Instead of taking you're bike parts to a powder coating shop, have you done it yourself? I have to take many parts from my new SGS to get them powder coated. Just recently got my crash bar and foot pegs powder coated, had to drive for over an hour to a shop, drop off my parts, and 3 weeks later picked them up, overall cost in gas, cost of the work was over $200, ouch!

I've been looking around for a cheaper alternative, wondering who has under taken the risk and if it was worth it? If so, what gun did you use and how did you get it done? Youtube has a lot of "DYI" guidance, seems to me that the powder is very cheap, gun is too, oven no big deal. It doesn't look that complicated or hard to do, however with no experience I personally can't truly comment. So I came here for suggestions, guidance..

Thanks!

 

Ive read of a few guys doing it around here. Im curious too. Consider this a free bump so hopefully someone will see this and share their experience.

 

It's not hard. Just like using a rattle can only difference is your using powder. Prep is the hardest and most important part. Just don't use the wifes oven, same goes for the oven in the fire house....

 

All you need is a $200 kit from Eastwood,and a electric stove[oven] from Craigslist.[And wiring in your garage to plug the stove in]

 

Nice, however...I've heard of Harbor Freight kits which some say is a good option as well. Now don't quote me on that, lol. Just want an alternative solution and I'm curious if my DIY project will be as good as getting the parts done by a professional?

 

Experiment with spare parts first. Good sandblaster also helps.

 

You def want a blast cabinet. You can get the harbor freight one and upgrade the gun to a scat blasting gun and they work awesome.

The eastwood dual voltage gun kit is the way to go. They work great.


Anyone can powder coat. Its super easy.


Start off with small stuff....to practice. Old wrenches...pliers...stuff you dont really care about too much...till you get comfortable.

Tons of youtube videos showing eastwood kit in action.

I use an electric oven I got off craigslist.

Go for it. Those powder coat guys charge way too much for such easy work...and the powder is dirt cheap.

 

In my opinion, by the time you buy all the equipment...supplies...yada yada...and the time required to get a good job consistently, you would have to have a LOT of parts to powder coat...for me, I just paint the parts that many would powder coat, but I'm set up for that... but if I only had ten or so small parts to refinish, it's better in my situation just to jump on the freeway and drive 25 or so miles to the chrome shop, have the work done, come back a week later and pay the $150...I'm gonna have a LOT more invested in it to buy the equipment...now, if I was restoring bikes all the time, yep, it would make sense...also, one needs to have the physical room for powder coating.

A blast cabinet is pretty much mandatory. An electric oven takes space. And, a place to lay on the powder, pretty much a spray booth. A full size booth isn't necessary, but you don't want that stuff wandering around the territory either.

If all that works for ya, sure, go for it, there's always satisfaction in doing your own work!

 

Yeah I understand the investment, time consuming vs saving the money. I don't powder coat that often if not ever, but I was wondering if a cheaper alternative would be an option. I may end up just paying to get the work done and be done, figure time, investment, equipment, etc will require a lot of homework. I love doing things myself but when they are convenient to do. For example, just recently I drove for 2 hours to pick up a Snow Thrower from a Sears outlet store, when I got home after driving 5 hours total in bad weather, came to find out that the POS machine didn't work. My fiancé told me that I should of just paid the $69 for delivery instead, lol and avoid the hassles. I spent $42 to fill up my tank thank God for Diesel cars and another $32 in tools to assemble the darn thing... Do the math!

 

remember...you will find a million things....besides bike stuff to powder coat.
car stuff....tools...other projects.

If you are a handy guy and like tools and working with your hands....I highly recommend setting yourself up.