Cheap powdercoating Heater/chroming power supply question

[dagobert]

Hi.
I'm setting up one of the nichrome wire power supplies for larger chroming operations, and it occured to me that this might have a second use, depending on how I made it. Has anyone tried assembling the Caswell's nichrome power set-up but instead of the fireboard backing, using a heat reflective surface and enough strands of nichrome wire to use it as a heat lamp, to cure powdercoating with? I don't know how fast it would run down the battery, or if a battery charger could be used for continuous heat and cycled off and on manually, by reading the part's suface temp with an IR thermometer, or if it would generate enough heat to be effective. But if it gets hot enough to need the fireboard backing as a power regulator, wouldn't that also be hot enough to cure powdercoating? Anyone out there tried it yet? Thanks, Jay

[DALE]

Some ovens use nichrome wires as elements, usually requires alot of them.The power you would need would kill a battery charger. So to answer you r question- Yes you can make a nichrome heat lamp or oven, I really don't see it as realistic when useing a battery or charger. You would be further ahead to get a LP IR lamp or electric. I always prefer ovens to lamps.

[dagobert]

Thank you, Dale. I was just trying to make the most bang for my buck. Have you seen the electric oven at http://www.powdercoatoven.4t.com/ ? I wonder if one of those could be made with a pair of IR propane burners, one on each side of the oven, so that it wouldn't need the heavy electrical circuit? Or do you think it would be needed to do a bike frame?

[DALE]

The possibilities are limitless. I don't see a problem with the double LP approach. One thing to remember is that IR works by line of sight. Convection will heat a little more evenly but not as fast.

[dagobert]

Dale,
I hope you don't mind the questions, I just figure better to ask someone with experience rather than trying to reinvent the wheel. Speaking of IR propane heaters, I might have a good deal on a 16,000 BTU/hr tank-mounted unit. Would the one free-standing burner be enough to properly heat something like a bike frame or wheel enough to powdercoat with? Or would I need one for each side, since IR is line-of-sight? Also, aside from the sprayer, heater, an IR thermometer to read the temp of the part by sight, a way to media blast the part to clean and prep it, and a shop vac to clean up the excess powder, what else would I need to do powdercoating at home? Thanks again, Jay