Powder Coating - has anyone tried it?

[iron1951]

I am contemplating stripping and powder coating an "old iron" machine as a method of restoration. Has anyone tried it on a machine body? Were you pleased with the results? Would you recommend powder coating vs painting? Can you put decals on powder coat and then clear coat it? I already have an oven. Want to purchase a gun. I would like to hear some opinions. Thanks

[fredk]

My experience of powder coating is on vintage car parts and not a sewing machine

a. the finish can be better than painting but it is thicker. 

b. the powder coating can be tougher than paint

c. yes, you can apply decals on it and varnish over it.

d. you imply you are going to do it yourself. don't forget to plug screw and bolt holes and cover any screw or bolt threads sticking out. you can buy plastic plugs for the holes and plastic caps for the sticky-out bolts

e. done well a powder coat finish can look like a baked on enamel finish as per original old machines

[iron1951]

Powder coating sounds what I am looking for. Plus it can be applied in "not so good" weather. I am concerned about the thickness factor. Others please chime in. Powder coating could be what I am looking for in the winter time.

[Frodo]

powder coating

you can use this machine, it worked fine for me, 

you need to sand blast or bead blast all parts before coating, , other wise you may get some rough / ugly spots

do not touch the parts with your bare hands after sand blasting. use gloves  [oil on your skin]  

any area that has to have a tight fit when assembled needs masking off.

i spent 4 hours sliding a bolt in and out of a receiver  to wear the coating down enough for smooth operation

after spraying, you can either let hang dry or bake.

i used a old gym locker with a simple hot plate on the bottom to heat  hanging  gun barrels

be advised.. no dust can be present while drying...mask off an area with plastic,or you risk getting the fuzzies 

if you lave the air brush dirty, you need to buy a new one,,,dont ask,just take my word on that

[Evo160K]

Iron1951,

Since you already have an oven, you might take a look at Japanning (the coating used by Singer).  https://leatherworker.net/forum/topic/83226-first-try-at-japanning-on-a-restoration-project-the-conclusion/?tab=comments#comment-561233

 

[iron1951]

Frodo and Evo160k, thanks for your replies. I have thought about Japanning, it gives a beautiful finish, but I like the idea of spraying the finish. I never seem to have any luck with brushes.

Does anyone have a picture of a sewing machine that has been powder coated?

[fredk]

As frodo has said; surface preparation is a priority for a good top finish.

I don't do the coating myself but I get it done. One place I used to use did not do the surface prep properly and the powder coating just peeled off, like a skin off a banana. Another place, which i now use, does a proper prep and nothing short of a nuclear blast takes off their coatings

One thing I found out is to put cast iron items in a hot air environment with hot air circulating and venting and refreshing for a long period. This removes moisture which the cast iron has absorbed. Cast iron absorbs quite a bit of moisture from the atmosphere**. If left on it forms rust bubbles under the powder coating

A friend showed me how much on a cast iron car manifold [exhaust header to US readers]. The weight of the manifold dropped by almost 5% upon drying.

[chrisash]

Does it take much voltage to powder coat prior to the oven?

[iron1951]

Fredk, I did not know that about cast iron. So putting it in the oven to dry it out will only enhance the sticking power of the powder. They use heat to powder coat glass (from what I read). Chrisash, the oven I am going to use is just a regular oven I found on the side of the road. So the amount of electricity used would probably be not much more than the amount needed to bake a pie. Haven't done any powder coating yet, don't even own the electrostatic gun, but I believe the part only needs to be in the oven for about a half hour after the oven has been preheated. Someone correct me please if I am wrong. Anthony

 

[DonInReno]

The biggest downside to powder coating the machines I’ve stripped over the years would have been a lack of filler to smooth out the cast iron- many machines are quite rough.  A tough durable powder coat looks cheap if the surface isn’t right.   
 

If the machine is going to be clear coated anyway I don’t see a big advantage to it, but I think it would be awesome to get set up to have powder coating as an option.  I think powder coating metal parts of the stand would be ideal!