MOPED ARMY

Some people noted that in my first powder coating experiment that the parts I coated could have easily been done in an oven or even a toaster oven. This is true, but the main reason that I coated them with this method, was so I could see if a larger object was even possible. Today I can proudly say this it is, and that my Magnum frame is coated and glorious. I used the same method as I did in my previous post. The only changes I made, was that I had to reposition the lights every 20 mins or so, and there was the precarious repositioning of the frame that I had to do mid-coat. Over all though, this was easy and only took a few hours while I was working on other projects.

Here’s a link to my last post:

"HERE":urlhttp://www.mopedarmy.com/forums/discuss/read.php?f=7&i=137064&t=137064

Tips that I would have found helpful:

PREHEAT! Obviously you can’t preheat the whole frame, so I started where there was the most metal mass and moved about 6 inches down the frame each time I repositioned the lights.

Construct some kind of ghetto spray tent. I just hung some plastic around where I was working, and it did wonders to decrease my clean up time, and keep out contaminants that mess up your finish.

Move slow. If you jump too far ahead each time you reposition the lights, you will get weird areas in between with inconsistent finish.

This should go without saying, but please use a good respirator with a fine powder cartridge. I used one all weekend and I still got some of the powder in my lungs. Frowny times.

When the powder first flows out, it will look orange peely. Give it another 10 mins to flow more before you decide that you application method needs work.

If you spray paint after, let the coat sit for at least 24 hours. I made the mistake of clear coating immediately after my swing arm cooled down, and I got small, barely noticeable airline cracks in the finish. This did not happen on he pieces that I clear coated a week after I powder coated them.

Picturegraphic time!

!<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/34144593@N08/3266547567/"; title="DSC00126 by swakopp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3466/3266547567_8b79d44a4e.jpg"; width="500" height="375" alt="DSC00126" /></a>!

Lets get it started!

! <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/34144593@N08/3267372400/"; title="DSC00127 by swakopp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3316/3267372400_a2f73b2339.jpg"; width="375" height="500" alt="DSC00127" /></a>!

Almost done

! <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/34144593@N08/3267372400/"; title="DSC00127 by swakopp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3316/3267372400_a2f73b2339.jpg"; width="375" height="500" alt="DSC00127" /></a>!

Finished!

! <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/34144593@N08/3266547747/"; title="DSC00132 by swakopp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3454/3266547747_925767664f.jpg"; width="500" height="375" alt="DSC00132" /></a>!

In the light of day

! <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/34144593@N08/3267372502/"; title="DSC00133 by swakopp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3471/3267372502_246b177ab7.jpg"; width="500" height="375" alt="DSC00133" /></a>!

Swing armz!

! <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/34144593@N08/3267372578/"; title="DSC00136 by swakopp, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3534/3267372578_d13047e1fa.jpg"; width="500" height="375" alt="DSC00136" /></a>!

So basically, I have already recouped the cost of all my equipment, because a pro version of this job would have cost way over what I threw down for all of this stuff.

Go forth and create!