DIY Powder Coating

[BanjoDude]

If you haven't checked out the DIY powder coating options out there, you really should. All you need is a powder gun and a toaster oven, and you can make something brand new in under an hour. Did this brake booster bracket for the '69 C-20 today - pulled it, sandblasted it, powder coated it, reassembled it, and it's ready for reinstallation - in an hour. Happy to answer questions if you have any. I was intimidated at first, but it is super easy to learn.

[Rick Bollinger]

I agree, I bought the Eastwood system and love it. Picked up an old electric stove for $50 and toaster oven for $7. I bead blast with the harbor freight booth with the vacuum system. The hardest part is dry air. I use 3 water separators in a row and does a pretty good job. Most powder coat shops will sell powder for a couple dollars a pound especially if they do your larger parts. I did all my e-brake handle, cover, ac and alt brackets and a ton of bolts.

[lil hoodlum]

Thanks for sharing. I have used a commercial powder coating company in the town I live in.

Would be handy to be able to do small parts on my own.

[Rust_never_sleeps]

does this require media blasting, or just clean and dry?

[Joyridin]

I have done many car parts including brake calipers, bolts, brackets etc. I use a toaster oven I bought at Walmart for $25 years ago.

If you can find an old electric kitchen stove and have room, you can do brake rotors, spindles, and many other larger parts.

[RichardJ]

There is almost zero market for used kitchen ovens. Check the FREE section of craigslist or other local listing and it won't take long before you find someone doing a kitchen remodel. Attempting to make a couple of bucks off of old appliances is more of a distraction than any $ savings. It may take a few calls to separate the gas from the electric ovens, because for some reason, most of the listings don't specify.
Harbor Freight has only Black and White powder. I've used their black on several items and worked well. Eastwood has a large selection of colors and work well for a DIY like me.

Eastwood also sells a Zinc Plating kit that works for small nuts and bolts.

I restored this old '20s Emerson table fan some years ago using both eastwood products. It isn't chrome, but I think very presentable for many uses.

[BanjoDude]

Originally Posted by Rust_never_sleeps

does this require media blasting, or just clean and dry?

Media blasting helps with adhesion, but as long as the part is clean and free of any grease, powder sticks just fine. I just put bolts on a wire wheel to clean them up and powder coat the heads, and I've never had a problem with adhesion.

[Rick Bollinger]

I media blast most things and then use brake cleaner or acetone to make sure everything is clean. And again if there is a powder coater near you get your powder from them. Last time, they charged me like 2-3 dollars for a couple of pounds. They also have lots of colors. I think Eastwood is around $20 a pound.

[jjzepplin]

This would be awesome. I have a blast cabinet. Just need a stove?