Not to steal thread, but I have a powder coating question:

I had my swim platform re-powder coated late last summer. Now the top part of it has what looks like small cracks everywhere.
Odd that it is only on the top and not the bottom.
What could the problem be?

Thanks in advance!

I've been doing my own for about a year now. It's pretty easy once you get the hang of it. I bought all my stuff at harbor freight.....sign up for their email and they send you a 20% off coupon every so often...

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=46300

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=94244

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=93608

Probably didn't use a UV-stable powder.

The term powdercoat is about as definitive as "paint". There are lots of different types of powder, the similarity is the application process.

I have done a ton of parts with a Craftsman gun and a free electric oven. Works great. I usually glass bead the part and spray it down with carb cleaner first. Well worth the $$$

If anyone knows of a supplier of powder coat that matches the Merc paint. please let me know.

Thanks

I need this also.....

I do my own parts. I have the sears gun, and a big oven. But the size is limited to about 28" by 28" because of the oven. Works great

Yep! Not UV-stable powder. Ask them to re-do it using Tiger Drylac Series 38 powder. It's a special super-durable line for outdoor and marine use. To do it right, they should also use a first coat of Tiger's "Dryprotector 69/7000" primer. The primer should be baked on for 2-3 minutes at 390 degrees, and the top coat for 15 minutes at 390 degrees. The top coat must go on within 12 hours of the primer. Better yet would be a chrome phospatizing treatment instead of the primer. Look through TigerDrylac.com - There's lots if good information there, including a 47 page troubleshooting guide.

These people will custom-mix any color to match any sample provided. They'll do small runs. http://www.nicindustries.com/

On curing big parts, you can use an ordinary propane-powered radiant heater. You can spot-cure- essentially bringing the part to temp, then moving along until the whole piece is done. Production powdercoaters don't use staitic ovens, they move parts through radiant ovens on conveyors. You can easily make one- http://store.columbiacoatings.com/cg...ategory%3DINFR

I was actually looking at their kit and I asked them about using the heater which they said was simple. However, I found a powdercoating forum and many said they had little luck getting uniform color using heaters. Since it wasn't a uniform heat process some spots would be lighter or darker.

The converyor belt would probably work with some trial and error to get the right "speed" of the conveyer but not sure how practical that is for a hobbyist. :D