Have been thinking about powder coating for a year or so . Started watching a few U tubes And seen a few modification for the low end guns . I picked up a Harbor freight coating kit and drilled the two extra holes for better atomizing the powder coming out of the gun .
My first try was a spool I had made for 440n . It went well with the matte black powder .
Next try was a 330n model casting , also with good results .
With such good results , I will take this more seriously and get some colors and a bigger oven .
Your work looks pretty good to me Joe. Now you got me interested.
Looks great, Joe!
Best, Fred
Good job! Jurelometer has quite a bit of experience on powder coat as well. I've never tried it but that looks great!!! - john
For the first time doing this , I did surprise myself with the results . For years I could not justified doing powder coating . Paint today in rattle cans is just getting out of hand . As of now , my first impression , powder coat may be cheaper with better durability . I will look at how far powder will go , compared to paint .
Some of my reels suffer hook scrapes and chips , hope this is a game changer . Time will tell.
Quote from: Brewcrafter on October 16, 2025, 08:56:35 PMGood job! Jurelometer has quite a bit of experience on powder coat as well. I've never tried it but that looks great!!! - john
Yes I will look for more information and workarounds . The faraday effect is the one to work around . Hot flocking seams to be the ticket for a work around with the cheaper guns .
Looking good Joe!
It looks like you are getting the hang of it.
Quote from: Brewcrafter on October 16, 2025, 08:56:35 PMGood job! Jurelometer has quite a bit of experience on powder coat as well. I've never tried it but that looks great!!! - john
I wouldn't say quite a bit of experience, but I have learned some stuff, mostly the hard way.
Some stuff that I have learned:
1. If you have a way to blast or sand the part to get a uniform rough surface, the paint will get a really good grip. I used garnet media in a blast cabinet for reel parts. The powder does a good job of self leveling, so you don't need (or want) a smooth part. The powder melts into all the nooks and crannies and digs in good.
2. Follow the manufacturer's paint schedule. Use the exact temp and bake time from the moment that that the part surface reaches the proper temp. Many folk pull the part too early because it looks good, but the cross linking hasn't finished yet. If you go too long, you can scald the paint.
3. For refinishing parts, do a series of pre bakes to outgas an lubricants of other gunk that have leached into the part before you do the powder coating. Cool, clean and repeat until the part comes out of the oven clean.
4. Powder is mostly a one shot deal. Touchup is tricky, and if you prepped well, it is nearly impossible to blast or sand off a cured powder coat without messing up the part. There are solvents for removing cured polyurethane powder coating, but until recently, the choices were all super toxic. Never tried removing powder coat with solvent myself. I have ruined old brass Penn parts by trying to blast off an ugly powder coat.
5. Hot flocking is considered a bit of a hack, but I am with you. It can work pretty well on small parts if you have a light touch.
Keep us updated on your progress. I want to see photos!
-J
I had a Mitchell 300 powder coated at an off road shop.They primarily do wheels it was his 1st reel & he didn't plug all the screw holes :o So I had to buy some small metric taps to clean those holes,not fun,it's tough stuff !
A local gun shop does Cerakote & DuraCoat,they wanted $70 to do a Cardinal 4,so that didn't happen...
Sidenote:
I tried to get Penn Greenie paint computer matched at a local auto paint supplier,their software requires a 3" sample to match the paint.
If any of you guys find a perfect match for Penn Greenie paint, please share it?
Quote from: jgp12000 on October 17, 2025, 10:11:03 AMI had a Mitchell 300 powder coated at an off road shop.They primarily do wheels it was his 1st reel & he didn't plug all the screw holes :o So I had to buy some small metric taps to clean those holes,not fun,it's tough stuff !
A local gun shop does Cerakote & DuraCoat,they wanted $70 to do a Cardinal 4,so that didn't happen...
Sidenote:
I tried to get Penn Greenie paint computer matched at a local auto paint supplier,their software requires a 3" sample to match the paint.
If any of you guys find a perfect match for Penn Greenie paint, please share it?
I learned that the hard way too! I broke a 5-40 tap trying to clean out some threaded holes. I thought it would be easier than plugging the holes, but powder coat is much tougher than regular paint.
There are inexpensive silicone plug kits that are really useful for this purpose. For flat surfaces, there is also high temp tape. If you have steady hands, you can also use a q-tip dampened with water to remove the powder from specific areas before baking, but for spots like threaded holes, this is risky, as the nearby powder could flow in as it liquefies during curing.
Color matching services with powder is more expensive with larger minimum orders than normal paint, as it is not as simple as adding a few drops of colorant at the local paint store. There are some powder suppliers that provide a large amount of colors, including RAL colors, so you could look into RAL color matching to see if there is something close to your greenie in powder form.
