powder coat prep questions

[sonicnuance]

For a brand new Hammond aluminum die cast box, is an acetone wipe down enough for a prep before powder coating?

After the first coat dries, is the same acetone prep needed before a second coat needed?

[tiges_ tendres]

For a brand new Hammond aluminum die cast box, is an acetone wipe down enough for a prep before powder coating?

After the first coat dries, is the same acetone prep needed before a second coat needed?

Yep, that's what I do. If your box is very pitted, that will sometimes show through a thin coat. If I've handled the first coat a lot, I'll give it another wipe down. Often though, I don't touch it and after baking and just wait for it to appropriately cool before doing coat two.

[The Tone God]

Acetone wipe on the raw box. Do NOT use acetone again on the first coat between the second coat. Just let it cool down, do not handle with your bare hands, and shoot the second coat like normal ASAP. Some powders will react badly to the acetone and things will down hill fast at that point.

Once you get ready to prep you should never handle the case bare handed again. Wear disposable gloves (nitrile or even latex should be fine) while doing the wipe down and during the coating too.

Andrew

[tiges_ tendres]

I should add I don't use acetone, but alcohol.  Does the trick for me.

[Ice-9]

There should not be any need for a second coat with powder coating. Is there any reason for a second coat?

[The Tone God]

There should not be any need for a second coat with powder coating. Is there any reason for a second coat?

If you are using a special finish sometimes you need to cover it with a low temp clear to seal it. Other times you may want to use a clear texture to create a textured version of a colour that does not have a textured version.

If people are doing two coats because the first coat is thin then there is something wrong with the technique being used. A single coat with a most powders should be enough for our uses.

Andrew

[tiges_ tendres]

Some of the powders, particularly the illusion series are a three step process:

1 Gloss black base
+ 1 Illusion coat
+ 1 clear coat
=

At least that's what the manufacturer recommends for best results.

[defaced]

I should add I don't use acetone, but alcohol.  Does the trick for me.

Acetone removes oil based substances, alcohol removes water.  They're intended for different purposes.  Typically acetone is used before alcohol for applications that need to be *clean*.

[Ice-9]

There should not be any need for a second coat with powder coating. Is there any reason for a second coat?

If you are using a special finish sometimes you need to cover it with a low temp clear to seal it. Other times you may want to use a clear texture to create a textured version of a colour that does not have a textured version.

If people are doing two coats because the first coat is thin then there is something wrong with the technique being used. A single coat with a most powders should be enough for our uses.

Andrew

Ahh I see. I was forgetting about special finishes. In these cases it is possible to use "Panel Wipe" Is's used in the autotrade to clean panels between coats and known by a few different names, it's just a degreaser but it would be wise to try first as some may react with the powder coating. The powder coating in these low temp powders are usually polyester so check what you try is suitable .