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#1 |
Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Baltimore Maryland
Posts: 10
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Powdercoat Question
Can plastic pieces be powder coated? I thought it would be a great idea to powdercoat a few plastic trim pieces. Anyone know if this is possible?
![]() Thanks! Jim Smith |
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#2 |
Fetzer Valve Technician
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Stillwater, OK
Posts: 205
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No, plastic cant be powder coated. Plastic is electrically inert for the most part, and cannot hold the charge needed to attract the powder. Plus the 400° F or so temps would be a bit much for some plastics.
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#3 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: daytonabeach
Posts: 22,956
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no to powdercoating yes to chromeplating
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#4 |
Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Lexington, KY
Posts: 865
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cdowns - you peaked my curiousity. chrome plating plastic is a special process isn't it? I thought it was not like plating metal.
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#5 |
Registered User
![]() Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Richmond, Texas
Posts: 598
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incoma,
Yes it is a special process, it is done in a vacuum. Years ago I used to send gage clusters and a/c balls to a place in Michigan called American Plastic Chrome. The other day I spoke to Mitch @ BeCool Radiators, they have their electric fans chrome plated in Florida. I'm sure if you called Mitch @ BeCool he would give you a name and number. Good Luck!
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#6 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Muskegon,MI,USA
Posts: 6,026
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We used to have a plastic plater in our plant. The plastic went through a "preplating" process where it was coated prior to going through the plating process. In the plating process, the parts were dipped in three baths of copper, then dipped in nickel baths, with final dips in the chrome tanks. It was a quite extensive process.
The plating that gregful described is still done in the plant. What he described is "Vacuum Metalizing". Parts are coated, placed in a vacuum chamber where they are charged with electricity. Strips of aluminum are placed on copper rods in the chamber which have the opposite charge as the parts. At an extremely low vacuum the aluminum vaporizes and since the particles are charged they are deposited onto the parts. The result looks very much like chrome. Jim |
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#7 |
Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Lexington, KY
Posts: 865
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Thanks for the input. I'd like to see this process. I've watched powder coating and various painting processes, but coating plastic sounds like a wicked process. Are there any places to have stuff "re-plated"? I've been buying re-coated parts, but it sure would be nice to have my own stuff re-plated/coated.
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