From what I have read, those ceramic gun coating products like cerakote are basically the same stuff as typical baked in powder(sometimes suspended in solution for application) with ceramic powder added to increase hardness. But there is no free lunch in material science. You get a thinner and harder coat that is more scratch resistant than regular powder at the expense of being less elastic, so it is more prone to chipping and flaking instead.
Oh, and for others out there getting started with powder: Don't use the oven that you cook your food in to prep and bake powder coated parts. You are releasing some nasty gases and particulates into your oven and surroundings.
Now that I no longer have access to a big commercial powder coating oven, I am doing my stuff at home with a large toaster oven with a few mods. It works fine for small batches of small parts like reel bodies. If you have the space and know your way around wiring, an old electric oven works even better, and gives you room for larger parts.
-J
Dave you really oughta add "there's no free lunch in materials science" as your signature line.
(I don't have anything meaningful to add this is beyond me)
You had me at "free lunch" ;D
What ,I missed out on a free lunch ,wait let me look in the toaster oven .
I was watching a clip on powdering a wheel rim , and they vacuumed all the places that they did not want coated . Just to highlight the spokes in the rim
Hi Joe, this is a very interesting post, can you give me more details about using the oven, I imagined, that the parts would be hung in the oven when heating, or place on a very fine mesh, thanks again, cheers Don.
Quote from: Donnyboat on October 18, 2025, 11:38:38 PMHi Joe, this is a very interesting post, can you give me more details about using the oven, I imagined, that the parts would be hung in the oven when heating, or place on a very fine mesh, thanks again, cheers Don.
I'll let Joe answer your questions, but here is a thread on powder coating reel parts that I did when I first joined this site:
https://alantani.com/index.php/topic,9622.0.html (https://alantani.com/index.php/topic,9622.0.html)
-J
The toaster oven is small , I found that i can balance the reel body on a pipe nipple . rite side up . Rotor went upside down on a nut . the parts are grounded and a little lifted so I can powder everything.
When I get a bigger oven ,I can have room for wire suspension .
Cooked up two 331n reels , mat black and red today . May mix up some parts on assembly .
Cleaned up the blow by and shot test pieces , just to see what happens .
Looks really good, Joe —-
Looking forward to getting my PC project up and running.
Once a couple of other projects are completed —- I'll start up the line.
Just hard-wired the large oven with 220V last week, all encased in EMT conduit, RACO boxes, and 8 gauge wiring with a 40 AMP breaker in the sub-panel box —- last week. That was the last piece of the puzzle needed to move forward. I have a nearly new smaller oven, but wanted a larger one for volume and larger pieces.
Gonna be a lot of purple, red, orange, yellow, tan, grey, and other colored Cardinals, DQ's, Mitchell's, and Penns.
Best, Fred
I used the powder from Harbor Freight to paint jigs and it don't work as good as Pro-tec Powder paint ,it seem required more heat to melt and don't melt even
As I am learning , there are a lot of powders that have different temperature cures and time needed to flow . Then there is different powder makeup : There are three main categories of powder coatings: thermosets, thermoplastics, and UV curable powder coatings. Thermoset powder coatings incorporate a cross-linker into the formulation.
I ordered up some powder from " The Powder coat store " I shot two 550 dams with Chrome for base coats . The chrome does look like chrome , but if you want chrome they do say to put clear on top . I did shoot some candy purple metallic on the ruff looking casting first .
Tomorrow I will try the candy red metallic . There is a learning curve to get the second coat on with a cheap gun .
You are really getting this dialed in perfectly, Joe!
Looks excellent.
There are so many possibilities with powder coating —- particularly with rough old scratched up quality reels.
Best, Fred
Thanks for all your detailed info Joe & Dave, cheers Don.
Looking good Joe.
I lurve candies! You can also use them over other other colors too, not just chrome. Candies over white works well, and candies over black can be spectacular - like a car show custom hot rod paint job.
I did notice than there was a lot of residue in in your cardboard spray booth. There should only be at most a light coating left behind if everything is adjusted correctly. A good pressure regulator (not the one built into your shop compressor) is important. There should also be a mix valve on the gun, and voltage settings. Getting these dialed in will allow for a light misting of the powder as you apply, and lower voltage settings can sometimes help with the Farady effect on those internal corners. Trying a few sample coatings on some scrap with different settings and coating thicknesses will help to get everything dialed in.
For the second coat, sometimes lowering then voltage will help, but the main thing is to maintain bare metal to metal contact between the ground and the part. Not going too thick on the undercoat can help too. I have had to resort to hot flocking on occasion, but as I get better at it, this is a less frequent situation.
