# Powder Coating Lathe?



## mototraxtech (Oct 7, 2010)

I am considering powder coating my lathe. I hate when my tools get scratched up and its hard to keep the lathe looking nice. The paint that it came with scratches easily and the "touch-up" paint that was included is about 10 shades off. I have taken it apart(completely) and started repainting it will rustoleum industrial(the expensive stuff) and about 10 cans later I am not happy with it at all. Looks like a retard went at it. So I called the local PC guys and he said the colors I want are very standard and in stock and probably wont cost to much. He's suppose to give me a call tomorrow with a price.

Does this sound like a good way to keep the lathe a little nice. I can deal with he occasional scratch but the thing was looking really bad.


Thoughts!

PS I sure most of you are thinking I should just use it and buy more tooling but appearances are important to me. It like my dirt bikes. I tear them down to the frame every year and completely go though and clean everything and replace all worn/broken parts. My 4 year old bike comes out looking as new as some two week old bikes Ive seen.


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## 350xfire (Oct 7, 2010)

mototraxtech said:


> I am considering powder coating my lathe. I hate when my tools get scratched up and its hard to keep the lathe looking nice. The paint that it came with scratches easily and the "touch-up" paint that was included is about 10 shades off. I have taken it apart(completely) and started repainting it will rustoleum industrial(the expensive stuff) and about 10 cans later I am not happy with it at all. Looks like a retard went at it. So I called the local PC guys and he said the colors I want are very standard and in stock and probably wont cost to much. He's suppose to give me a call tomorrow with a price.
> 
> Does this sound like a good way to keep the lathe a little nice. I can deal with he occasional scratch but the thing was looking really bad.
> 
> ...


 
I'll be the first to say:

You should just use it and buy more tooling!!! There is more to a lathe than what it looks like and after a while, they all look like crap anyway... I bought a $300 12x36 I painted with 99 cent paint from Wal Mart... Took all of $6.

I just picked up a 1940s-50s Leblond that looks like hell. On that one I spent $30 on a gallon of Sherwin Williams industrial alkyd enamel. I like the fact that it is an American lathe with somewhat of a historic value, at least to me. So I am going to paint it nicely. However, I do not want to spend much money to pretty her up since I know it will just get to looking like crap in the future. This way I can touch it up later if I need to. 

Powder coating is only as nice as the surface it goes on so it will most likely not look great anyway since all lathe castings are really porous. 

I say spend your time cleaning up your bike and don't worry about the lathe... Also, depending on size, it may cost quite a bit to powder coat!

You should post a picture of it and your girlfriend or wife too! lol!!!


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## brickbat (Oct 7, 2010)

350xfire said:


> I'll be the first to say:
> 
> You should just use it and buy more tooling!!!



I'll be the 2nd to say it...


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## mototraxtech (Oct 8, 2010)

after talking to him today he said 225 for everything to be powder coated. That seems like a good deal as I have already spend 50 in paint alone not counting the 15 plus hours of sanding and prep. They said that it included sandblasting and PC in the two original colors.


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## 350xfire (Oct 8, 2010)

Sounds like you have already made up your mind so do as you wish and be happy.


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## mototraxtech (Oct 9, 2010)

Mostly interested if there are any concerns that might need to be worried about?


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## unterhausen (Oct 9, 2010)

you have to get a rather large mass up to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. I wouldn't do it. But I've pretty much taken the view that painting machines is not a good idea.


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## precisionworks (Oct 9, 2010)

> you have to get a rather large mass up to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.


+1

I send work to a local PC company and stopped by recently to pick up some items. The oven pyrometer read 550°F, quite a lot higher than the temp needed to fuse the PC. The owner explained that he has to run well in excess of 400°F to get the parts up to melt temp in a reasonable time.

Worst that can happen is that the bed will look like a pretzel


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## will (Oct 11, 2010)

I have done a lot of powder coating at my home. A few things I have learned along the way.

Not all powder is set to fuse at 400, some are lower temps, cooking them higher will add a yellow tint ( white and clear seem to suffer the most at higher temps ) 

Make sure all threaded areas are covered, powder is thick. I have not tried to powder coat a rough casting, but the powder melts and will smooth out the surface. 

I would be concerned about powder coating the bed, I am not sure if 400 degrees would or could distort the flatness. 

I have a small ENCO lathe that I use a lot. It is yellow and the top of the gear housing has a few chips in the paint. One of these days - I'll cut down a mouse pad and stick that on top. It also has a splash guard mounted on the back, plain black paint. I have been tempted to powder coat that, and the bottom tray. but. I use the lathe, it is a tool and no matter how careful I will be, sooner or later the powder will get messed up. 

My lathe also has a lot of printed information on the covers, all that would be lost.

