vetgam wrote:
pro10is wrote:
Powder coating is very easy to do, no skills are required.
Would love to see a link to the equipment you should buy.
Sure:
Here is the powder coat dual voltage gun I own, currently on a sale at a very low price of $110:
http://www.eastwood.com/dual-voltage-hotcoat-powder-gun.htmlThis gun is all you need for most jobs and works perfectly.
From there order any color powder you want:
http://www.eastwood.com/hotcoat-powder-coating/powders.htmlThe choice of colors and finishes is amazing. You can even do chrome and metallic like finishes.
If you don't already own an air compressor all you need is a very small inexpensive one costing about $50:
https://www.amazon.com/Campbell-Hausfeld-Compressor-1-Gallon-FP2028/dp/B000BOCBAM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1483068544&sr=8-1&keywords=small+air+compressorEven this one is overkill, you only need 5-10 psi at a very low CFM, basically only a small puff of air.
That leaves only an oven. Many people simply use an old toaster oven. Even a new toaster oven will only set you back about $60 or so:
https://www.amazon.com/Hamilton-Beach-31105HB-Countertop-Silver/dp/B00M39MPP4/ref=sr_1_18?ie=UTF8&qid=1483070892&sr=8-18&keywords=extra+large+convection+toaster+ovenor this one, specifically designed for powder coating on sale now for $90:
http://www.eastwood.com/eastwood-bench-top-powder-coating-oven.htmlIf you want to do even larger items you can buy a used kitchen oven at an appliance recycle store for next to nothing. Or check Craigslist, many people offer them for free if you'll haul it away. I found a restaurant bakery oven use to make muffins on Craigslist for free.
If you want to do very large items you can make your own oven out of sheet metal, some insulation, and a heater and controller. There are many plans available online. The parts cost around $100- $300. Some are even designed to fold up or come apart for storage. Basically anything that will heat up a part to 440 degrees F will do but please don't even think about using your kitchen oven you use for cooking, not if you value your marriage.
For extremely large items that can't fit inside an oven like a chassis, people use infrared lamps.
Powder coating is remarkably easy, and takes no special skills. All you do is prepare the surface by stripping off the old paint either with abrasives or chemical strippers (actually with the dual voltage gun on high power I've even cheated by spraying over the existing paint or powder coat). Once the surface is prepared you connect a wire to the item which then gives it an electrical charge. You then spray the dry powder onto the item which is attracted and held by the charge. You then place the item in the oven for 20 minutes at 440 degrees F which melts the powder. After you remove it from the oven and allow it to cool, it's perfectly coated with a material tougher than most paints and ready to use. You can even apply a second coat.
It's not a solution for everything, it only works on metal items, not plastic or wood, but for that application it's great. I've made far more money than I paid for all the equipment simply by doing small jobs for friends and acquaintances or letting them use my setup for a small fee. It can be a real money maker if you ever did real jobs for people.