To cut down on orange peeling and increase durability, you want a thick top coat, but only if it is applied very evenly. This is where the light misting of the powder comes into play. A light cloud of powder around the part will result in the the most even coat. And hanging the parts instead of resting on one side when coating and baking will make this much easier.
Here is a simple hanging setup I use for coating lures
(https://alantani.com/gallery/32/7588_23_05_20_6_03_43_32757134.jpeg)
I have a larger toaster oven, so hanging the parts is not an issue.
Please keep posting your progress. This is fun!
-J
I traded in my cardboard box for a plastic box . I will and can clean each color now with no waste . And it appears that the powder clings to the plastic box and then falls which is nice , no lingering cloud .
The gun I have now does have a tendency to blow a lot of powder when you first pull the trigger , then blows a nice light cloud . So I treat it like spray painting ,pull and then sweep into the project . This gun is single kv at 15 . I did order another gun with multiple setting to try .
Now I will show you some pictures with some problems I came across . Base coat is nice chrome .
Shot the red candy metallic and had a big drip and some balding ,back ionization .
Filed the drips down , reheated to 200 degrees and shot with no static charge . Came out good looking . I am still learning to dial in this type of gun . Practice ,practice .
OH and I did shoot a new chrome Lakeland reel seat , witch came out real nice .
Once I assemble the reels I will post pictures .
Joe forgive me if I missed it but how do you strip the old paint off before you powder coat?
I have used Citristrip with good results.
I drop them in a container of gasoline to start stripping . Some reels are in for 30 minutes and the paint is off with a little brushing . Than I move on to the sand blaster .
J what gun are you using in the picture ? I have this one coming soon .
https://www.homedepot.com/p/SVOPES-50KV-Electrostatic-Powder-Coating-System-Complete-Kit-with-Spray-Gun-Nozzles-Powder-Cups-for-Home-DIY-Commercial-Use-JDFMPTJ50KV4SPYOKV1-0819/332848396
This one has 5 kv settings , and looks to have the same style gun as the harbor freight gun .
Looks like we are using the same size toaster oven , I am on the lookout for a bigger oven . Not to big , otherwise anything that fits in is fare game to get shot .
Finished photo of reels .
I am going to sink a 10 foot ground rod next to the garage door , to see if that is going to help any . The next batch of reels will be 330 ..
Man, that cherry red DAM is a beaut!
A beauty indeed. Nice work. Dominick
Quote from: oldmanjoe on November 21, 2025, 01:08:33 PMJ what gun are you using in the picture ? I have this one coming soon .
https://www.homedepot.com/p/SVOPES-50KV-Electrostatic-Powder-Coating-System-Complete-Kit-with-Spray-Gun-Nozzles-Powder-Cups-for-Home-DIY-Commercial-Use-JDFMPTJ50KV4SPYOKV1-0819/332848396
This one has 5 kv settings , and looks to have the same style gun as the harbor freight gun .
That looks a bit like mine. Like mine, the charge pedal is not ideal, as it doesn't occupy your free hand like the safety switch that is becoming more common, so a higher risk of accidentally shocking yourself.
I have a lower end Eastwood that they don't appear to sell anymore. The voltage is adjustable from around 20K to 40K. There is a mixer knob on the handle. I believe it controls the amount of air that gets diverted to the cup, with the rest going directly out the nozzle. My guess is that you need the right ratio to get fluidization in the cup and propellant force out the nozzle, and that is going to change with the amount of air pressure and maybe the amount of powder in the cup.
But even if I am wrong as to why it works, adjusting this knob has a huge effect on getting a well dispersed powder cloud.
Looking at your parts with second coat issues, it looks just like the symptoms that I get from time to time. Some powders are less friendly than others. Ink black seems to always be up for a fight as a second coat. Using a fresh hanger wire and removing any paint on the part where it touches the wire contact point, and trying a lower voltage usually fixes second cost issues.
But once you fail to get a second coat to stick, you can end up with an electrostatic charge on the part that gives the whole part a faraday cage. Or something like that:). Even if you have fixed the original problem, the second coat still won't stick. At this point you either have to wash and dry the part or heat it in the oven for a bit, and then try again.
Also that deflector on the tip can be moved back and forth or removed to adjust the spray area. With no deflector and lower air pressure- maybe 5-6 PSI, you can get a smaller cloud useful for small detailed parts. A good air pressure regulator is key here.
I never tried running a fresh grounding rod just for powder coating. My outlet is near the service box/grounding rod already, and I figure if the first coat always works fine, then insufficient grounding is probably not an issue. I am interested to see what you find out.
