Powder Coating

[The Prophet of Doom]

I currently have a benchtop cabinet, but it's going in the bin.  I'll probably be getting this one

http://www.harborfreight.com/40-lb-capacity-floor-blast-cabinet-68893.html

Only $200 in the USA, more than twice that here

[Re-Vision]

I plan on going and picking that one (40 pounder) up in the morning. What kind of grit have you been using? I keep an eye out on my neighbors trash cans looking for an electric oven someone is replacing but haven't found one yet. I don't want to break down and buy one until it's absolutely necessary.      BDC

[The Prophet of Doom]

My grit is just classed as medium glass bead - whatever that means.  It came with my cabinet and needs replacing now as there's more paint than grit.

Trouble with throw-away ovens is you don't know what was wrong with them - it could test your diagnostics skills.  Ideally you would use on its side for easier parts hanging, and perhaps get a cheap external meter or PID controller ex China as stock ovens are notoriously inaccurate.  The powder cure temps/times really do need to be adhered to - under-cured powder is worse than rattle can paint.

[dingleberry]

I currently have a benchtop cabinet, but it's going in the bin.  I'll probably be getting this one

How many beers do you want for your old one?

[Re-Vision]

POD, give Dingleberry your old cabinet if he assembles your new one. LOL     BDC

[The Prophet of Doom]

It never occurred to me that it's probably a full day's assembly from flat pack.  Still has to get past the appropriations committee.

You can have the old one no beers needed.  I wouldn't mind some square section (only if you have some you don't think you'll need).  I need to make an oven table.

[dingleberry]

Have you got enough cfm from your compressor to run big red? Maybe I could swap you some gold instead of steel lol. What weight and size is your oven and what size square tube you thinking?

[The Prophet of Doom]

Good point - I never thought of that.  It seems not.  I can do 190l/min.  Big red needs  340l/min.  Even the little one it supposed to have 250l/min.   I might need a plan B.

The oven's 600x600 100kg

[dingleberry]

Suppose it depends on how long you are blasting. A tank piggybacked off your compressor tank should give you longer bursts but take longer to top up again. Another cheap compressor pumping into same tank might work too. Smaller nozzle?
Should be able to find something to hold your oven up.

[Jimustanguitar]

I might start playing around with smaller parts soon. The makerspace bought a medium/large toaster oven that we're converting into a circuit reflow oven. I'm sure I could easily write a program to cook powdercoat.

Any good how-to's out there about what temp curves/times to use?

[QBS]

Can wood be powder coated?

[Re-Vision]

The main trick is to get the powder to 400 degrees fahrenheit so it will melt. I understand that heat guns can melt the powder but trial and error would determine whether the wood could withstand the temps.   Paper burns at 451 fahrenheit according to Ray Bradbury.       BDC

[fret not]

Wood is not a good candidate for powder coating, though I'm not saying it can't be done, but the result is quite likely to be disappointing.  Wood has a distinct tendency to shrink and check (crack) when heated to near combustion temperatures. Mesquite may possibly be an exception, as it tends not to shrink much as it loses moisture.  I would look for a better qualified material.

[QBS]

Thank you for the non flamed responses.  I was just curious and trying to think outside the box. 

[fret not]

Maybe you could figure out some low temperature powder, but what part on your V would you imagine making from wood? ???

[QBS]

No wooden V pieces being considered.  Just gathering data for other potential projects should they arise.  Thank you.

[The Prophet of Doom]

They powdercoat MDF for kitchen cupboards.  Looks good too.

With wood being non conductive you might just have to dust the piece and keep it horizontal.  Make sure you bake it dry for several hours first or you will get surface flaws from water vapour escaping. 

[dingleberry]

I've been wondering about powder coating myself lately. In our country the well tanned get great benefits.

[Rikugun]

I've been wondering about powder coating myself lately. In our country the well tanned get great benefits.

Hmmm, not sure what the message is here. Do you mean tanned like the guy on the right?

http://www.rollogrady.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/bretandjemaine.jpg

[The Prophet of Doom]

Spent my Saturday turning my powdercoating oven into a digitally controlled one.
Doing an oven re-wire takes longer than you would imagine but it all seems to be going OK. 

I've got two temp controllers in there ...
The first is a Sestos (Proportional, Integrative, Derivative).  You have to teach it about your oven and it will predict temps, preventing overshoot and keeping temps within about 0.2 degrees by rapidly cycling the elements. 
The second is a Danfos mechanical so if the digital relay fails in ON position it will kick in and prevent overcooking, while firing off an alarm.
There's also a Sestos timer