Etch then powder coat?

[thelonious]

I have been searching old posts, but so far I can't find a direct answer to this question: Can I reverse etch a box and then powder coat instead of painting? Has anyone tried that and had success? Wanted to get some feedback before I buy a powder coating gun. My concerns are: 1) Will the powder coat be substantially thicker than primer + 2 coats of paint? Too thick to sand and have the etch still stand out in relief? 2) Is the powder coat so tough that sanding it down will be a problem?

I'd like to get the effect I achieved on this pedal, but with powder coating instead of paint:


Thanks guys!