QuoteLooks like we are using the same size toaster oven , I am on the lookout for a bigger oven. Not to big , otherwise anything that fits in is fare game to get
shot .
I was exactly the same way when I started powder coating! If it was metal, fit in the oven, and not bolted down too heavily, it was getting powder coated. I had access to a walk in powder oven for awhile, so the spouse had to convince me that we really didn't need a candy apple red washing machine.
My toaster oven is the largest non-digital model that I could find. Probably 1.5 to 2 CF. For customizations, I just used some high temp tape on and around the glass door to help even out the temperature. I don't use the built in thermostat, since I already have a portable PID controller that I had built for some other projects. The PID controller controls the flow of electricity to the oven and has a mode where it learns how to maintain a more steady temperature in addition to being more accurate. In your case, just using an oven thermometer for awhile to learn how hot the oven actually is at a given setting will probably be plenty close.
The ideal small portable setup is an old scientific lab oven and a PID controller. Fixer-uppers show up on the auction sites for pretty short money from time to time. I have been tempted. If you have the space and the time, and old electric kitchen oven would be pretty cool to have.
Keep us posted. You are making good progress, and I hope to learn from your experiences.
-J
The air knob on the gun is a barrel valve . I use a flow regulator and a short 4 foot 1/4 hose to the gun . Shooting in the neighborhood of 10 -13 pounds .
Back ionization seems to be the problem , and a few people suggested to wash and reheat the part to shed the ionization . Or just hot flock it . Sometimes I think that I maybe stepping on the peddle too soon and creating a ioni field ,or too long after releasing the trigger . I will be more mind full the next time I shoot . The ground rod is sunk , so I will try that also next time and see if that helps . I do use a I R temp gun to check heat , My oven runs hot by 70 degrees .
I made a few mods to my blast cabinet today ,one being to fasten down the pick up tube to the bottom of the cabinet ,so it would not float to the top . I also removed that little air filter in the cabinet that would clog every 3 minutes and you could not see what you are doing inside . I have bubble bucket now to clean and catch the cloud . What a game changer .
This sucks so well that the gloves are fully open in the cabinet , that your hands slide right in .
Ground rod helped a little , felt like I got more wrap around when shooting parts .
Also this pvc pipe fitting help for the tight places .
My next thing I want to try is a Corona ring on the gun and see what that may do to help .
Shot 3 more reels 330 Candy green metallic Candy blue metallic and a gloss red .
I finally dawned on me that I can flip the toaster on it`s side for the body castings with on banging up the part
Quote from: oldmanjoe on November 23, 2025, 09:56:42 PMGround rod helped a little , felt like I got more wrap around when shooting parts .
Also this pvc pipe fitting help for the tight places .
My next thing I want to try is a Corona ring on the gun and see what that may do to help .
Shot 3 more reels 330 Candy green metallic Candy blue metallic and a gloss red .
I finally dawned on me that I can flip the toaster on it`s side for the body castings with on banging up the part
Parts keep looking better and better!
Interesting that a dedicated ground helped a little. Wraparound should be mostly a function of getting a nice light misty cloud or powder coming out of the gun. If I am not blowing too much powder at too high of a pressure, I always get a good wrap.
Talking off the corona ring should be the last resort- it is trickier to get a good cloud without overspray. Also that metal tip needs to be kept clean.
IMHO, as long as you are getting anything more than a dusting of leftover in your spray booth, there is something that needs to be fixed.
As to putting the oven on its side- some folk do that, but there is an issue. On almost all toaster ovens, the thermostat is built into the temperature control dial, and is controlling the oven cavity temperature by responding to the temperature in the pocket behind the controls. Something like if the temperature in the pocket is 150F then the oven is 350F (I'm making up the numbers, but you get the idea). Putting the oven on the side changes this ratio, especially if there are vents on the side that are now facing down, or blocked by the table top.
Safety wise, I have no idea if it is a good idea or not, but it will probably cause the cavity temp to be off and drift more.
-J
:) I want to add a Corona ring to try . I was shooting low pressure and had better coverage with less blow by . Did notice these funny looking stars in the spray booth box on the walls .Static?
Had one rotor casting with saltwater pitting that I wanted to fill with JB weld . I could not squeeze any more out of the tubes . SO I tried some Harbor Freight knock off that I had laying to try . It doesn't specify any heat range on the package . After filling and 12 hours later ,I did sand it out ,and it was too easy sanding not as hard as J B . " Picture is before sanding " So I tried it with powder coat and no it was not in the range of full cure of 24 hours . It looks like it out gassed and rosed a little . The spool is one that I spun and was just starting to get a little pity looking .
Sweet!
