide you with the long-lasting protection you’re looking for, it is important to put the proper effort into preparing the substrate. Coal slag: This media is very cheap, it leaves a good profile, and it lasts a pretty long time. If any of these steps are missed or not done properly your end product will risk having flaws. ©2017 The Eastwood Company. You’ll need to clean all the way down to the base metal, which means removing any oils, dirt and paint. To learn more about everything involved with how to prep metal for powder coating in Washington, we encourage you to contact our team of powder coating professionals at Powder Vision Inc. with any questions you have. Mechanical abrasion is the simplest way to prepare metal for powder coating. This is a process known as “outgassing,” and it is beneficial because it will completely remove traces of water or liquid from the metal. For example a valve cover or set or coil spring will not require any disassembly since there are no moving parts. In normal wet painting such as house paints, the solids are in suspension in a liquid carrier, which must evaporate before the solid paint coating is produced do it with Automatic coating.. How to Prep Parts for Powder Coating Correctly This weekend, our good customer Keith dropped off a few items he needed powder coating correctly applied for his 2014 Subaru Impreza show car. The ultimate smoothness of a powder film is related to a number of other factors as well: Be careful when using a grinder or sander as to not mar the surface too … Sandblasting is not always available. With that said any parts with plastic, rubber, gaskets of any kind and wiring will have to be completely removed before starting to prep the metal. If you want all of the exposed metal coated then you can skip this step. In order to mask off these areas the use of a special type of masking tape is needed. With that said, anything with moving parts must be taken apart and coated separately, then reassembled after. Here’s the valve cover with some clean metal finally showing! The coating offers a much greater level of durability than painting or other types of finishing—the powder, unlike paint, is not porous and thus will not let water or salts underneath the surface, where rust could begin. In the interest of saving time I am not going to go into detail about how to properly prep the parts, for this info refer to one of our earlier articles How to Prep Metal For Powder Coating. Powder coating is a beneficial process for protecting certain tools, parts or equipment if they will be exposed to the elements for long periods of time. 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