Posted by joe Lorenzino on Tuesday, November 19, 2002 at 2:52PM :
In Reply to: Powder vs. Epoxy posted by David Lang on Tuesday, November 19, 2002 at 1:26PM :
Go with the powder if you can handle the cost difference. I had the wheels on my 78 W200 sandblasted, then painted with an epoxy/2part "plastic" paint that the body shops around here use on oilfield equipment. The paint itself is durable, but because it was SPRAYED ON, it does not reach into tight recesses (where the centre plate meets the rim,mounting clips, etc) very well, and the wheels show a bit of rust in these "thin" areas. If the part can be Completely Coated, the epoxies ARE very durable. Powder coating on the other hand is applied ELECTROSTATICLY. Yes, it is still a spray, but the static charge makes sure that ALL surfaces, edges, insides, backsides, etc. are covered. It is then Baked or Melted onto the base metal which gives a much better "bond". I had the wheels on my 54 FC-4 PW (Fargo) sandblasted and powder coated at a local farm implement manufacturing plant, and they have shown no signs of rust or "thin spots" in the coating. I am MUCH happier with the powder coat, and will be getting more parts done as budget allows. The place that does powder here is ISO 9000 or 9002 certified, so they do a very good job. Some (all?) places that powdercoat will also have their own blasting booth (the one in town is part of the paint line) and it may be more cost effective to have them blast the parts for you; it also minimizes the chance of contamination between blasting and coating.
I haven't checked lately, but some time back, one of the street rod magazines ran a story on a company that was selling the powders for "at home" application using the kitchen stove as a bake oven. I'll check back and see if I can find it. Joe
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