From what I was taught, most paste epoxy high temp fillers like JB Weld don't work too well for powder coating. They don't hold the electric charge, often outgas, and can shrink from heating. It is sort of like trying to powder-coat a part that is partly plastic.
I have read that you might get away with JB Weld to fill smaller pits id you give the filler a very long time to dry, but I haven't tried this.
A compatible filler that is mentioned often is Alvin Lab-Metal. I think it has some metal powder in it so it will take a charge. It also has a lot of MEK and toluene in it, so it is pretty nasty stuff. Plus it cost around $50 for the smallest can. I never tried this stuff either. I just didn't try to coat anything that I couldn't blast down to a uniform surface.
-J
Joe,I have to ask how many DQ reels do you have they are abundant!
Somewhere around 125 -145 .
Quote from: oldmanjoe on November 24, 2025, 02:26:29 PMSomewhere around 125 -145 .
Careful Joe, El Dorado is listening.
Quote from: JasonGotaProblem on November 24, 2025, 03:30:18 PMQuote from: oldmanjoe on November 24, 2025, 02:26:29 PMSomewhere around 125 -145 .
Careful Joe, El Dorado is listening.
Once He learns how to shop ,the question will be were did all come from ?
Today was spool day . Had 3 raw spools that started pitting ,so sand blasted them and some 270 spools and miscellaneous parts .
Quote from: jurelometer on November 24, 2025, 06:02:39 AMA compatible filler that is mentioned often is Alvin Lab-Metal. I think it has some metal powder in it so it will take a charge.
"Back in the Day" one of my mentors had a young me filing down nails and then mixing the powder into JB Weld to in his words "Make a stronger, workable repair." Did it? Beat's me - Scientific Method did not exist in my mind back then. But I can see how it might be useful in this instance - in my case it was a cracked partially broken bolt boss on an engine intake manifold (worked, BTW and for all I know lasted the life of the vehicle) but with reels being relatively low stress you are not really worried about strength, but it may introduce enough metal to allow for powdercoating to become more effective on such a repair. There was an automotive body filler marketed years ago as an alternative to Bondo that was also a two-part mix but also incorporated a metal powder to add to the mix, but I never used it (too pricey for the junk I was working on) and don't know if it still exists here 45 years later.
This powder coating thread is fascinating and I love seeing all the true talent in the members. It also has me realizing that this is probably NOT a rabbit hole I should go down, and just rely on folks waaaay smarter than me if I ever am in need. - john
:) Yes it is a rabbit hole , and one I tried to avoid for years . It was to easy to pick up a rattle can and be done . I was think about the iron filings that were piled up under the brake lathes to mix in with epoxy to conduct powder coating . Now I have all the time in the world to play with ideas ,what will work and what does not or plan B .
Quote from: Brewcrafter on November 24, 2025, 10:15:16 PMQuote from: jurelometer on November 24, 2025, 06:02:39 AMA compatible filler that is mentioned often is Alvin Lab-Metal. I think it has some metal powder in it so it will take a charge.
"Back in the Day" one of my mentors had a young me filing down nails and then mixing the powder into JB Weld to in his words "Make a stronger, workable repair." Did it? Beat's me - Scientific Method did not exist in my mind back then. But I can see how it might be useful in this instance - in my case it was a cracked partially broken bolt boss on an engine intake manifold (worked, BTW and for all I know lasted the life of the vehicle) but with reels being relatively low stress you are not really worried about strength, but it may introduce enough metal to allow for powdercoating to become more effective on such a repair. There was an automotive body filler marketed years ago as an alternative to Bondo that was also a two-part mix but also incorporated a metal powder to add to the mix, but I never used it (too pricey for the junk I was working on) and don't know if it still exists here 45 years later.
This powder coating thread is fascinating and I love seeing all the true talent in the members. It also has me realizing that this is probably NOT a rabbit hole I should go down, and just rely on folks waaaay smarter than me if I ever am in need. - john
Uhhh... he was not using the aspects of steel that make it strong. Embedding another material into plastic will change the properties, but you have to know what you are doing. You can mix elastomers in to make it more flexible, or add strands of stiff fibers to make it stiffer. Both of these are very common. But I don't see how grinding down nails is going to do anything useful structurally. They sell plastics with metal powder imbedded, but this is for cosmetic effect - the end product sorta looks like metal, and something like iron powder filler will actually rust and make a patina. Used for decorative parts, because it is not very strong.
In our case, we have to worry about different coefficients of thermal expansion between the paste epoxy and the metal filings. It probably has a greater chance of structurally failing (e.g., cracking) when you bake it at 400F.
Plus, none of this addresses outgassing and shrinking of the JB Weld from the oven. But Lab-Metal and the solvent you need to keep it usable are a bit toxic to work with and expensive. It will be interesting to see if Joe comes up with a JB weld hack that works well enough for smaller amounts of pitting.
