Another newb with a handful of questions...

[garyc2121]

1) Hanging pieces in a kitchen-type oven. Do you build in little bars to suspend your hooks from (like I see in home-built models)? When I try to google “powder coat racks”, I get millions – I guess because so many racks are already PC'd :)

2) Should I ground to the part, or to the hanging wire?

3) What would happen if you clearcoated over gold plate? Would it get more glossy or ...? I'd love to use the plug-in-plate kit to highlight some small stuff and coat it for protection against tarnishing, etc.

4) Spray booth. In reading some of the older messages, I kinda get the impression that a booth is a requirement. Is it just to keep mess down, dust out, and possibly reclaiming powder? I have a dedicated shop, and I mess it up every time I walk in it :) And controlling dust shouldn't be a problem...

5) Anybody know where to get some "chunks" of hi-temp silicon? I have a lathe, so I could turn odd size plugs. Plus I have an asst. of dremel type rotary tools and die-grinders. The first thing I want to coat has a large beveled hole that needs to remain pristine to seat an o-ring. When I lived in another state, I was fortunate to have a good plastics supplier that fixed me up with all kinds of great scraps...

6) I've read most of the oven threads, but am curious if I could build a 2-element style to run off a single 50 amp circuit. I've been scouting around locally for an old oven for the past week or so, and can't find anything less than $100. For that much, I think I'd rather start planning for something just a little bigger than your standard kitchen oven. I found a toaster oven that will let me get started testing. Needless to say, I'm not an electrician but I can follow other's plans.

7) And for something completely unrelated. I can't see any album stuff, nor certain images – such as “actual parts” links for the color swatches. Does it still exist? I don’t have any problems with other sites. Just curious if it’s still active – I’m guessing I have some kind of browser configuration issue ( and I’ll resolve it sooner or later).

This forum is great, thanks to the generous support of all the contributors. It is the main reason I’m ordering all my stuff from Caswell as opposed to the baddies at HF and E… Hopefully I can order today!

Oh yeah, Happy New Years and thanks in advance for any advice!

[viper56]

garyc2121,

1) Hanging pieces in a kitchen-type oven. Do you build in little bars to suspend your hooks from (like I see in home-built models)? When I try to google “powder coat racks”, I get millions – I guess because so many racks are already PC'd

In my kitchen oven I either suspend the part from the top oven rack if the part is small enough or I remove the rack and suspend it from the top broiler element.

2) Should I ground to the part, or to the hanging wire?

You can ground to the part if you have an area that will not disturb the powder, otherwise you will have a small spot that will have no coating on it. I usually make sure that I have good contact to the part with my hanging wire and ground to the wire.

4) Spray booth. In reading some of the older messages, I kinda get the impression that a booth is a requirement. Is it just to keep mess down, dust out, and possibly reclaiming powder? I have a dedicated shop, and I mess it up every time I walk in it And controlling dust shouldn't be a problem...

A booth could be something as simple as a cardboard box to as sophisticated as a triple stage filtration w/reclaimation.

6) I've read most of the oven threads, but am curious if I could build a 2-element style to run off a single 50 amp circuit. I've been scouting around locally for an old oven for the past week or so, and can't find anything less than $100. For that much, I think I'd rather start planning for something just a little bigger than your standard kitchen oven. I found a toaster oven that will let me get started testing. Needless to say, I'm not an electrician but I can follow other's plans.

The oven that I just built is heated by two 3100w oven elements and draws 28 amps. Wattage divided by Voltage=Amperage. If you can find a donor oven, it is possible to construct one for under $200. Here are links to my construction and another site for construction.

http://www.stivermotorsports.com/id44.htm

http://www.powdercoatoven.4t.com/

Here is also a link showing the layout of my hobby PC shop:

http://www.caswellplating.com/bbs/viewtopic.php?t=2220

Jim

[garyc2121]

Viper, thanks for the info and links.

I've noticed the IR lamp in your shop pics. What wattage is it? Also, have you been satisfied with it? My son wants to help make a roof rack for his vehicle, and I can see the need for a lamp soon. Soon being equal to when I can convince the wife "she" wants one for some reason...

Have a great weekend!

[viper56]

garyc2121,

I now have the Cur-Tek M1500, the M2000 and a propane Mr. Heater Triple along with a kitchen oven and my 3'x4'x3' oven. The electric lamp is fine but takes a long time to get the part to temp. I would highly recommend the 2000w over the 1500w as far as electric goes. Infrared is fine for larger items, but is a pain because it takes so long to cure an entire item. (ie. curing a section at a time) It is so much quicker and easier regulating the part temp with an oven. On the other hand, Infrared is a very cost effective way to be able to cure larger items. It also takes up less space, if you are dealing with space constraints.

Jim

[viper56]

Gary,

BTW, as far as convincing the wife. The electric lamps also double as nice radiant heaters for those cool nights out on the deck or patio, since infrared heats objects and not the air. Hope this helps!! HA!!

Jim