I don't paint much any more.

donsrods · Mar 10, 2016

I used to paint all my suspension parts but then I started having them powder coated. Now, I rarely paint those parts because it is actually cheaper and easier than doing it myself.

For example, we recently epoxy primed and Imroned the sbf engine my Son Don had built for his T bucket. The cost for a quart of etch primer, a quart of hardener, a 3/4 quart of Imron, and a quart of hardener came to $303.00. At the same time, I took the new front axle for my 27 to my local powder coater and it only cost me $78.00.

The nice part is, I dropped off the axle, he sandblasts it and coats it, and one week later I picked up a nice new shiny axle all ready to install. Here is a picture of it, the new one is the bottom one, the top one is my old axle that I am going to have the kingpin bores redone on.

By the time I buy the paint, drag out the spray equipment, paint a part, and then have to clean up afterwards, it is just so much easier to do the powder coating routine. In fact, when I build my altered I am going to have the entire frame, cage, and all the suspension done that way.

Don

lowbudget50 · Mar 11, 2016

I had the frame on my 50 powder coated. It lloks good and it holds up. Its worth it for sure.

Neto · Mar 11, 2016

It sounds like you've found a good shop to do the powdercoating for you. I worked in one for several years, and often times the parts were somewhat rusty before they went through the booth. Sometimes this was due to parts hanging on the line wet during break time, and sometimes due to old chemicals that were no longer doing the job. Most of what we powdercoated was new stuff, and even that needs to be sand blasted before painting, and we never did - didn't even have a sandblaster in the shop. Our system was also a single coat system, but I think that some do a two stage approach. But even then, the process of powdercoating has some of the same drawbacks as electro plating (I also worked in that field for several years, but a long time ago - that is that the crevices tend not to get well coated. I've seen a lot of hand rails & such powdercoated by the shop where I used to work that are rusting in the corners.) But the key must be in finding a shop that makes sure the parts are well sand blasted, and one that does custom work - we were doing thousands of the same parts all day long, and in a mass manufacturing environment you just can't get the quantity the boss demands and still hold on to the quality that the customer (and any self-respecting employee) wants to see.

Bamamav · Mar 11, 2016

I've thought about buying one of the kits and finding an old oven and doing some small stuff here at home. Nobody does it around here that I'm aware of, would probably have to drive to Birmingham to get it done. Might pull the trigger one of these days and give it a try just to have something different.

phil cottingham · Mar 11, 2016

Bama, My father-in -law has the setup you're talking about and it works good . He just does motor cycle parts. Uses and old electric stove for the baking.

Bamamav · Mar 12, 2016

The oven part is the hardest to get a hold of. Most folks around here have gas ovens, electric ones that still work are hard to find used. I used to see classified ads from people wanting to sell or give away old ovens, but very seldom anymore. Don't know who ends up with them now.....[S

IronRat · Mar 12, 2016

Bama - You could just Build one. Use heating element(s) from electric smoker. Then just find a insulated metal box, old oven, old fridge or freezer. Obviously you'd need to gut the freezer and line with sheet metal. An old commercial pizza oven would be great….agin if you could find one as trash give away.