-J
I've always wondered how adding graphite powder to epoxy resin can increase tensile strength and rigidity. Since there are no reinforcing fibers it seems like the graphite/epoxy mix can only be as strong as the epoxy holding the graphite particles together. But, boat builders swear by it.
Quote from: oc1 on November 26, 2025, 05:01:26 AMI've always wondered how adding graphite powder to epoxy resin can increase tensile strength and rigidity. Since there are no reinforcing fibers it seems like the graphite/epoxy mix can only be as strong as the epoxy holding the graphite particles together. But, boat builders swear by it.
This is a different case. I don't think the purpose of these type of resin additives is to strengthen the resin in a standalone situation. It is to strengthen glass or carbon fiber and resin composite. The composite strength relies on the strength of the bond between the resin and the carbon or glass fibers. When we look a a broken boat hull or fishing rod, we can see those strands of loose fibers, especially with carbon fiber construction. I don't know how it works, but the purpose of these high tech "nano-particles" is to improve the bond.
There is also standalone "graphite"/carbon and plastic blends. Our "graphite" reel seats, frames and sideplates are an example(nylon/carbon fiber). A bit of housekeeping: graphite and carbon fiber are terms used interchangeably when they market products made from carbon fiber.
The added carbon fiber can be anything from nearly powder all the way up to great big chunks (see forged carbon fiber).
For our current topic- graphite/carbon is a conductor of electricity. Don't know if it would be useful for powder coating as an additive to an epoxy filler. Seems like a long shot for the reasons mentioned earlier.
-J
Joe, The regular (long cure) JB weld can handle up to 500f. I've also seen a youtube video that showed it's magnetic and conductive, but I haven't tested that yet.
The quick cure JB is crap and I wouldn't trust it for anything. Not for high heat applications either.
*edit* I just checked some cured high strength JB Weld and it does attract a magnet. The MSD says 5-10% iron. I also tested with a multimeter and it's not conductive.
I have read about making conductive rubber,I forget all the details,but it triggered me thinking about red high temp rtv,if you could infuse it with
Graphite to be conductive & how conductive must the material be to powdercoat?
Ideally, it should have the same conductivity as the surrounding metal that you are coating, so that the coat will have uniform thickness. I doubt the powder would stick to rubber well, plus there's there problem of the rubber flexing. The cured coating would have to have a comp compatible amount of flexibility.
And conductivity is just one problem, you have to deal with without outgassing and expansion/shrinking as well.
Interesting that JB Weld has steel powder in it. I wonder what the value is. Maybe it helps hold it together when you machine it. You can't drill and tap normal paste epoxy.
-J
Quote from: jurelometer on November 26, 2025, 05:57:18 PMQuote from: oc1 on November 26, 2025, 05:01:26 AMI've always wondered how adding graphite powder to epoxy resin can increase tensile strength and rigidity. Since there are no reinforcing fibers it seems like the graphite/epoxy mix can only be as strong as the epoxy holding the graphite particles together. But, boat builders swear by it.
This is a different case. I don't think the purpose of these type of resin additives is to strengthen the resin in a standalone situation.
Plywood boat builders use it like an armor coating applied after the layer(s) of composite material has dried.
What if you applied your JB weld or whatever you use, and bake it in advance to deal with outgassing etc and then do your powder coating after it cools?
Quote from: oc1 on November 28, 2025, 06:13:18 PMQuote from: jurelometer on November 26, 2025, 05:57:18 PMQuote from: oc1 on November 26, 2025, 05:01:26 AMI've always wondered how adding graphite powder to epoxy resin can increase tensile strength and rigidity. Since there are no reinforcing fibers it seems like the graphite/epoxy mix can only be as strong as the epoxy holding the graphite particles together. But, boat builders swear by it.
This is a different case. I don't think the purpose of these type of resin additives is to strengthen the resin in a standalone situation.
Plywood boat builders use it like an armor coating applied after the layer(s) of composite material has dried.
According to West Systems, aluminum powder is used to make a bit harder coat, which also helps to make it more water resistant. It is also good to remember that harder doesn't mean stronger, it usually means more scratch resistant, but also more brittle.
Graphite powder is used to decrease friction on surfaces like rudders, but I could see it also being used along the bottom if you drag your skiff up a beach. The graphite in the epoxy is sacrificial, as the exposed graphite is relatively soft and will get worn away. Looking at what the boatbuilders have to say, it looks like the epoxy/graphite blend is not as tough as the standalone epoxy, and occasional sanding can be used to expose fresh graphite.
https://www.westsystem.com/products/420-aluminum-powder/ (https://www.westsystem.com/products/420-aluminum-powder/)
Quote from: JasonGotaProblem on November 28, 2025, 06:17:37 PMWhat if you applied your JB weld or whatever you use, and bake it in advance to deal with outgassing etc and then do your powder coating after it cools?
