Powdercoating alternatives?

Doc.

Doc.

Been Around the Block
Hey fellas,

So I received a quote from a local shop for PC on the frame, wheels, and some parts on my CB450, and it is much more than I had expected. For frame, both wheels, SA, trees, brake arm, fork lowers, and the kickstand I got a quote of about $850. Is this normal?

I understand alot of people go the rattle can spray route, but I really don't want to do a raw job like that because I know the first piece of rock I hit, I will start crying :p .

So, any alternatives? Will normal paint (but professionaly done) be cheaper? Would I get good protection from clearcoat in a spray can (if I decided to just do rattle can)

Thanks.
 
Places that specialize in automotive powdercoating are almost always going to cost more. If you call up some industrial powdercoaters the prices will be much cheaper. I can't say for certain how the quality compares between the two, but I've never had an issues with industrial.

The last quote I received for powdercoating my frame and swingarm came to $165. That was for pick up and drop off (no shipping) and included sandblasting and other (if any) prep work. Color was red.
 
Most of the cost in powdercoating a frame is the sandblasting and prep. Powdercoating itself is dirt cheap. The quality of the final product is all in how well the prep work is done.
 
Sonreir said:
Places that specialize in automotive powedercoating are almost always going to cost more. If you call up some industrial powdercoaters the prices will be much cheaper. I can't say for certain how the quality compares between the two, but I've never had an issues with industrial.

The last quote I received for powdercoating my frame and swingarm came to $165. That was for pick up and drop off (no shipping) and included sandblasting and other (if any) prep work. Color was red.
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Honestly that's about what I expected for the frame, give or take, which isn't bad. For the frame and the swingarm would be $405 from this quote. It would be a gray color that they stock, and not custom color which they charge an extra $30 for.

What type of places do industrial powdercoating? Or is that what I would be looking for in the yellowpages?
 
AlphaDogChoppers said:
Most of the cost in powdercoating a frame is the sandblasting and prep. Powdercoating itself is dirt cheap. The quality of the final product is all in how well the prep work is done.
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That makes sense. I couldn't imagine those parts taking so much to sandblast though. I'm sure the frame is a pain.
 
Sandblasting a frame can be brutal.
Sandblasting my Harley frame proved almost impossible until I took a torch to it. The original finish was powdercoat, and it was REALLY tough.
 
Mine was painted. It came off pretty easily. For what it's worth, the guy didn't know that when he quoted me.
 
I paid $375 to get my Beemer done at Custom Powder Coating in Dallas. That's with the tasty special orange powder I got. They actually do a lot of the stuff for OCC. There's another place down the street from me that can do it for even less. (I believe ~$200)

If you're going with black, there's always appliance epoxy. Goes on like spray paint, but is MUCH more durable than regular paint. It's easy and cheap. Only downside is colors are limited. http://www.rustoleum.com/CBGProduct.asp?pid=101
 
AlphaDogChoppers said:
Sandblasting a frame can be brutal.
Sandblasting my Harley frame proved almost impossible until I took a torch to it. The original finish was powdercoat, and it was REALLY tough.
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I figured. Probably even worse if you don't have a sandblaster, which in my case. I'm not even sure what else I could use to strip the paint off. Maybe a power sander? Or my angle grinder with a sand wheels on it? ???

Sonreir said:
Mine was painted. It came off pretty easily. For what it's worth, the guy didn't know that when he quoted me.
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Mine seems like paint as well. From what I've cut, grind, and sanded, it comes off really easily.

cafematty said:
I paid $375 to get my Beemer done at Custom Powder Coating in Dallas. That's with the tasty special orange powder I got. They actually do a lot of the stuff for OCC. There's another place down the street from me that can do it for even less. (I believe ~$200)

If you're going with black, there's always appliance epoxy. Goes on like spray paint, but is MUCH more durable than regular paint. It's easy and cheap. Only downside is colors are limited. http://www.rustoleum.com/CBGProduct.asp?pid=101
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Hmmm.... Actually the frame itself with a custome color will be $355.
 
The Rustoleum website for appliance paint says "specifically formulated for indoor metal surfaces". How does it hold up on a bike frame?
 
noexit said:
The Rustoleum website for appliance paint says "specifically formulated for indoor metal surfaces". How does it hold up on a bike frame?
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I've not seen any issues with it. It's intended use is like refrigerators and stoves and stuff. (hence the name). Replica would be the man to talk to about its durability, though. He's the one that pointed it out to me nearly a year ago.

Skyler - You should start a thread on this stuff.
 
So far it's stood up really well on my 360 rims/spokes. It's pretty damn tough and doesn't seem to fade. If you don't like it, you're only out ~$30.
 
You can't remove the paint by any method other than sandblasting. It's the only method that gets into the corners and crevices. Powdercoat require bare metal, for every square millimeter. I tried using paint stripper before sandblasting. Didn't do shit. Torching it first was what made it resonable to remove.

Contracting for the sandblasting separate from the powdercoating is one approach. I do the sandblasting of pieces that will fit in my blast cabinet in-house. When it comes to something bigger, I pay $75/hr. Cost depends entirely on how hard it is to get the old coating off.

The downside of doing sandblasting and powdercoating with separate vendors is that your powdercoat vendor must be willing to jump on the powdercoating immediately, because the freshly sandblasted metal will quickly start to oxidize.
 
I used a wire brush in combination with paint stripper for mine. A final with a wipe down from an alcohol-soaked microfiber cloth did the trick. Easier to sandblast? Probably. Only way is to sandblast? Definitely not.
 
There is a place local that does it for $250 for frame and swing arm.
I can buy an awful lot of paint for $250 (I considered powder coating, then wasn't working so it's now out of the question)
Chrome frame isn't a good idea, makes the steel brittle
 
<<Chrome frame isn't a good idea, makes the steel brittle>>

Huh?

Gee, I guess the chrome springs on my shocks, and my chrome fork tubes and my chrome fenders all constitute a death trap...
 
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