I have had it for ages and I borrowed a compressor from work. I bought High Chrome, Black Gloss, Red Gloss and Clear from Newark show.
Setting up the machine was easy, took know more than 5 minutes. The manual I have is basic and looks like it been photocopied by a blind badger in a bag but it does the job. The new versions of the machine may have a better manual.
I set the compressor to the right pressure which is a very small amount. I guess you need a half decent regulator. The kit came with a filter that plugs in nice and easy. Poured the powder into the 'hopper' and I was ready to go.
Below is a part very similar to the alternator bracket I used. Exactly the same condition as the part I intend to Powder coat.
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Below is a picture of the actual part after I had attacked with the angry grinder with a wirebrush.
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Now I found a way to support the part by using a piece of ali bar clamped to a shelf and a bit of coat hanger wire bent into a hook.
Clip the crocodile clip to the part which gives it a negative charge, depress the foot pedal and press the powder gun and out comes positively charge powder. It goes everywhere though and its best to where a mask. I did but I still have grey bogies now. It doesn't take more than a couple of minute to cover the part.
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Into the oven. It says 10min at 180 degrees. My oven is fan assisted and my first attempt left the piece totally over cooked. The powder went all bubbly and awful. After 15 minutes with Mr Angry again I tried it on 160 degrees.
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As you can see the part is finished and I think looks quite cool. There are a few imperfections but considering it was straight onto the angry grinded finish its pretty good. There were one or two tiny bubbles but I think I should have taken it out the oven quicker. The photos are not that great. The finish is not chrome, more like a polished aluminium but very glossy.
Then I tried some mild steel brackets.
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Then some black Ali Brackets in black
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All in all I think they look good and it turned out to be very quick in comparison to painting. The finish is way better than a brush finish and nearly and good as a sprayed finish even on rough metal. It fills in rough surfaces pretty good. All in all I am quite please. If any of you are considering buying then I would recommend this product. I managed to to 16 brackets in about half a day, next time much much faster. The finish seems tough and resistant.
Top tips
Clean oven door so you can see through
Don't leave in to long
180 degrees is to hot in fan assisted ovens try 160
Sharp edges should be rounded off with a file.
Pre-make some nice hooks to hang parts from and think about your hanging method in the oven before applying powder
I found best results was to put the part in cool oven, set to 160 and then as soon as the little light goes out on the oven telling you its reached 160 turn the oven off and open door. Thicker parts need slightly longer as they take longer to warm up.
I don't have handy access to a compressor but the 50l one I borrow didn't even come on as the pressure in the tank was enough for 17 parts. In fact the pressure only went down by 1 bar all day. I think that a cylinder of compressed air would last absolutely ages. I have lots of used gas canisters at work for the gas fortlift and if I could get the right parts perhaps use one of these. I would need to fill it up at work and then bring it home. I would need a regulator on it. Does anyone have any idea what parts I would need and where I would get them from?
