So I bought the harbor freights gun, a small oven, a match to vivid black powder (so the company says).

I'm just playing around, doing very small parts and just wanna have fun with it. Like doing washers at first, nuts, bolts, etc.

There are a few chrome pieces I want to do though, eventually. I don't want to sandblast so is there another way to powder over chrome successfully?



.

 

First try coating just some junk i had lying around.
cleaned with alcohol, heat for 10 minutes, shot it, then back in oven for 20 minutes at 400 degrees.

surprised how glossy it became after just a few minutes of heat. So the limiting factor is the oven. I have a little toaster oven that is so small I can't even hang anything in it.

Guess I'll leave the bigger stuff (and stuff that needs sandblasted) to the pros and I will just play with the little stuff for now.

 

Wow those things came out shiny. Looks great and powder coating is something I would like to play around with too.

 

For under $100 you could be powdercoating your own things.
$69 harbor freight gun
$10-$15 1lb powder (I got gloss/vivid black off ebay)
$5-$30 a toaster oven (got one for $20 off amazon but too small)

And an air compressor which I think most guys have.

I'm looking fwd to trying more things but I really need a bigger garage. I'd like to get a sandblast cabinet and bigger oven but I just have no space left.

 

craigslist for electric oven/ stove, sometimes free

too big to fit make a aluminum foil extension to fit, it actually works

my prep.

zep purple degreaser, or simple green purple, dont use the green on aluminim though.

dry with compressed air get all water out of crevices

hang your part

wipe liberally with denatured alcahol

use map gas torch to burn off any grease from hands and any lint from your wipes.

p-coat

use led flashlight to check for coverage

if it looks chunky blow off and re coat, if its to thick it will have mad orange peel effect.

then stick in oven

cook till wets out

then start timing it for proper cookout

let cool and install



there is also some mods to trick out your pc gun for better flow and spray, google it, they work

 

For chrome stuff that I don't want to blast I use scotchbrite pads on. If the chrome is on good shape (not peeling) all you want to do is scuff it up real good anyways. There is no need to completely remove the chrome, just give it a good etching so the powder has something to bond to.

 

Another option is shooting translucent powder straight on the chrome(after cleaning). Eastwood carries it. This was about 3 years old when I took the picture. It's not as durable for parts facing the wind, I also did the S&S teardrop and the front surface got sand blasted in about a year. None of it was cleared though....

 

I'm in the same boat as you...same setup except, I picked up an electric oven (built in wall unit) at habitat for humanity for 50 bucks. Then installed a cheap PID controller (20 bucks from fleabay) to the oven, a set of wheels to roll under the counter in the garage, and it works great.

Next will be some type of filter/exhaust PC trap...

Get an Infra red gun (cheapy for 10 to 20 on fleabay) as it helps tell you the actual temp of the part. Part temp and oven temp can be two different thing depending upon the size of the part.

I am doing "smalls" right now in blacks and silver for some of my bikes. I like the PC and how it holds up. There are some good tips on this thread so far, and am interested in the HF gun mods.

Now that winter is here, I will be doing some more PCing... BTW, my biggest issue is getting the powder to flow smooth after baking, guess I am applying too much? YD

 

When doing this for a living as long as we have, and clients wanting long-lasting beautiful powder-coating, we have used Sumax, in Oriskany, NY, and/or Ultra-Coat, in Utica NY.
They have the processes down cold.
Scott

 

I powder over straight chrome all the time, no scuff, or blast holds up fine. But these are my personal use also. If it were for a freind or customer than I would suggest scuff, but for me if I want the chrome back , soak in B17 and wash, all chrome again. voila. My brake pedal has no pad on it and is pc'd black, over 10k on it and still looks good.

I have also taken primary covers and timing covers, heat sheilds that have been scratched or dented and sanded smooth and pc'd, works fine, with the chrome I'll feather the chrome back smooth and then coat, with al I will sand smooth and feather it back to get the shape back then coat.

Lots of scratched chrome out there, my nacelle was new except for a small scratch, not even through the chrome, got it dirt cheap, like 50 bucks, coated black. Most of the parts on my bike are scratched chrome, but for me its a simple equation, chrome ****** like shiny, I like Cheap.....LOL

Oh and check out caswell powder, prismatic powders, and rosy's powder, personally I like prismatic myself, but have purchased from all three.