Paint over powdercoat or start over?

[randy lahey]

I had to get a few parts powder coated, and figured I might as well drop off my gas tank to get powder coated as well. The place I go to is an industrial powder coater and any small shit I drop off they basically throw in with the next batch of that colour....not exactly custom showroom finish, but its cheap. I figured with the gas tank the powder would at least be a good base. Well, the end result was a rather shit coat job and a dent that I didn't notice that is now illuminated by the glossy finish.

So now I'm debating between using the powder coat as a base and putting body fill over the dent(s), then sand and spray paint, or just sandblasting it and start over and paint it myself. I should add that the powder coat they put on is rather thick. Just looking for some (hopefully) expert opinions.

 

[o1marc]

The dent is an issue, but if it was just a bad finish on the powder it could be wet sanded and buffed and polished to a mirror finish just like paint can. Powder is a very durable base for painting over also. Sand it with about 220 grit paper and finish as you wish with paint or powder

 

[o1marc]

The dent is an issue, but if it was just a bad finish on the powder it could be wet sanded and buffed and polished to a mirror finish just like paint can. Powder is a very durable base for painting over also. Sand it with about 220 grit paper and finish as you wish with paint or powder

This is why it is important to understand the different venues that powder coat. Commercial or Production PC plants will hang your part and spray it with a conversion coating and then coat on an automated line. A custom coater takes the time to properly prep a part for a durable, long lasting finish. The commercial outfits only have to put a coating on that will last the 1 year warranty they provide, then it fails due to the poor prep procedures. This is where all the bad stories about powder coating are generated from, people see crappy production coating and think coating in general is inferior, when in fact when done right, is much more superior to paint.
I checked out a commercial coater in Fla. where I am moving to and told him what I do as far as all the custom work and graphics and stuff. He welcomes me to the area as he will not do anything like what I do. He will do bike parts and such as long as they are one color. He won't do any "artistic" stuff like 2 colors or graphics.