Powder Coating
MuskyMike51
Posted 12/19/2011 11:53 AM (#529360)
Subject: Powder Coating




Posts: 134


Hey Guys,

Quick question for all you customizers out there... I have been powder coating some #10 colorado's that my dad had from when he was making bucktails years ago.

Anyways, most of blades just a standard silver finish so i started to powder coat the blades to the color options i liked. After a few blades i started to get the hang of it and i could get the type of finish i was looking for. After about three weekends of throwing my powder coated lures i noticed that the color was flaking off near the clevis. I think my problem is that i am not "baking" the blades long enough to fully cure the paint to the blade surface. I am in the process of trying to find a convection oven for cheap to as i'd rather not do it in my good oven.

Question to all you powder coaters, is there anything that should be done to prep the surface of the blade before applying the powder paint? Currently using a heat gun to set the powder and then baking till powder self levels.

I'll throw up some picks of the blades when i dig the box out with all my current finished blades. I have been using a little different design so i can swap out blades and colors.

Thanks in advance.
psv
Posted 12/19/2011 12:22 PM (#529368 - in reply to #529360)
Subject: RE: Powder Coating




Posts: 469


Location: MN

Mike,
What type of powder do you use ? I assume  CS Coatings Pro-Tec powder (most popular brand). If yes, then baking time: 15 minutes at 350F. Pre-heat the oven before you put the blades inside and if the oven doesn't have build-in thermometer I'd recommend to buy external one (it's not expensive at all).  Something like this:

http://www.amazon.com/b?ie=UTF8&node=289811

I use sandpaper on blades surface to make some kind of mesh for better powder adhesion.

It seems it works better this way then on smooth surfaces.

I also put extra layer of clear powder on top of main color. 

The funny part: no meter what you do the blades will cheap sooner or later, but still powder is the best method to keep them in a good shape at least for a while. 

Hope it helps.

Zib
Posted 12/19/2011 9:05 PM (#529456 - in reply to #529360)
Subject: RE: Powder Coating





Posts: 1405


Location: Detroit River		I use a toaster oven to cure anything that I powder coat. Powder paint doesn't hold up well on blades that are nickel plated. Non-plated blades hold powder paint better but are hard to find in the thicker gage.