I guess maybe I should ask a painter but maybe there is a painter on here.

My powdercoating guy told me that if I coated my tank the heat from baking it would pretty much ruin the coating on the inside....but what about a lower heat like lets say 140 Degrees... I am going to paint the bike but wanted the option of sticking it in an oven to cure it better. I think baking it would be "stronger" than air dry.

 

Baking will speed up the process of evaporating the solvents....however it will not be any stronger...you would be better off letting it sit in direct sunlight for a few hours...140 is not really that hot....When you say the coating inside the tank would be damaged....are you saying that you have coated yours...or that you are planning on coating the inside of your tank before painting? I ask this because the inside of all the Harley tanks I have seen are just bare metal from the factory.

 

Yea i didn't think 140 was very hot either but the one paint says you can bake it at 140. I dunno

 

Unless you have an extra oven sitting in the garage....I dont suggest using the one in the house....not only will the vapors get to you while it is heating....but there may be contaminants that remain after you bake your parts that you dont want to be eating with your next few meals.

 

Harley tanks are sealed. Very thick stuff. I powdercoat tanks sometimes and always re-seal them just as a precautionary measure. I wouldn't think 140 degrees would bother it at all.

 

140º wont bother it. Hell, I can almost guaranty yuh mine has been at least 140º sitting in the sun in 100º+ temps.

 

I need to ask where you get powder coat that bakes at 140? This would be great for plastic.

 

I've baked plenty of parts in the kitchen oven LOL. That was until my ex bought new appliances and then I kept the old oven and set it up outside (under cover) behind my garage. Now I have a dedicated oven just for situations like you're talking about.

As far as the paint being "stronger" goes, at 140 deg you're really just "force drying" it and not really baking it. Most paints for the aftermarket are developed to be air dried and force drying at slightly elevated temperatures have no effect on the ultimate film toughness - they just get there faster.

If you've got the time to let it air dry overnight or longer, that's what I would do.

In a few weeks time the paint will be just as hard whether air dried or force dried.

 

this is paint drying at not powder lol

and i don't think my tank would even fit in my oven in the house, i have access to a kiln (big *** oven) but the paint says to either A. Bake at 140 for a specific time or air dry for 7 days before reinstalling. but it is hot as **** here in the summer so maybe i should try that lol

 

we have coated well over 100 harley tanks and have never come across one that is sealed from the factory. if you coat your tank it can not be put in the oven as simply the coating will outgass and melt, just a mess to be honest... if you have coated your tank your going ot need to paint it as it is not going to be able to be powder coated