ShopTalk Forums | Aircooled VW Tech & Restoration Help

I went to a local shop that does powder coating as thier main buisness, (awesome Conveyer and Ovens). I brought them my Upper and Lower Torsion arms and Knuckles to powder coat black. The told me that they would not need to mask anything on these items, that thier process isn't more than a mill thick. I was just wondering is this really possible? He showed me other items that had threaded holes that where coated and the bolts went in just fine so i now asking others out there that might have experienced the same?

My experience with powdercoating is to make sure that all threaded holes or tight tolerance holes are masked prior to powdercoating. Usually the powdercoating is thick enough to change the threaded diameter making it hard to rethread the bolt and in the process messing up the powdercoating by chipping it. If the shop your taking your stuff to will stand by their word and make good on your powdercoated parts if the bolts will not thread in the holes then have them do it without masking them. Otherwise I'd look for a different shop.

I worked in a powder coatings plant in Oregon for 4 years. I KNOW POWDER!!!!!!

I made the stuff, shot the stuff, daily and did R&D for some of the newer finishes out today.

Yes powder coating is great,,, it is tough as hell and relatively easy to apply with an electrostatic powder sprayer.
The trick is surface preperation, It MUST be absolutley clean of all dirt, oils, grease, and foreign materials.... or the coating will bubble or (gas out) in powder terms. ANY thing oily, or grease fron fingerprints, like that will contaminate the coating during baking and cause gassing.!!!!
I have coated hundreds of parts from motor brackets to motor cycle frames, even custom did my own tyoyta 4x4 wheels,, (cool one of a kind wheels)
Cast parts are the worst to coat because they are a little surface porous will gas out some when heated to 350+ degrees which is required got a good quality coating applied

As for parts prep,, after pretreatement and preheating, I just took paper and made little rolls to go in all bolt holes and taped bolts with masking tape.. I never had a problem.... If something gets in the hole it will bake in there and a tap must be used to gently clean out the hole.
I learned that the hard way. I am a "PRO" now, LOL
Kevin
AKA the powder man.. Used to be anyway!

Hey what do you reccomend the parts be cleaned with before coating? And is hot coat a good way to powder coat something? Any more tips would be greatly appreciated by me and im sure many other.