Powder Coating Question

Dirtbuster1

Dirtbuster1

Well-known member
Joined
May 13, 2008
Messages
649
Location
Georgia
To apply a Chrome finish to my valve covers, what is the proper technique. I have stripped the paint off of my 82 valve cover, and scrub them in acid to remove any contaminents. I was going to bead blast them today, but I had to much air moisture in my lines due to the humid days in Ga. I will probably pick up some sand to blast them, or use my glass beads in my blaster while spraying in my cabinet.

I saw how nice Wayne's covers turned out, and decided I want more than the stock look. I just don't want to have to do them twice.

Steps
1. Clean
2. Blast
3. Outgas
4. Clean with Acetone until good.
5. Spray with Chrome PC
6. Spray with black between fins.
7. Clear

Please correct me where needed. I have only done some Gloss Black PC.
 
Look like good steps to me. I would add a cleaning step after blasting,i like to wipe them down with Acetone real good before outgasing,and then wipe with Acetone again before applying pc.
 
Do I need to do anything between the 2 colors steps. Spray the chrome, cool down, tape, then spray black, then bake again, then clear?
 
Dirtbuster1 said:
Do I need to do anything between the 2 colors steps. Spray the chrome, cool down, tape, then spray black, then bake again, then clear?
Click to expand...

No more cleaning is needed, i like to wear rubber gloves while handling the parts to keep from leaving oily finger prints.
 
You guys. I blast them, coat them, then bake them. Never had a problem yet.:smash:
 
big2bird said:
You guys. I blast them, coat them, then bake them. Never had a problem yet.:smash:
Click to expand...

You can do that. But if you want the finish to be as smooth as a baby's butt with none of those little pores and orange peel,then you need to put in some prep work.
I have skipped a step or 2 before but i had a lot of tiny bubbles from the out gassing :push:
 
kwplot34 said:
big2bird said:
You guys. I blast them, coat them, then bake them. Never had a problem yet.:smash:
Click to expand...

You can do that. But if you want the finish to be as smooth as a baby's butt with none of those little pores and orange peel,then you need to put in some prep work.
I have skipped a step or 2 before but i had a lot of tiny bubbles from the out gassing :push:
Click to expand...

Out gassing just stinks.......:push::bump:
 
kwplot34 said:
Look like good steps to me. I would add a cleaning step after blasting,i like to wipe them down with Acetone real good before outgasing,and then wipe with Acetone again before applying pc.
Click to expand...
I agree with Kev but I have one little extra step I like to use. Once you've outgassed and are ready to shoot your covers, run a little propane torch over them. That'll burn off any little bits of fluff or lint from your cleaning cloths that you mightn't see before you shoot the powder. Once they've cured though, those little bits of fluff will be noticeable.


Dirtbuster1 said:
Do I need to do anything between the 2 colors steps. Spray the chrome, cool down, tape, then spray black, then bake again, then clear?
Click to expand...
If you're using painter's masking tape, only leave it in the oven until the powder starts to flow out - put your cover in the oven, as soon as the powder starts to flow, pull it out of the oven and let it cool (otherwise some of the adhesive can stay behind) then remove the tape and put the cover back into the oven for full cure. You can leave heatproof tape on for the duration of the cure, but I do the same as with using painter's tape. I find I don't get as noticeable buildup or "ledge" where the tape was if you remove it before full cure.

Also, I didn't use clear over my covers as the few times I've used clear, it seemed to dull the finish right off. Maybe it was just me?
 
saudivette said:
BRUTAL64 said:
Out gassing just stinks.......:push::bump:
Click to expand...
Hehehe, literally. I outgassed my valve covers (that were very used) in the oven in the kitchen.

Monster Lady was NOT impressed with the smell of burning engine oil :clobbered:
Click to expand...

:lol:I did my vc over the winter,while outgassing the garage and the house had to be evacuated :sos: the garage was little a cold for the rest of the day. luckily it was not my house :D man was the smoke and oil bad.

Little tip: if you plan on pc valve covers,do it before you use them :quote:
 
If I wind up using the Extreme Chrome on my Valve Covers, how perfect does the cover surface need to be. Caswells has a 2 for one sell going on. Reading there Forum, people were saying if you did not use clear the chrome would dull rather fast. I might just buy a cheap set of valve covers while taking my time to ensure a good job.

Wayne,

I have some PC Tape that I bought but never used. Sounds like a good time to use it. Based on what I have read, removing the tape before curing is the way to go.
 
Dirtbuster1 said:
If I wind up using the Extreme Chrome on my Valve Covers, how perfect does the cover surface need to be. Caswells has a 2 for one sell going on. Reading there Forum, people were saying if you did not use clear the chrome would dull rather fast. I might just buy a cheap set of valve covers while taking my time to ensure a good job.
Click to expand...
I used a single stage chrome that I bought from a seller on eBay and although the engine hasn't been run yet, the covers have been bolted to the engine for months and subjected to the weather extremes here and haven't dulled at all. Maybe try both ways on a piece of aluminium - with clear and without and see what you like. If the extreme chrome's like any other pc, you can achieve a fairly high build with it and it will cover minor imperfections in the surface. I spent a bit of time on mine blending out damage around the mounting flanges and on some of the fins then polished them (going up to about 400 grit wet & dry, from memory) before I shot them


Dirtbuster1 said:
Wayne,

I have some PC Tape that I bought but never used. Sounds like a good time to use it. Based on what I have read, removing the tape before curing is the way to go.
Click to expand...
I think you just get a nicer edge doing it that way. Also, if you remove the tape after full cure, you could possibly chip the masked edge as you remove the tape. Again, practice on something first and see what works for you.

That stripper that Kev was talking about is called Powder Coat & Paint Stripper and it is brilliant. I didn't outgas my covers properly the first time and they came out looking horrible. I dumped them in a tub of that stripper and the pc just came straight off - very little effort to get them back to the stage they were before I pc'd them. Using that stuff's a shit load easier than trying to blast or sand of cured pc :crutches:
 
I agree with pulling the tape off before baking,it makes for a smoother edge.
Make sure you clean all the powder off the tape before you pull it if there are any surfaces you do not want it on,a damp towel will take it off easy.
 
Kevin & Wayne,

Are ya'll ( southern word ) saying that to pull the tape off after spraying, or before they flow out. I was thinking at the melting point. Please correct me as I am easily confused.:lol::lol:
 
Dirtbuster1 said:
Kevin & Wayne,

Are ya'll ( southern word ) saying that to pull the tape off after spraying, or before they flow out. I was thinking at the melting point. Please correct me as I am easily confused.:lol::lol:
Click to expand...

Herb, what I meant was to mask up and spray your pc as normal then put your part in the oven. Once the pc starts to flow out, remove the part from the oven and let it cool. Once it has, remove the tape and put the part back in the oven and cure as normal.

When you're removing the tape, avoid touching anything with your bare fingers and like Kev said, be wary of bits of semi cured pc that might have flaked off the tape as you removed it - maybe give the part a bit of a blow over with some compressed air to remove anything that dropped off the tape...
 
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