Topic: Powder coater had this suggestion, what do you think?

[tygrant]

so I can get powder coating done for basicaly nothin as long as I sand blast the parts and do most of the prep work. I was planning on doing my rims and hubs black and using new shiny chrome spokes. I talked to the powder coater and he said screw relacing them, bead blast them they way they are and il coat right over the hub and spokes, iv done a few like that and they look like they were dunked in a barrel of black oil. so im wondering what do you guys think?

oh yea whats involved in removing the axels cuz id be throwing the whole things in the oven.

[IHWillys]

Do what you planned. 

I imagine eventual chipping at the spoke/hub and spoke/rim junctions.  A soon as some bright metal starts to peak through it will not look good.  Also, what becomes of adjusting spoke tension?

I have no experience with doing this but those are my initial reservations, perhaps misguided.  Regardless, I think your planned method would look better. 

Ken

[mcuozzo]

Well, what's your plan for the bike?  I think that might work for a show bike, but if you plan to ride it I think it will chip easier.

And how are you going to true/balance the wheel?  If you powder coat it all as one piece, then add the tire, won't you have to adjust the spokes?  You'd have to break off the powder coat.

And until I see it, i think all black wouldn't look that good.  There's gotta be something contrasting - the spokes, hub or nipples.

That's a good deal for the powder coating though.  Even though 80% of the work in powdercoating is the prep.  Just like painting.  Just remember to get rid of all the grease/dirt before blasting.   If not you can have problems with the powder.  If possible preheat the rim to 400-450 (temp of the rim, not the oven gotta measure it with a temp gun) after blasting but before coating.  That way if anything was going to come to the surface or outgas when coming up to temp it'll happen before powdercoating.

Hope that helps and whatever you decide PLEASE POST PICTURES!!!

Matt

[754]

Well you will be getting what you pay for..
 a bit of contrast is nice, like goldy colured nipps against a black spoke and rim..
 If you dont take them apart, you will be sorry if you adjust your spokes (after grinding or chipping off the nipps) the big glob of missing powder if you change a spoke, wont look that great..

 And if you dont remove the bearings, it will probably cook the seal, and leak grease all over, then you still replace them.
 

 The difference between a good build, amd a really great one, is usually attention to detail..

[Jerry Rxman Griffin aka MuthaF'er]

I like your idea and agree with the others about spokes chipping especially if they need trueing or tightening.

Use stainless spokes with the powder.

[bucky katt]

mmmmmmmmm if it were mine i would dismantle it, the first time you need to adjust the spokes, to re-true the wheel the powder coating is going to crack where the nipples meet the spoke at the very least. i dont know a whole lot about powder coating, so i might be totally wrong but if it were mine i wouldnt chance it.

[tygrant]

well let me ask this, how ofen am  supposed to re true the wheel?  everytime i mount a new tire? i planned on putting new rubber on when i do this. its 75 to true a wheel wich isnt really that cheap?

[Steve F]

Powder coating requires that the item be placed in a furnace to melt the coating (you already knew this), and this would more than likely cause some problems with wheel truness and warping.  My thought is that you have it powder coated as a complete assembly, only to find the wheel is warped or running out and would require truing.  My other thought is that the high heat to cure the powder would and/or could affect the spoke tempering, especially while under tension in a built wheel.
Bottom line for me would be to have the rim coated unassembled.

[bucky katt]

hit a pothole hard enough and it's re-truing time. to me it just isnt worth the risk, just to save dome time. i WOULD block off the spoke holes with silicone plugs from the inside of the rim. valve hole as well.

[razor02097]

I wouldn't do it... Just do as you said before... IMO chrome or SS spokes would look better on a black rim and hub anyway.

[Joksa]

If you can have it done for basically nothing, you loose basically nothing if it does not work. YMMV

[tygrant]

If you can have it done for basically nothing, you loose basically nothing if it does not work. YMMV

this is kinda what i was thinkin, il borow my freinds blaster and clean them all up have them coated and if i dont like it i can always buy new spokes and blast off the coating on the hubs and rims. i jut dont want to blow out some spokes from temper issues like mentioned before.

[JS550]

If you can have it done for basically nothing, you loose basically nothing if it does not work. YMMV

this is kinda what i was thinkin, il borow my freinds blaster and clean them all up have them coated and if i dont like it i can always buy new spokes and blast off the coating on the hubs and rims. i jut dont want to blow out some spokes from temper issues like mentioned before.

Dont waste your time doing it like that. Any spots of chrome or rust left will show through the P/C & you could bet that by not disassembling them it will happen. If your gonna do it that way you might as well be spray painting the rims yourself.

[754]

FWIW, they will bake the parts at about 375 or 400 degrees Fahr, after coating.

[FunJimmy]

IMO. If you're not going to do the job right, it isn't worth doing.

Just because someone offers to do the powder coating for free doesn't value that service as worthless and disposable.
How would you feel if your efforts where viewed in that manner?

[tygrant]

well he is in charge of a large shop, where they have their own coating equipment and he just tosses it in with a batch of parts that need to be done i have offered him money bt he doesnt care. hes the director there and he only does it when the ovens fired for their own parts so in essence it costs the company next to nothing, just basicaly the cost of the powder on the materials wich when you buy in large quantities is very cheap. anyway i think i will go ahead and re spoke them the right way i think it wil look better al the way around.

[razor02097]

you got a good deal goin there... I'm jelous  but happy for ya 

[Joksa]

Just because someone offers to do the powder coating for free doesn't value that service as worthless and disposable.

Not worthless. It can be a really valuable lesson for both.