Powder vs Paint

Pat Calhoun · Posted: Sun Oct 14, 2001 7:24 pm Post subject: Powder vs Paint

Ok heres the question,
Which is better powder coating a chassis or painting the chassis?

I have a background in coatings and would just like to have some of you guy's input your 2 cents...

I have a few +'s and -'s for both

Powder
+ Tough
+ Good Coverage
- Heavy
- Expensive
- Not easy for the DIY guy
- Touch ups

Paint "preferably a Urethane derivative with epoxy primer"

+ Lotsa Colors
+ light weight
+ Simple T/U
+ Inexpensive
+ DIY freindly
+ Customizable
- Not as Durable

What else?

Patrick

Sean Robbins · Posted: Mon Oct 15, 2001 2:21 pm Post subject: Powder vs Paint

I'd vote for powdercoating, mostly for the durability. In coming up with your cost-benefit analyses, don't forget to factor in the time to disassemble, strip down, and clean the kart before painting or coating, and the time to reassemble the whole thing. You don't want to have to go through that any more than absolutely necessary.

Usually the only place the coating will get damaged is on the bottom of the kart if you bottom-out going over a bump, curbing, or track edge, and the damage is not visible.

There are different types of powdercoating. Don't worry about ultraviolet light durability, because a kart spends 99+% of its life in a garage or trailer protected from the sun. However, get one which is both physically durable and resistant to solvents like brake cleaner.

I had my frame re-powdercoated a few years ago. I went from CRG yellow to a textured dark silver coating, which looks cool as hell and is just about the same color as greasy dirt, so the frame doesn't show grime.

Pete Muller · Posted: Mon Oct 15, 2001 3:29 pm Post subject: Powder vs Paint

Powder-coating, without a doubt.

Your list looks great except for one thing: price.

My business is right next door to a powdercoat shop, and I can tell you that I couldn't possibly imagine anyone stripping, prepping and [wet] painting a chassis for anywhere in the same ballpark as powdercoating. (and that includes the stripping and blasting before powder). It is very inexpensive.

PM

gillickm · Joined: 13 Sep 2001 Posts: 33

While I really like the powder coat that is on my newest chassis, my next chassis will most likely be bare chromoly tubing... No paint... No powder coat.

Brad Hoyt · Posted: Mon Oct 15, 2001 5:10 pm Post subject: Powder vs Paint

No paint/No powder.

Rodney Ebersole · Posted: Tue Oct 16, 2001 4:31 am Post subject: Powder vs Paint

The one thing that was left out of Pats list of pros and cons on Powder vers. spray is that that the powder coating system will apply an even coat of paint on the tubing, where as with a sprayer that is almost impossible to do to a kart frame.

Gary Osterholt · Site Admin Joined: 18 Jul 2001 Posts: 2769

Pat,

How much will it cost to have the frame painted?

My step dad's business does powder coating.

He charges $25 to have it glass bead blasted.
Then another $100-$200 for powder coating. The price on the coating depends on what kind of powder you want.

As far as customizable, i think powder coating is more customizable. You can get some trick powder that looks one color from a distance and then a total different color up close.

Gary Osterholt

Andy Szyszkowski · Joined: 01 Aug 2001 Posts: 149

Gotta go with the powdercoating guys on this one. Pete's comments especially hone-in on some of the unseen issues. Besides, any decent two part paint system will cost a few bucks. Even automotive acrylic enamel is relatively expensive; add to that the smallest container of hardener at something around $50+, and you've spent powdercoating money. One other issue, is solvent cleaning. Many paint systems dissolve when using various aerosol cleaners like Gunk, Brake Kleen, etc.

Andy

Jon Betts · Posted: Tue Oct 16, 2001 12:27 pm Post subject: Powder vs Paint

FYI
Just got a quote from my local powder coating place $125 includes sandblasting and prep 5 - 7 days turn around.

Chad Stapleton · Joined: 19 Jul 2001 Posts: 4403

Just had a frame blast cleaned, & powder-coated (special colour).
Excellent job, cost $130 Australian ! (US$65) Standard colours are cheaper and re-coating over existing powder coat (no paint) is even cheaper still !
I have been quoted as little as US$35 for recoating.
All this is via my local Kart shop , not even direct with the coating shop.(Gee im lazy)
Why would you not want any coating or paint on your chassie ??

[ October 16, 2001: Message edited by: Chad Stapleton ]

gillickm · Joined: 13 Sep 2001 Posts: 33

In response to Chad's question; "Why would you not want any coating or paint on your chassis ??"

The reasons that I will probably go with a bare chassis are...

On the safety side - When wiping down your kart, in between races, the lack of paint or powder coating makes it much easier to notice any cracks that might be developing in your welds and/or tubing. A perfect example is... Just two weekends ago, I saw a kart go off the end of a straight-away, topped out in 6th gear, because the bracket that the master cylinder was bolted to broke off at the weld. Now there's no way that anyone could say that this would have been prevented, if the person didn't have paint or powder coat covering up the welds... But, it might have.

On a practical note - At the beginning of the 2001 season, I acquired a new chassis with an outstanding 'Maas Bros.' powder coating. And, there's not a race that goes by that I don't wish that I had a tab welded here for this... And, a tab welded there for that. But, there's no way that I'm going to weld a new tab onto that chassis, because I don't want to mess up that beautiful powder coat.

BTW, your kart will be several pounds lighter, without powder coating.

Brad Hoyt · Posted: Wed Oct 17, 2001 5:21 am Post subject: Powder vs Paint

Well put Mitchell.And after you weled that tab or move that seat strut the chassi still looks great. No paint or powder is the way to go and after you get everything the way you want it, Probly right before you sell it then powder coat.

Bob Chiras · Joined: 30 Jul 2001 Posts: 198

We order our chassis with no coating for the purpose of checking the chassis for broken welds or metal fatigue.

I do admit that before I sell the chassis we usually have it painted or coated as most people like the coating.

There is a weight advantage with no coating.

It also forces you to go over the chassis with WD 40 or some other product to preclude rust and as such to check for loose fastners or any bent components.

Roger Miller · Posted: Wed Oct 17, 2001 11:34 am Post subject: Powder vs Paint

I was seriously considering ordering the next chassis without coating...
as hardware and fasteners go through the holes, and bite down on the surfaces much more cleanly. I have had bolts loosen due to the powder coat breaking loose underneath, and, have to ream out the holes to stick the right size bolt into a tab, or mount.

Matt Thornton · Posted: Wed Oct 17, 2001 2:30 pm Post subject: Powder vs Paint

If you keep the frame bare (no paint or coat) are you using anything to protect it, or is it literally bare metal?

Matt Thornton