removing powder coating

ergeist · Posted: Sun Jan 20, 2008 1:23 am Post subject: removing powder coating

Does anyone know an easy way to remove powder coating? My GF has an over-the-door towel hook she really likes, and one of the hooks broke off, so I said "no-problem-I'll get it welded up this weekend" She wanted a different color on it anyway (it was white, and now she wants ivory-if it weren't for the name of the color on the can, I wouldn't know the difference) I headed over to the sand-blast cabinet, and while my media is somewhat used, I was surprised to find it wasn't even touching the powder-coat! After nearly 3 hrs of wire wheeling, and getting little wires stuck into me like I was a pin-cushion, I got nearly all the powder coat off. There was still a little in the nooks and crannys where I needed to weld( I wanted to re-weld all the joints, because the little spot welds from the factory just would not last) Because of the contamination from the powder coat, the welds did not turn out as well as they normally would, but I finally got it welded up a few minutes ago. Tomorrow I will make the trip to ace to get some primer and the right color paint. By the time it is all done, I could have made her a new one from scratch a lot easier than repairing this one. She lost the hook that broke off, so I had to fabricate a new one anyway. I could have just as easily made them all, and it would have taken less time than trying to remove the powder coating. By the way, the balls on the ends of the hook I made were mouse balls in a former life Very Happy

_________________
Eric

papadave · Posted: Sun Jan 20, 2008 10:35 am Post subject:

you do real good metal work. and a great idea for used mouse balls Idea

are you gonna smooth the welds down a little? keep from snagging the clothes.
_________________
david

Doing nothing is very hard to do - you never know when your finished.

Cabinet Maker · Joined: 17 Dec 2007 Posts: 57 Location: SW Iowa

Eric
As you may have discovered, powder coating is one tough coating. I am not sure what media you used, but they do make a media especially for powder coating. Your media needs to be tougher than what you are trying to remove, but not so tough as to damage the material you are trying to remove it from.

But it looks like you got it taken care of, so now I have just one question.

You NEUTERED some mice for their balls..... Shocked

. Thats a new use for them little suckers...... Cool

ergeist · Posted: Sun Jan 20, 2008 12:21 pm Post subject:

Dave, the dremel grinding wheel you see to the left of the hook will be used to dress up the welds a little (although with that torch, If I didn't have any contamination it wouldn't have been necessary)

Bud, we share warehouse space with a computer recycler, and they get a lot of old mice, so every now and then, I go through and find some to neuter Laughing

you have to cut the rubber coatiing off, and the surface is kind of rough, but a little emory cleans them up nice.

I currently have glass bead media in my blaster, which is nice to etch glass, or remove most paint, welding slag and soot, but it didn't even etch the powder coat. If I plan on removing any more in the future, I will find some designed for powder coat. I was hoping someone would know of a chemical remover.
_________________
Eric

gas99 · Joined: 25 Jan 2008 Posts: 32 Location: Oklahoma City Ok

May be you could try electrolysis on it I don't know if it work on taking it off but I think they use a type of electrolysis to put powder coating on.
_________________
Do it right the first time it may be you'r only chance

Randy

ergeist · Posted: Fri Jan 25, 2008 11:12 pm Post subject:

the electrical charge used when applying the powder is done to create a kind of "static" charge to attract the powder to the metal. Not quite the same thing as electrolysis. When I had my bike frame powdercoated, I looked into getting a machine to do the coating. The only think that held me back was the cost and size of an oven big enough to do the job. I will have to do some thinking/research into that suggestion though...if there is some metal that the powdercoating will prefer to stick to than steel, elecrolysis (similar to the rust removal) may work.
_________________
Eric

ergeist · Posted: Fri Jan 25, 2008 11:47 pm Post subject:

Well, I knew I should have checked at Eastwood before I opened my mouth. This stuff is not cheap, but looks like it would have done what I needed powder coat dissolver oh well, the welds cleaned up ok, it is painted the proper color, and hanging on GF's bathroom door now, so as long as the cavities in the welds weren't too big, and the welds fail, she will never know I screwed up Laughing

_________________
Eric

gas99 · Joined: 25 Jan 2008 Posts: 32 Location: Oklahoma City Ok

it was just a thought since they use a ele current to put it on a current mat take it off if the current ? is reversed???
_________________
Do it right the first time it may be you'r only chance

Randy

ergeist · Posted: Sat Jan 26, 2008 7:51 am Post subject:

I didn't do a very good job of explaining that... When powder coating, you apply a small amount of current to the piece while spraying on the powder, and this helps the piece attract the powder (much like rubbing a balloon on your hair, and the hair tries to stick to the balloon). once the powder has coated the piece, you remove the elctrical charge, and you can actually wipe the powder off the piece, or you can put it in an oven, and the powder will liquify and bond to the piece. the bond is more of a chemical bond than a bond like that formed through electolysis. Electrolysis may still work to remove the coating, but I think the chemical dissolver I found will work much easier. When it comes time to remove powdercoating in the future, I will post my results
_________________
Eric

gas99 · Joined: 25 Jan 2008 Posts: 32 Location: Oklahoma City Ok

Well this has made me want to learn how to remove powered coating so I looked on goggle and found this web site.

http://www.pfonline.com/articles/clinics/0500cl_pwd1.html

a quick few mintes read
_________________
Do it right the first time it may be you'r only chance

Randy

Kat · Posted: Sat Jan 26, 2008 9:24 am Post subject:

Thanks for the Info Randy. Very Happy

Eric you could have set it on fire and burned it off. Laughing

(just kidding)
_________________
-=[ Kat ]=-Experimenting can lead to wonderful discoveries.

gas99 · Joined: 25 Jan 2008 Posts: 32 Location: Oklahoma City Ok

Well I'm trying to learn and help when I can and pass information on if I can. that Eastwood does look to be the best way to remove it.
_________________
Do it right the first time it may be you'r only chance

Randy

ergeist · Posted: Sat Jan 26, 2008 8:21 pm Post subject:

That is a good article, but it focused mainly on production shops. I wish it had focused more on home use, but that sure gave me an idea of waht it takes to remove the coating-thanks.

Kat, I know you were kidding, but at one point, I did consider torching the hanger to try to lift the powdercoating. I jsut figured it would release the existing spot welds, increasing my chances of not getting the hooks properly spaced.
_________________
Eric

Gofor · Joined: 18 Nov 2007 Posts: 177

Eric, that must have been good quality powder coating. Most removes with lacquer thinner. However, a methylene-chloride based paint remover will take it off, but it is some smelly nasty stuff. It will burn you so use good quality rubber gloves and plenty of ventilation (think outside if its above freezing). Water will neutralize it. Available at Lowes and most hardware stores.

Go
_________________
Jest old Go