powder coating cost

[peppy212]

what would be the cost price to get into powder coating , oven, equipment ,supplies, just a rough estimate thank you

[jabe421]

I started for only a couple of hundred. I got a gun and some powder and used a old electric oven to bake the parts in. I have since got a new gun, built a spray booth and a 4x4x3 oven. Now I have a few thousand invested in all of my equipment.

[Fox]

Depends on how big the piece you want to powder coat.If you want to do small items like valve covers,calipers ect then IMO you could get started in the $500-$1000 range.

You can start out with a used electric oven that can be very cheap to get.Take a look on craigslist.The compressor is another choice that you will have to make and you have to decide if you can afford to get one that will handle your blasting needs.I only got a 6.5cfm that i got for $250 but i will use it until i can open up my own shop one day and then it will be time to move up.Then if you want to blast your pieces you can benchtop blasting cabinet that can range from $100-200 and if you want something bigger then you are going to have to take a look and see if your compressor can handle the requirements.

Hobby guns can be found as low as $50 from Harbor Freight and go up from there but be sure to read threads here to get better informed on these different guns.Then there is the powder itself and you can check out Caswell's for that as well as Eastwoods.

Now there are many other small items i have missed but this is probably the bulk if you are in it to see if you like it or not.If you eventually decide that you need a bigger oven then you will have to decide if building one is for you or purchasing it.

[jabe421]

Oh ya, I forgot about the compressor, I had mine before I started.

[JTW37]

I would go with Caswell for the gun. HF don't have a support group. I have heard even though they look the same, they aren't. Don't know what the difference is. Just going by what I've heard.

[grommit]

Hiya Pepy 212,
i slowly collected my tools, and learnt as much as i can b4 i ettempt anything.
i on purpose choose to buy items that where the most important and sometimes the most expensive last, my method in madness is that if i bought all the gear needed to start i would make critical errors b4 i had time to research. i found it great that once i bought the last item (PC gun) i was at a stage where i went straight into practice mode with a small oven.
With being away due to work since December i am now going to get my Homemade oven up and running, even better that the weather is getting better.
i find a lot of people want all the kit as like yesterday,fine if you have the money, but if not work out what you can afford each month and what items you are going to buy.
the best advice isn't about what kit to get, it's about research, research and more research.
Rome wasn't built in a day as they say!!!
talk to you soon,
regards,
Brian