Powder coat over lead work...

[Nor'Easter]

That's led not leeeeeed.

Looking for those who can tell me from first hand experience, I know what temp lead and powder flows at.

Has anyone successfully had a panel powder coated that has been leaded? I'd like to have some power wagon fenders powder coated and bumping them to perfection would be quite a task. I don't want to end up seeing the lead ghost or shade through the powder.

 

[G_P]

I powdercoat lead bullets all the time. I use the Harbor Freight red powder and you cant see any of the lead show through.

Lighter colors may be an issue though.

 

[whyNick?]

I powdercoat lead bullets all the time. I use the Harbor Freight red powder and you cant see any of the lead show through.

Lighter colors may be an issue though.

What's this for, reducing fouling?

 

[G_P]

What's this for, reducing fouling?

Yeah. Instead of lubing with wax or messy Alox lube. The powdercoating basically turns a cast lead bullet into a jacketed bullet. Zero lead fouling in the bore.

 

[whyNick?]

Yeah. Instead of lubing with wax or messy Alox lube. The powdercoating basically turns a cast lead bullet into a jacketed bullet. Zero lead fouling in the bore.

Neat idea, if I ever get around to doing some reloading I'll have to try this out. Red bullets would be cool!

 

[Zeke]

This thread may be totally hijacked. What measure of diameter reduction do you need to PC a bullet?

 

[whyNick?]

This thread may be totally hijacked. What measure of diameter reduction do you need to PC a bullet?

Yeah, sorry OP. Interesting question though. It sounds like you could probably safely powdercoat over lead filler. If I recall, Hot Rod Magazine's F Bomb Camaro was powdercoated and they used a special body filler that was compatible with the powdercoat. It seems like anything you used would have to be conductive in order for the powder to adhere though.

 

[Toxicscrew]

Typically powder is cured at 385-400 deg F. There are low temp powders that cure in the high 200's or so. CudaChick would be one to ask, she's in the PC game full time.

Agree that light colors maybe an issue. Could do a primer coat first then color coat on top if it was to show. A test panel might be in order.

No, the material doesn't need to be conductive, there are ways around that. I've coated glass and a composite LS engine intake in the past. Many MDF cabinets and other wood products are powdercoated as well.

 

[CGT80]

Powder coating over lead is no problem. I bake them for 15 minutes at 400f in a convection toaster oven, but I don't think body panels will fit in my toaster oven.

The powder I use is much better than HF powder. So far I have only used blue, green, red, and pink. I have not powdercoated anything else, so I can't help much with what the OP wants to do, but

40 cal 160 grain round nose cast at 0.402"-0.403", powder coated, then run through a lee 0.401" push through sizer in my single stage Hollywood Universal Turret press. The powder is smoothed out by sizing and the lead compresses a bit. PC adds a few thousandths of an inch to the as cast size.

270 grain hollow point (also have pentagon shaped pins for the hollow point) in 45 caliber, loaded in 460 Mag cases for my Smith 460 XVR 8 3/8" barrel revolver. These were sized to 0.452". The bare boolits have Cred lube in the lube groove and they are sized to the same diameter, but on the lubrisizer press. The boolits are the same out of the mold, then I decide how to finish them. I like PC for pistol boolits and lube for rifle boolits.

 

[MBfreak]

Years ago I restored a MB 230 SL 1965. The radiator expansion tank is a standalone part, like a BIG tin can of Tuna. It is made up of two pressings, diameter 160mm, height 30 mm. Fittings for mounting, hoses and radiator cap are soldered in, then the two halves are soft-soldered to form the ready part.
All parts are in 1 mm brass. Looks wonderful when polished, but black crappy paint in original. So i cleaned it really good and took it to a powdercoater who always does good jobs for me, together with a bunch of other parts.
Ready some days later, all looked great.
However , there was strange bracket I did not recall. Then I got it.
The expanion tank had been hung for the ovenbaking in that bracket. The rest was hopefully inside the oven.

We found two halves and all other parts on the floor on the oven.

The soft solder had given up. I do not know what solder it was or how hot the oven ran.

The shop guys dunked all parts to remove the shiny nice powder coat.

Took the parts home, resoldered and painted with a 2 component black from a rattle-can. Looks decent even after many years.

My 2 cents on solder ( though lead has a higher melting temp ) and powder coating.

Ola

 

[CGT80]

Adding tin causes lead to melt at a lower temperature than pure lead. The tin also helps the lead to flow and fill out small profiles, such as the shapes and rings in the boolits. Solder that I have used for plumbing and electronics, in the past, has had the melt point listed on the roll and the composition.

 

[Nor'Easter]

No worries about the hijacking, all info is good info.

My issue is that I am not looking to coat small items, but rather large flat fenders where ghosting or shadows can't be allowed as they might be immediately obvious to any on-looker.

 

[RivennHewn]

Any thoughts on PC over galvanized material?

 

[ADSR]

Typically powder is cured at 385-400 deg F. There are low temp powders that cure in the high 200's or so. CudaChick would be one to ask, she's in the PC game full time.

Agree that light colors maybe an issue. Could do a primer coat first then color coat on top if it was to show. A test panel might be in order.

No, the material doesn't need to be conductive, there are ways around that. I've coated glass and a composite LS engine intake in the past. Many MDF cabinets and other wood products are powdercoated as well.

How did you coat that ls intake? That's awesome, bro!

 

[Toxicscrew]

How did you coat that ls intake? That's awesome, bro!

Thanks, pretty proud of that one. Still have it as a matter of fact.

It was "hot-flocked", meaning I heated it up to about 250 or so and then sprayed it. The powder hits the hot part and does an initial melt, once covered I baked it in the oven. That was a three stage color so it took some time. It wasn't hard, just time consuming and had to pay close attention.

 

[Toxicscrew]

Any thoughts on PC over galvanized material?

Depends on hot dipped vs cold dipped, from what I've read cold is just a wipe down and coat whereas hot needs to be removed completely due to outgas issues. If the galvanizing is smooth and even should be able to shoot right over it. I hear it's a cool effect when using translucent powders.

 

[redvalkyrie]

You can powder coat just about any metal. I'd pre-bake the parts at 350F for 30 minutes before powder coating to let the part out gas. I do this with aluminum that has been exposed to oil or other fluids--like oil pans and cam covers.

 

[ADSR]

Thanks, pretty proud of that one. Still have it as a matter of fact.

It was "hot-flocked", meaning I heated it up to about 250 or so and then sprayed it. The powder hits the hot part and does an initial melt, once covered I baked it in the oven. That was a three stage color so it took some time. It wasn't hard, just time consuming and had to pay close attention.

Very cool! Thanks for the rundown. When my shop is done, a PC oven is going to get built!

 

[Goat Driver]

I powder coat lead fishing jigs on a regular basis....
I use a what we call a "fluid bed" in the fishing circle for coating the jig heads. The fluid bed system would work well for small parts. You can get them a good bit larger that the ones shown in this video link below.

these lead jigs.....

are powder coated and look like this afterwards...

 

[toplessHO]

for repairs instead of lead use lab metal
http://www.alvinproducts.com/newsletter/Default.asp?ID=5