Was window shopping with the wife today. Stopped in the Sears store and saw a powder coat gun. Looks very similar to a regular heat gun, but has a removable ,clear plastic bowl that clips underneath the “barrel” of the gun. The bowl is actually part of this barrel. Looks like you remove the bowl, fill it with the powder coating mix ( which I saw on sale for $5 a bag …very small bags…smaller than a sandwich baggie, and they came in a few different paint colors) and simply pull the trigger.
The gun listed for $150. Any of you guys have one…or ever try one? I noticed a small elctrode protruding from the tip of the gun’s barrel. Directions say this tip is high voltage and do not touch…I guess that goes without saying.
Just curious if this thing really works and is any good. Also wondering how much powder coating can be “had” using one of those small bags of coating?
Exactly how does this gun work (ie…how far away do you hold gun from object you want to coat?)
Feedback anyone?
Thanks
Davo
Replies
I don't know much about powder coating, but Harbor Freight sells a pound of coating for $5. Also have a system and oven available.
I know the principle is to apply a high voltage electrostatic charge to the powder and blow it at a grounded item, which it is attracted to. Then the item must be baked to melt the powder into a solid coating.
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=94244
Edited 3/18/2007 7:43 am ET by MarkH
"Harbor Freight sells a pound of coating for $5.00.."
That's a lot more material than what Sears was selling...I'd say the Sear's bag was 5 or 6 ounces.
Davo
There are a number of DIY powder coating kits around.
I have seen them with googling. I think that one common usage is for car parts. You should be able to find a forum where people have used them.
Don't forgeet that you need an oven.
.
A-holes. Hey every group has to have one. And I have been elected to be the one. I should make that my tagline.
Bill,
I did forget about the oven...actually, I thought this new fangled gun would eliminate the "need" for an oven...but no, I was wrong.
Thanks for the input.
Davo
I think Eastwood Company was the first place to offer a powdercoat system for home use, and now other companies like Sears are getting into the game. A lot of guys into car restoration have bought them; I haven't seen the results personally but I understand they work pretty well for small parts. You need an oven to cure the powder, most people scare up an old electric kitchen stove someplace for that purpose.
http://www.eastwoodco.com/jump.jsp?itemType=CATEGORY&itemID=458
Thanks for the link. When I opened that site, there was the gun...the Airless Hot Coat model (small pic, 3rd from left for $159.00)
What I didn't realize was that this gun is simply a delivery system, and not a heat source as well. I hadn't figured on needing a small oven for the baking/curing process.
I thought, perhaps this gun does it all...but I was wrong. I know of large commercial units that use ovens, I thought this was some kind of a "break-through", but evidently not.
Well, that solves that.
Thanks so much.
Davo