Powder coating: final prep, the basics

[horizon]

If you are in east cornwall, try SL Powdercoating in Roborough nr Plymouth.
They did a nice job on my 531 road frame and forks.
cheers
Tony

It's going there next week. They say they will deal with the thread protection and sounded pretty good. Still nervous about it though!

[TrekMad]

No need to worry, as long as the BB and fork threads are well protected (I secure mine myself) then everything else can be sorted in a few minutes with sander/file or a small tap and die set.

[gaz]

Local powdercoater has just quoted me £65+VAT for frame and fork, they will prep the various threads. They do list bike frames on their website as something that they deal with.

Cost is on a par with Armourtex and I can drop it off easily but it's still quite scary when I've no examples of their work. Still umming and arring.

[axel_knutt]

Dawes don't mask all the threads before painting, when I had a new frame the LBS ruined all the screws by forcing them into threads that were choked with paint.

[horizon]

I've spoken to my selected powder coating firm who seem clued up enough to protect the various bearing surfaces, threads etc.

However they said that don't use primer but apply the powder coat straight onto the bare metal. I've read elsewhere that this isn't best practice. What's the consensus on this? Do you need primer on a steel frame?

[fossala]

Did you go ahead and get this done? Any examples of their work?

[horizon]

So, an update:

1. I decided to limit my search to local powder coaters that I could take the frame to without posting.
2. I found two, one of which hadn't done bike frames before and one that had and is recommended on this thread.
3. So I decided to go with the latter - they also seemed to know what they were talking about and were ready to prep the frame (plug the threaded holes etc).
4. Then the issue of primer came up viewtopic.php?f=5&t=100937&hilit=primer. I checked with my preferred coater and they said they don't. The other powder coater says they do.
5. The one that does the primer quoted £85, the one that doesn't quoted £55, fair enough.
6. Time ran out on me and I had to shelve it for a few days but I'm obviously in a predicament.

I'm fairly relaxed about not having primer but it does all seem a bit strange - either you need it or you don't I would have thought.

Any views?

[fossala]

So, an update:

1. I decided to limit my search to local powder coaters that I could take the frame to without posting.
2. I found two, one of which hadn't done bike frames before and one that had and is recommended on this thread.
3. So I decided to go with the latter - they also seemed to know what they were talking about and were ready to prep the frame (plug the threaded holes etc).
4. Then the issue of primer came up viewtopic.php?f=5&t=100937&hilit=primer. I checked with my preferred coater and they said they don't. The other powder coater says they do.
5. The one that does the primer quoted £85, the one that doesn't quoted £55, fair enough.
6. Time ran out on me and I had to shelve it for a few days but I'm obviously in a predicament.

I'm fairly relaxed about not having primer but it does all seem a bit strange - either you need it or you don't I would have thought.

Any views?

I got a quote from http://www.daften.co.uk/powdercoating.htm for £70.
That was for media blasting, cleaning, plugging up holes, base coat and powdercoat. I enquired by phone and when I asked about threads her replied by saying they had done many frames before and have silicon bungs to protect the threads. I was impressed and unless you make the jump before I do (probably after xmas now) I will go ahead and use them.

[horizon]

Thanks fossala. Wadebridge was a bit far for me (transport/lifts etc - Plymouth is easier) but I'm going to look at it now. Makes me wonder who all these cyclists are having their frames powder coated!