Maybe. Or maybe not. The more you bake it, the more it degrades- which could increase outgassing. It is rated up to 500F, so maybe it won't degrade too fast. We don't know what it is outgassing. It might be worth a shot.
The stuff that is made for compatibility with powder coating (Lab-Metal) has a lot of very nasty VOC solvent in it which is going to exit the paste (and enter through your skin) quite quickly. A different (and presumably better- or they wouldn't be doing it) way to reach the required viscosity during application.
Also, there are lots of interesting surface finishes, not just wrinkle. Veins, rivers, or stuff that looks like a brick, an old bronze statue, or wrought iron. The most aggressive finishes will hide just about anything- for example this gold vein. It might be an interesting finish on the right piece. I would like to do a big International with this finish - it would definitely confuse the Penn fanboys :)
(https://alantani.com/gallery/39/39826-6947-grecian-gold-vein.jpeg)
I used a much milder matte that is supposed to look a bit like a used steel tool surface on this 722. It still hid a couple smaller finish imperfections.
(https://alantani.com/gallery/37/11927-010922192542.jpeg)
These might be an option to hide any imperfections on a part that needed a lot of patching.
It might be worth applying an epoxy powder primer as a first coat as well. Primer helps the paint stick better to the substrate, and provides a uniform base coloration, so you are less likely to see a color change around the patches. I have been playing with epoxy primers for about a year now, so I don't know how much they help with durability, but they do go down pretty easy, and are recommended for high corrosion environments.
-J
Let me play catch up . From J B weld site .
https://www.jbweld.com/product/j-b-weld-professional-size
A better read on J B . https://artizono.com/is-jb-weld-magnetic-understanding-its-properties-conductivity-and-uses/
Can it be powder coated . https://www.powdercoatingforum.net/forum/powder-coating/292-j-b-weld-anyone
I do have a rotor cut that is cured for 3 years , so that one is next . I will try sanding it a little more to get the pin hole out .
I do have some aluminum plates that lived in saltwater to experiment with .
Primers is something I will try , at first I was a little concerned about getting to thick with 4 layers of powder , primer ,base coat candy coat and clear coat .
But this can help in certain situation to cut down the gap in cases .
https://www.eastwood.com/garage/6-reasons-you-may-need-to-use-primer-when-powder-coating/?wickedsource=google&wickedid=CjwKCAiA86_JBhAIEiwA4i9Ju2hWYf7vmyFe806MYDJyzg6aKKJ8IRAK0tfcBAn9_AfciWAASeBJmBoC4x4QAvD_BwE&wickedid=606086287133&wcid=17570997070&wv=4&wickedsource=google&wickedid=CjwKCAiA86_JBhAIEiwA4i9Ju2hWYf7vmyFe806MYDJyzg6aKKJ8IRAK0tfcBAn9_AfciWAASeBJmBoC4x4QAvD_BwE&creativeid=606086287133&wcid=17570997070&wv=4&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=17570997070&gbraid=0AAAAAD_t6zGgUHJTy26NTgs5o9oeE4ljn&gclid=CjwKCAiA86_JBhAIEiwA4i9Ju2hWYf7vmyFe806MYDJyzg6aKKJ8IRAK0tfcBAn9_AfciWAASeBJmBoC4x4QAvD_BwE
https://www.columbiacoatings.com/understanding-powder-coating-primers-and-their-applications/?srsltid=AfmBOopyg-4CMP3oXzDsJTFZKCv6FcjJydwoYrGeOwGEL_PYq8rtRcXL
This might sound disgusting, I found that JB Weld can be smoothed if you wait 20-30 minutes when the outside skin starts to set, then you can smooth it out and reform it to better fit the repair.
The disgusting part is, it requires spit. Spit on a finger and use that finger to firmly work and smooth out the JB-Weld. It will remove any high spots and pin holes and negate the need for much touch-up work later.
Quote from: jtwill98 on November 30, 2025, 04:32:07 PMThis might sound disgusting, I found that JB Weld can be smoothed if you wait 20-30 minutes when the outside skin starts to set, then you can smooth it out and reform it to better fit the repair.
The disgusting part is, it requires spit. Spit on a finger and use that finger to firmly work and smooth out the JB-Weld. It will remove any high spots and pin holes and negate the need for much touch-up work later.
Yes that does work . I usually wait about 90 minutes , then start working it . Spit , thumb and razor blade .
