Sending a frame off to the powder coaters - what prep is needed?

[Rod_Saetan]

There is a place up the road I'm going to give a try blasting and repainting a frame and a few bits, they haven't done a bike frame before but were up for it and said they had tape to mask parts off. I'm conscious there are a lot of threads etc I'd quite like to keep clear, but wondered what the general consensus is on keeping the post-paint work to a minimum. I have the tools to ream a seat tube, and chase the BB threads at work, but is it still worth putting a set of BB cups in? Bottle cage bolts anywhere they go? Leave a seat post and bolt in? Guess I should cover the whole fork steerer and threads and brake posts too?

TIA!

 

[shedobits]

I think you've answered you own question, I do exactly what you are proposing. Good luck, looking forward to before and after pics.

 

[Rod_Saetan]

Ha! Fair enough. Ta.

 

[KermitGKona88]

Fork, cover where the crown race fits, a half decent sprayer should be able to miss the threads and if you tape them when it heats up it will be a bugger to get off. Brake posts are a must, Just use a bit of tape rolled up in the cage mounts, if you put bolts in you risk damaging the paint when you undo them. Just mask off the bottom bracket threads as if you leave a cup in you risk the same as the bottle bolts when you take them out.

 

[was8v]

look forward to shaking all the shot out of the tubes!

Last one I did I put bolts on every thread, large washer each side of the BB shell with a threaded rod through to block that off and the same for the head tube if you like.

A rear cup and cone axle has the same thread as the rear mech, chop a bit down.

As above though. before unscrewing or removing anything run a stanley knife around the join to break the paint neatly.

 

[Rod_Saetan]

Yeah, figured I'd need to cut the point where the threads were to prevent it making a mess, quite like the idea of some colour-matched bottle cage bolks too

 

[CassidyAce]

There is a place up the road I'm going to give a try blasting and repainting a frame and a few bits, they haven't done a bike frame before but were up for it and said they had tape to mask parts off. I'm conscious there are a lot of threads etc I'd quite like to keep clear, but wondered what the general consensus is on keeping the post-paint work to a minimum. I have the tools to ream a seat tube, and chase the BB threads at work, but is it still worth putting a set of BB cups in? Bottle cage bolts anywhere they go? Leave a seat post and bolt in? Guess I should cover the whole fork steerer and threads and brake posts too?

TIA!

I really haven't needed to cover anything up myself. I just ask ask my local powder coaters to powder coat everything that already has paint on it and cover up anything that hasn't. Or leave the brake bosses, and anything that is a hole or has a thread. Job done. They do the rest. They're not the cheapest but do have brains and use them. A good finish, no powder coat in unwanted places, and no post-paint work for me. In other words, if you're paying them to do a job, perhaps you ought to just let them get on with it. If you start covering things up yourself, perhaps you're just going to make more work for yourself after the painting too.

 

[Rod_Saetan]

I really haven't needed to cover anything up myself. I just ask ask my local powder coaters to powder coat everything that already has paint on it and cover up anything that hasn't. Or leave the brake bosses, and anything that is a hole or has a thread. Job done. They do the rest. They're not the cheapest but do have brains and use them. A good finish, no powder coat in unwanted places, and no post-paint work for me. In other words, if you're paying them to do a job, perhaps you ought to just let them get on with it. If you start covering things up yourself, perhaps you're just going to make more work for yourself after the painting too.

Thats fair enough, except they have never done a bike frame before so I was trying to be helpful, and I have had bikes that have had a 'professional repaint' presented to me before to be simply rebuilt, the owners of which baulk at the extra chunk of labour charge for us to chase every thread, sand down brake posts and face the head tube and BB shell just so we can get the bits on.

Maybe I'll just take some bits and ask them while I'm there, won't do any harm.

 

[montair]

I work for a company that makes powder coating and have had a few coaters refurb frames for me.

Pointers:
If you have seen there work and are happy, ask for the colours they work with and leave every thing else up to them.
You should look at edge lines where they have protected a surface so it isn't coated and the coverage on external corners and internal corners. You should not be able to see the substrate on the former or a build up on the later. If you do it either poor application or poor setup either way the job won't be as good as should be.
If you have concerns over "masking" ask for the frame back after it has been stripped. This is a double edged sword as you will be happy with the masking but the coater will take no responsibility for the job as he doesn't know what you have done to the surface of the frame.
If you do mask off, WEAR GLOVES and don't let anyone touch the frame, grease does affect the charge and powder transfer.
Use Silicon rubber bungs ( Ask your coater if he has some you can use) they are way easier to use than set screws and leave a far neater cut line to work to.
Use aluminum tape get the proper 3m version as the cheapy ones leave loads of residue.
Ask which way they want the frame hung up and make sure you leave a big olde loop of wire or 2 so they can just stick it straight on their rail with out dickin' about having to make hanging loops.

IF IT GOES WRONG, tell them as most coaters will try to rectify issues.

My Preston that i recently coated - I did ask for this back after blasting so i could mask it of.

 

[BoyBurning]

Love the W+G referenced cable ties. Brilliant!