Opinions/info on powdercoating.....

[mirafioriman]

I noticed today that there is a Powdercoating company that has opened up near me.

When I have done restoration work in the past I have cleaned up things such as suspension components and painted them.

What are people's opinions on powdercoating such components?

Issues like, preparation, cost longevity etc.

[lewist123]

Powder coat won't be great at protecting from stone chips etc.

Also, depending on what the company do, they might not be too interested in small stuff.

My dad runs an Aluminium anodising plant as well as a powder coaters. Now you may think that everything I now own would be powder coated or anodised, but even I have to ask super nicely for him to do stuff for me. His business model doesn't include small one off stuff

It really depends on the size and scale of the company as to whether they will quote you a decent price.

Having said all that there are smaller outfits out there that will do it.

[purplevanman]

not a fan of powder coating even though it has been my job for best part 25 years
It is quick and easy to apply but not good at getting into tight corners so can leave these areas thin. Also if you get a chip water will get under the powder and rust will spread very quickly.
it is a good tough coating but can chip and crack.
get a good 2 pack system done will cost more but will last longer.

[bmw156]

We PC at work.
if the metal is phosphated properly first and baked properly then the powder shouldnt chip easily.
I would offer the business but we only do white lol. and can only do steel.

[Keefy]

a lot of people speak about powdercoating chipping, but if its prepped well and done right it will really take something to make it chip. Your usual stonechips should be water off a ducks back for it. Its like anything though, if its done poorly ....

And regarding smaller stuff, most companies will welcome it and chuck it in with a bigger batch of stuff they are doing the same colour.

[VIP]

Sept 2, 2011 6:18:11 GMT bmw156 said:

We PC at work.
if the metal is phosphated properly first and baked properly then the powder shouldnt chip easily.
I would offer the business but we only do white lol. and can only do steel.

Sept 2, 2011 6:22:19 GMT Keefy said:

a lot of people speak about powdercoating chipping, but if its prepped well and done right it will really take something to make it chip. Your usual stonechips should be water off a ducks back for it. Its like anything though, if its done poorly ....

And regarding smaller stuff, most companies will welcome it and chuck it in with a bigger batch of stuff they are doing the same colour.

What they said.

Powdercoat is pretty bloody durable, most exterior metal 'furniture' is powercoated, and should last years.

I've been working with sheetmetal companies for quite sometime and can assure you that properly applied powdercoat shouldn't chip.

[sasquar]

Sept 2, 2011 9:22:06 GMT VIP said:

What they said.

Powdercoat is pretty bloody durable, most exterior metal 'furniture' is powercoated, and should last years.

I've been working with sheetmetal companies for quite sometime and can assure you that properly applied powdercoat shouldn't chip.

Fair point, but metal garden furniture doesnt often get stones thrown at it at 70mph....

Interestingly, if you speak to people that powdercoat stuff, they will tell you that its not the best way to preserve suspension componants..... that speaks volumes.....

Its cheap and very good at what its designed for, but ask yourselves the question, being as its cheap, if it was the best thing to use then why would oem companies not use it......

[VIP]

Sept 2, 2011 9:58:55 GMT sasquar said:

Sept 2, 2011 9:22:06 GMT VIP said:

What they said.

Powdercoat is pretty bloody durable, most exterior metal 'furniture' is powercoated, and should last years.

I've been working with sheetmetal companies for quite sometime and can assure you that properly applied powdercoat shouldn't chip.

Fair point, but metal garden furniture doesnt often get stones thrown at it at 70mph....

Interestingly, if you speak to people that powdercoat stuff, they will tell you that its not the best way to preserve suspension componants..... that speaks volumes.....

Its cheap and very good at what its designed for, but ask yourselves the question, being as its cheap, if it was the best thing to use then why would oem companies not use it......

I meant 'furniture' like lamp posts, roadside cabinets et al, which have all kinds of detritus thrown at it by passing traffic.

I wasn't referring to your patio set!

Oh, and as for OEM companies, all of my $3000 Ride-Tech suspension is powdercoated, and that's designed for use much higher than average road speeds.

[chevy]

I`m currently dropping the front off my Camaro......All the bits that can be will be powder coated by one of my suppliers.He does our products so it`s a case of mates rates really.

[sarkie83]

I've not had any problems with it chipping. It certainly doesn't chip as easily as when you rattle can/hand paint bits, so it's good in my book!

[sasquar]

Sept 2, 2011 12:18:24 GMT sarkie83 said:

I've not had any problems with it chipping. It certainly doesn't chip as easily as when you rattle can/hand paint bits, so it's good in my book!

its definately far, far better than rattle can paint jobs, but still nowhere near as good as a coat or two of two pack paint.....

I suppose its only fair to mention at this point, that far from being anti powder coating, i actually work for a company that doeas both PC and wet spraying, they both have thier place, and from a performance/pound basis, you will struggle to beat powder coating, but for out and out durablitlty (particulalry on wheels and suspension bits), its a no brainer.....

[mirafioriman]

Thanks for the advice and info. I might pop in to see them sometime and see what they offer.

[purplevanman]

having it blasted or phosphated will make a difference but most places won't do either.
look at the majority of metal stuff you buy for gardens, workshops etc, flaking in a very short time. i have a set of springs on the landy, bought new and within 12 months were all flaked and rusty.
Shocks were the same, sack trucks, shelves, vending machines, even my welder was flaking in a short space of time.
As I said in my first post, 1 small chip or crack will allow water under the surface and it will not let it out so rust spreads quickly forcing the coating off.

[johnd]

If your powder coat is chipping/lifting its not done correctly... Its a tremendous coating

It is far far better if etched or powder primed first

[MrSpeedy]

I had a load of stuff done when i built the Sprintfire, and it wasn't long before it started looking shabby. It was done FOC by a mate tho, so beggars can't be choosers.

My preferred coating these days is Smoothrite.

[10mpg]

I used to work for a powder coating company, we used to do small runs and larger industrial lots as well as one offs all our items were done properly, blasted and hen etched if needed, and the finish done right is incredibly durable..

I used to manage quality control, which basically involved measuring the thickness of the coat then dropping various pointy weights held in a lovely little test rig, on specially coated bits of ally trying to make it crack and chip..

I had loads of stuff coated after work hours, bike frames, subframes, brackets of all sorts, axle cases ect ect, never had a problem with chipping or flaking at all, after we had done the proper scientific tests we often got medieval on any spare test samples (we had to store one as a reference) you could bend a peice of ally to about 30/40 degrees and back without cracking and all but the thinnest test sheet would take a direct hit with the ball end of a hammer without chipping..

In short I'd say it was frappin fabulous stuff and as long as it's prepped right, applied in the correct thickess and baked for the correct time i'd rely on it over any paint system I've ever used, though some of epoxy based paints are getting very good...

[purplevanman]

Sept 3, 2011 18:28:03 GMT 10mpg said:

In short I'd say it was frappin fabulous stuff and as long as it's prepped right, applied in the correct thickess and baked for the correct time i'd rely on it over any paint system I've ever used, though some of epoxy based paints are getting very good...

Sorry but.... why does every oil company, water board, MOD and many others specify 2 pack, epoxy mainly, for there stuff if it is only now "getting very good" ?

[10mpg]

Ease of application and removal, and price i'd say... but that's just my opinion...

[sasquar]

Wet spray is harder to apply, harder to remove and more expsensive than powder coat?!?!