Quote from: jtwill98 on November 30, 2025, 04:32:07 PMThis might sound disgusting, I found that JB Weld can be smoothed if you wait 20-30 minutes when the outside skin starts to set, then you can smooth it out and reform it to better fit the repair.
The disgusting part is, it requires spit. Spit on a finger and use that finger to firmly work and smooth out the JB-Weld. It will remove any high spots and pin holes and negate the need for much touch-up work later.
Heck, that's been standard procedure when using the JB Weld rotted wood restoration kit ever since it was first introduced. They also suggest spray misting water over the surface prior to smoothing with a plastic putty knife. I figured out that little trick years ago when using Elmer's wood restorer prior to JB's takeover/release.
Quote from: Midway Tommy on November 30, 2025, 05:44:46 PMQuote from: jtwill98 on November 30, 2025, 04:32:07 PMThis might sound disgusting, I found that JB Weld can be smoothed if you wait 20-30 minutes when the outside skin starts to set, then you can smooth it out and reform it to better fit the repair.
The disgusting part is, it requires spit. Spit on a finger and use that finger to firmly work and smooth out the JB-Weld. It will remove any high spots and pin holes and negate the need for much touch-up work later.
Heck, that's been standard procedure when using the JB Weld rotted wood restoration kit ever since it was first introduced. They also suggest spray misting water over the surface prior to smoothing with a plastic putty knife. I figured out that little trick years ago when using Elmer's wood restorer prior to JB's takeover/release.
Or the Minwax filler , that was auto body filler !
If I remember correctly Minwax was the first one to come out with the wood hardener/epoxy restoration kit, and then Elmer's came out with there's a few years later. I never cared much for the Minwax product but I really liked, and had super good luck, with the Elmer's kit. Then came the Wuhan Virus and Elmer's seemed to disappear from the shelves. Enough with sidetracking your powder paint discussion, though, Joe.
I use spit for smoothing JB, but I also use rubbing alcohol. I feel like I get better results with alcohol. The alcohol works great when sculpting epoxy putties. Helps the tools to glide over the putty better.
The vevor gun came in today , it has 5 different settings 3o-50 kv . I used it as it came out of the box . The one hole atomizer made me tap , tap ,shake the gun to keep powder moving ,and I had to bump up the air pressure to get the powder to atomize . That will be modified with may be 4 holes this time .
I do have a pressure regulator to put on the gun , but waiting for a 1-15 pound air gage to replace 0-200 pound gage .
Shot some new wrenches to put on the boat with white powder from harbor freight , 15-20 minute cook time . Well 20 minutes is to long and in the oven on it`s side , the temperature was 400 at the bottom and 480 plus at the top . Burned the paint .
Have some good primer coming , so I will wait before I shoot some reels .
(https://alantani.com/gallery/39/39842-8695-tenor12.gif)
I have been watching a few U tubes from the powder Manufacturers and the Pro `s ,and a common problem is keeping Metallics in a fluidized state so the flakes don`t settle down .
So I made 2 atomizers to try out . First one is 4 holes jet down to the bottom of the cup instead of one shooting across 3/8 from the bottom . The second one is pretty much the same ,but with 5 hole drill in the sides at a angle to create a vortex in the cup.
Today I found a piece of scrap aluminum and made a corona ring to try out .
My new oven came in today , Needs a little work !! And I did blast a few casting .
Joe
Thanks for the tour last week.
I dumpster dove some 1/32" thick teflon for you today at work. That will probably be much better for under spool washers than the 1/8 I left with you last week.
I will keep an eye out for 1/16 as well.
This painting post is awesome. Looking forward to seeing more.
-Steve
Quote from: sandbar on December 09, 2025, 09:29:34 PMJoe
Thanks for the tour last week.
I dumpster dove some 1/32" thick teflon for you today at work. That will probably be much better for under spool washers than the 1/8 I left with you last week.
I will keep an eye out for 1/16 as well.
This painting post is awesome. Looking forward to seeing more.
-Steve
It was nice to finally meet You . Next time I will give you the full 10 cent tour . I am all for dumpster diving .. One man`s junk is another man`s treasure !!
Still waiting on some parts for the oven , to use as a electric oven . I have been using it with propane to out gas castings .
I did cook up some Ka -chow today, this has a lot of shine /glitter . This is without a clear coat which makes it pop more .
The post and results show that you are really in to it and are thoroughly enjoying the powder coat process.
Be careful not to let it turn into a job and keep it your hobby.
I hate to see you lose the enjoyment aspect.
Great work! :d
No job here !! Just small oven size projects ..
They came out looking really nice when decorated with their emblems and all assembled.