Powder Coating is harder than regular paint. It still can chip, how will you fix those chips? Powder can be re done, but not at home, and you have to strip off all the old powder. 

How big is the lathe?

as an alternative - I have used a product called HAMMERITE to paint a few items in my small shop. You might have to look around to see where it is sold. 

additional info - My lathe has a few pressed in bearings - difficult to remove. Also it has a few plastic parts that are painted.

Good luck with whatever you do - post a few before and after pictures..


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## smokinbasser (Oct 11, 2010)

I have found that tools first need to be protected from corrosion. Paint works but tends to become patchy from abrasion by metal shavings. I prefer to keep them oiled to prevent rust from getting a foothold. Pretty tools tend to be either not used or barely used to keep them looking pretty. I collect rare and low issue count pocketknives and store them in fabric rolls with rust preventitive impregnated in the material. My point being oil is possibly the best surface protectant for working tools. Nicely painted tools end up being show pieces rather than tools to be used. Was your lathe bought to look pretty or to be used? Sometimes choices have to be made.


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## precisionworks (Oct 11, 2010)

> a product called HAMMERITE


+1







The green Baldor has factory paint (Burr King colors) and the 10hp idler is painted with blue Hammerite. Ace and True Value both carry it. Tough as nails & easy to touch up. Hides the worst imperfections.

Available in spray cans or for brushing/rolling on.


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## mototraxtech (Oct 11, 2010)

Ill look into the hammerite. I really want to get it back together and use it but I cant unless I get a good paint on it.(just a personal thing)


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## 350xfire (Oct 12, 2010)

precisionworks said:


> +1
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
Precision, what is that a DIY phase converter?


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## precisionworks (Oct 12, 2010)

> what is that a DIY phase converter?


It is for a fact the rotary phase converter (RPC) that powers my lathe. Go to post #44 in this thread: http://candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=264523&page=2

I should have taken a before photo as well as the after photo, as that motor was ugly as home made sin :devil: Hammerite is great stuff, easy & fast to apply, tough as nails.


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## mototraxtech (Oct 12, 2010)

Man that does look good. Do they have normal colors or just there own custom colors. In the pic it look silvery blue. Also what kind a dry time do they have. If I get time I will go and look today.

Tired of painting(my most hated task EVER!). I just want to put it back together and use it.


At this point I am regretting taking it apart and repainting it.(Funny every time I repaint something this seems to be the outcome)


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## gadget_lover (Oct 12, 2010)

Isn't 400 degrees around the temperatures used to draw the temper when hardening? I'd worry about that.

Daniel


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## Atlascycle (Oct 12, 2010)

gadget_lover said:


> Isn't 400 degrees around the temperatures used to draw the temper when hardening? I'd worry about that.
> 
> Daniel



depending on the steel used usually 400-500 degrees is the temp that you will use to normalize the material after heat treat with little to no affect on hardness.


Jason


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## precisionworks (Oct 12, 2010)

Hardness wouldn't be the main concern, but twisting or warping would be. Almost no Asian casting, other than Meehanite, is aged, stress relieved, ground & finished. If the bed has *any *internal or residual stresses, they'll appear after heating, even to a low temp like 400°F or 500°F.


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## mototraxtech (Oct 12, 2010)

thats what I was worried about and dont want to find out the hard way. I am just going to get some can type paint. Then I am going to hire the wife to do it as she has much more patients than I do. She said she would paint it for me so I think I will do that.


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## 350xfire (Oct 12, 2010)

mototraxtech said:


> thats what I was worried about and dont want to find out the hard way. I am just going to get some can type paint. Then I am going to hire the wife to do it as she has much more patients than I do. She said she would paint it for me so I think I will do that.


 

Hey, if you ever want to get rid of your wife, let us know... You can probably find someone to take her here... lol!


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## will (Oct 12, 2010)

The Hammerite comes in a lots of colors. I got mine at an Ace Hardware store. I wanted Light blue, they had to get it from their warehouse ( or another store ) I got the quart can and use a brush. I have an old mountain bike that is over 20 years old and was pretty beat up. I 'fixed' it up - some new parts, tires and the like. I also painted the frame with the light blue Hammerite - it looks great now....

One thing with the hammerite - if you use a brush - plan on throwing it away when you are finished, the thinner used is not mineral spirits, but a 'special thinner, brush cleaner'


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## Rothrandir (Oct 13, 2010)

Nothing wrong with wanting your equipment to look nice. Using good [looking] stuff is a lot more pleasant than using bad [looking] stuff. A dirty or cosmetically beat up machine will make parts just as well as a shiny one, but somehow it just isn't the same.

I'm the same way, I've spent a lot of money on my equipment and I want to keep it looking nice.


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