Topic: HELP! My Steering bearing seat got powder coated! what can I do now?

[Will]

So I brought my '77 CB550F frame down to a guy that does blasting and coating in my neighborhood. I picked up the frame, and when I got it back to the shop to start rebuilding, I noticed that he had meticulously plugged all of the right holes, and masked everything that needed to be masked.... EXCEPT! he forgot to plug the head tube!!! Now I have a completely cured powder coat on both top and bottom steering bearing seats! 
What can I do to get the powder coating out of the bearing seats??? I am afraid to sand, or blast, because the seat tolerance will be f'd up.
Do i need to find a machinist to bore the bearing seat back out?
is there a chemical solution to strip a powder coat?
Has anyone ever had to deal with this before?
What a pain in the ass...

[Old Scrambler]

Wrap and tape the outside surfaces.  Heat the races to melt the paint.  Got a glue gun....soldering iron........wood-burner tool? Be careful to keep the outer paint cool.

[mcuozzo]

I think the heat my damage other surronding powdercoating.  Especially if the powdercoat used is glossy or has a clearcoat.

There are chemicals available to strip powdercoating.  I would be surprised if your local coater didn't have some.  See if he'll give you some.  Just be careful to get it only on the pc that you want to remove.

If he doesn't have it you can get it at a number of places...

http://www.columbiacoatings.com/category_s/8.htm
http://www.eastwood.com/hotcoat-powder-coating/prep-stripping/ew-powdercoat-and-paint-dissolver-quart.html

[Will]

thanks guys, I appreciate your help.

[MCRider]

thanks guys, I appreciate your help.

I had the similar problem they coated the swingarm bosses, so the SA wouldn't slide into palce.

I used a sanding drum on a dremel. Carfefully took the powder off until I saw the metal and stopped. PC is tough but its not that tough.

I asked the powder coater and he said that should be fine. All of the coat is bonded to the metal so opening up a wound makes no difference.