Please explain "cure schedule" and smoked/black ch

[BlindUmpire]

This question alone will reveal just how new to this I am...I've noticed that some powders list the cure schedule as say, "450* for 15 minutes, then 400* for 10 minutes." Why is there 2 different heat settings and times? For those that have used the black or smoked chrome, I tried some this weekend and it came out more grey than chrome. Is this the actual color or do I need to clear coat it? Sure glad this forum is here!

[WAORacing]

it all depends on if it is recomended to clear or not.even if it doesnt it still doesnt hurt to clear it. As for the cure cylce it depends on what your part your doing really. i like to cure mine with the lowest recomended cure cycle, generally just to make sure i dont damage any parts. Really it is just preference on which way you want to go with it. You couls actually cure lower temp but you just have to had time to the cure cycle.

[BlindUmpire]

So if I understand you correctly, The first and highest temp used is to flow out the powder and the 2nd, lower temp is to cure it? -and- if I'm clear coating the part, then I don't need to cure the base color?

[WAORacing]

If the powder is recomended to cure at 400 then that is what you should do. the powder will flow out when the part temp starts getting around 250 or so. once the part has reach 400 thats when your cure time starts. If you do want to clear a base color you do cure the base color and then clear and cure that.

[Carcher7878]

I think I understand where your going with this Black chrome deal man.

When I first started I blk chromed a couple samples to get things right. I use infrared propane heat on most parts. When I first did it, it looked gray too. But then I read that the part your coating has to be at the temp the powder needs to be. once its at that temp. then you start the clock. I was always afraid i would over cure, but thats not the case, even though it says 15 mins at 400 degrees. and 15 mins later its cure, thats not the deal. once the metal reaches 400 degrees then 15 mins later its cured. could take up to 30 mins just to get it cured. know what I mean, now with the blk chrome looking gray, its because its not flowed out all the way. same with the chrome. it will look fogged up, but once its pretty well cure 'Not all the way' it will start to get its luster. I notice this when using the Infrared heat source. it looks milky then it starts to look like a mirror. you just have to wait and use a thermo gun. you can get them here at caswell. it tells you the temp of your parts. if you under cure, then your parts just chip too easy. i noticed this too. also when I would strip a part down if I jacked it up with aircraft stripper, It would gel, I noticed on parts that were powder coated from somone else, it would come up like a rubber peel when i stripped it. Funny.. oh well. Just let it cure more man.. it will shine up.

archer

[BlindUmpire]

Excellent advice and spot on! I borrowed an IR heat gun from work and found out I wasn't getting the parts to temp as you said. I'll be buying a Caswell one real soon. I can see now that they are as important to the newb as this forum is. Thanks again