Powder Coating at the Space

DMS General
#1

Does anyone else want a powder coating system for the space? We can build a good powder coating cabinet. I have a spray gun that we can use. Maybe we can even finish out the painting room for powder coating.

We have, in the workshop right now, an un-used oven (source of heating elements and controls) and the perfect cabinet:

There is an article HERE describing a similar build. The cost would be very low, and this would make a very nice, professional cabinet.

Does anyone know who owns the oven? Please let me know if you do. If it is not available, someone might have an old oven we can have, or we can get one from any of several sources.

If anyone is interested, we could meet this Thursday about 7 to get started. What do you think?

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Wanted: Powder Coat Oven and Gun Tutorial
#2

Can’t be there Thursday. Would love to have powder coating ability even “just for” small parts. Willing to help work, but relatively clueless on what it would entail.

Oh yeah, and I have no oven.

with baited breath…

#3

Yes. Please. Seriously.

However, I’m going to need you to go ahead and build an oven big enough to fit some off-road bumpers I’m planning :wink:

#4

There was an effort last year to get some traction on building a rolling cabinet that would be large enough to handle decently sized projects (bicycle frames, etc.) but those involved (me included) had too many other distractions going on. I managed to strip the oven of the useable parts but frankly had thought it had all been tossed. I’m trying to put my DMS focus on the vacuum forming rig for now, but would love to reboot the effort for the powder coating rig once we have it squared away. We had gotten as far as deciding that the frame of the cabinet should be made of welded up 1" square tubing. Once the frame is completed, we will need to skin it on the outside, then use high temp insulation to fill between the outer and inner skin, which I think should be sheet metal. Ventilation was a concern, and if it’s still possible, we would request a quick disconnect ventilation duct coming off of the existing plumbing that exists just outside of the paint booth closet. The rolling rig would also need a place to park when not in use, which is an increasingly more difficult place to find.

#5

The “unused oven” you are referring to has a note on it saying “Property of Andrew Floyd, DMS Bio Committee”.
@Afloyd

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#6

I’d love to have an oven large enough to hold a motorcycle frame. Just saying. Anything I can do to help?

#7

Well, unless Bio really wants it and can install electrical for the power outlet it needs, I don’t mind parting with it.

That said, I had to pay 200 dollars for it and would like to cover my losses at least.

#8

I mentioned it in the Soap Making thread. Of course, I don’t need a full stove to do that; just a big burner would do. I need to be able to boil a few gallons of lye mix for four hours. The power requirements for the stove do seem to be a showstopper for now.

#9

Just so there’s no potential confusion, Mr. Jeter stripped a different oven. Andrew’s oven came in later.

#10

Dude get out of my head. I was eyeballing this cabinet a few days ago to make an oven out of.

I was planning on providing a PID Temperature Controller, thermocouples, relay and heating elements, so no need to rob parts from an oven.

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#11

I think that this would be awesome. At my robotics competition last week we saw some bots with powder coated bodies and they looked awesome. I hope this happens.

#12

Jast: Watch this thread for further developments. You might be able to help another day.

Jeremy: How big are your bumpers? This is a pretty big cabinet.

David Jeter: The build last year died because the metal for making the box was going to cost $500. Too bad the old oven got tossed. Batt insulation is much easier to work with than loose fill. We can skin the inside of the cabinet with aluminium foil or light sheet steel. I can do a quick disconnect for the exhaust, and we can wire it to plug into one of the kiln outlets, or even the car chargers. Parking space for something this useful should be available. We can work with whoever is in charge of the workshop to develop a location plan.

Publius: Yea, I noticed that it says Andrew Floyd on it. It sounds like it is not going to be available. We can get an oven from an appliance store (they scrap old ones that they pull out of homes), or go with Bryan’s idea of buying heating elements.

Russ: This box should be able to take a motorcycle frame. In fact, that is one use that I have for it. Come to the meeting Thursday, and help make it happen.

Andrew: I think the oven you have is going to be better used for cooking food. We can come up with heating elements from somewhere else.

Bryan; if you have controllers and heaters, bring them on Thursday and we can get started.

Josh: come help make it happen on Thursday!

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[Question] Blasting and Painting/Powder Coating
#13

The bumpers will be close to 7 feet long.

#14

w00t

PID, thermocouple and relay just arrived. I want to measure the cabinet before I order any heating elements to make sure they’ll fit properly.

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#15

Terrific. Bring them tonight and we can work out the details. We might
need two elements to get the capacity to get to 400 degrees, or use 4"
insulation.

See you tonight.

#16

One element could certainly hit 400f, it may just take a while.

I had planned on ordering a pair of oven elements just to speed up the preheat.

2" or 3" should be plenty of insulation as long as there is an air gap between the insulation and outside skin. We can discuss more tonight.

#17

An update to anyone interested.

Chuck and I met at the space last night and tore down the existing cabinet and discussed our expectations.

We’re going to try and score appropriate heating elements, latches, insulation door gasket, and sheet metal.

The next thing we need to do is plug the holes in the door and back of the cabinet with some sheet metal, install the gasket and mount latches on the door and the body of the cabinet.

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#18

An old clothes dryer that are always on the CL free list would have an appropriate timer, heating element, and wall plug…as well as some temperature safety cutouts…

#19

I have a “dead” clothes dryer if you want it and that would work for this. The only thing wrong with it is the centrifugal safety switch that kept it rotating in the motor broke. The dryer runs and heats fine for instance if you’re willing to hold the start button down the entire time you want to dry your clothes. Replacing the motor seemed like a big PITA at the time.

#20

Sorry I couldn’t make it out, was stuck at work until 8. How many watts does the element from the clothes dryer handle? Would it be easier/cheaper/more effective to scavenge elements out of a few electric ovens or even just buy replacement elements? It seems like they’d have to cost less than $20 each.