Between spray paint and powder coat

[icecycle66]

Is there a middle ground between the simplicity of spray paint and the durability of powder coating?

[thesameage]

subscribed!

[midwayfair]

There are some very durable spray finishes from automotive stuff, like truck bed liner.

[sonarchotic]

Once you have your powder coat set-up going I think it's easier and even faster than spray painting. Building a good little paint booth is a big help.

[flanagan0718]

I was going to ask a similar question? But mine was about clear coat. Night now I use spray paint and I can't seem to get the paint even, or the clear coat to even out. I'd like to see what others use.


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[thesameage]

Hammertone spray paint seems like a thicker alternative too.

[raven174us]

I was going to ask a similar question? But mine was about clear coat. Night now I use spray paint and I can't seem to get the paint even, or the clear coat to even out. I'd like to see what others use.


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I use rustoleum paint and clear. After I lay down the color I let if fully cure. Then I wetsand before laying down a clear.

[thesameage]

How long does it take to cure?

[raven174us]

I use a small toaster oven and I was able to sand it the next day. I put thin coats on and put it in the oven for 20 mins between each coat. Once this crazy winter storm goes away we are getting. I plan on making a how too on spray painting.  Here is a guitar I did last summer using Rustoleum paint and lacquer. This took longer to cure though since it was too big for my oven.

[chromesphere]

Some info about both finishes, both have different pros and cons.

Spray paint: set up time is quicker, dry time is slower.  Reasonable durability if done properly.

Power coating: set up time is longer, dry time is quicker. Better option for medium / large runs.  Can be handled within 30 mins after cured.

Both require practice to perfect.  I was under the illusion that powder coating was easier to perfect, not the case.  You can still have a lot of issues and unless you have a garage as clean as the intel cpu factory you wont get an absolute flawless finish.  Well...at least I don't.  And if you stuff up the thickness or the heat up times of PC'ing, you will get a fragile finish!  Just like spray paint I personally think powdercoated finishes are aesthetically more appealing but that's a personal choice.

Also powder coating is cheaper (once you have set up).  My bag of white powder (the non-sniffable type) is still half full.  Cant even count how many pedals I've used it on. 50-100?  Bag costs $15 bucks, I think it was 1/2 or 1 pound from memory.

Not aware of anything that would classify as sitting between the two though.  Hammerite?

[flanagan0718]

Maybe i am just using the wrong spray paint. I tried the Rustolium and the Krylon stuff. i get drips in the finish with both. ***grrr***. Very frustrating. I will have to swing by Autozone or something and grab some automotive grade stuff. I also got a wired effect of the paint, almost scaling up, after i applied the clear coat. very weird. Maybe i'll look into a powder coat set up.

[Clayford]

Different people have different exeriencees with Krylon Rustoleum etc. It's kinda like parts, some people have the worst luck with Tayda-Mammoth etc, others have no problem at all. Experiment and use what works for you.
BIG thing to remember with rattle cans, it takes multiple coats to get even color. If you're getting the runs, you're putting it on too thick at once.  Drill it, sand it, clean it, maybe even do a primer coat with white or black self etching primer, then a coat of color. It may be splotchy. This is ok. Bake @ 200°F for 20 min let cool for 20 min. 2nd coat will be less splotchy or have decent coverage. Bake @ 200°F for 20 min, chill for 20min. Wash, Rinse, Repeat, until you have a depth of color you are happy with. This should be take 5-6 coats. Wet-sand with a suitable high grit sandpaper (Lowes sells 1200 grit of Gator "waterproof" that works great.) then go to the clear coat step. When you're "done" wait 2-3 days before really messing with it. Yes it's able to be handled in an hour. It's not fully cured for "up to 72 hours" They mean it.

These are rattle can finishes.
Octagon - Fuzz.
   

1590BB - Yet to be determined



Running a buffer wheel with some blizzard or red rouge over them probably wouldn't hurt either after the top coat, but only after a FULL cure. Before anyone asks that's Rustoleum Copper Hammered over black primer. It's a pita and doesn't always work out that way, just awesome when it does. There's a PC that does that always. 

[flanagan0718]

Clayford, thanks for the info man, I was just spray then sand then spray then clear. no baking or any thing. looks like I need to get a toaster oven.