Powder coating clear coat over water slide decals

[Zilla]

is this something that is possible or is the clearcoat baking going to destroy the waterslide?

[bloxstompboxes]

Good question. I bake clear coat Rustoleum at 150F but I think clear powder coat is baked at 400F. I'd be curious to know this one myself.

[bluebunny]

Try testing it on the inside of an enclosure lid, where it won't be seen if it goes horribly wrong.  And if it goes horribly right, then you have the coolest-ever inside lid of a pedal! 

[deadastronaut]

My guess would be it would bubble and destroy....enclosures get very hot very quickly...

[Zilla]

Has anyone tried?

I'm thinking about buying and setting up a powder coating system in my garage but if i can't power coat clear over top of a waterslide i might need to think twice.

how are other people getting graphics under a powder coated clear coat?

[vigilante397]

I haven't used waterslides in a while, but I bake my enclosures at 300F and have only ever had problems with bubbling when the decal hasn't dried all the way. And then it obviously isn't the decal bubbling, it's the water underneath the decal boiling and trying to get out But with a properly dried decal and a properly dried coat of clear I've never had a problem at 300F.

Side note: reading through various threads it seems like I'm the only one around here that bakes them that hot and I'm trying to remember why I decided on 300F in the first place

[Kingmafw]

I tried it, but it doesn't work The decal melts during the powder clearcoat is curing at 180 C or 356 F.

[darron]

i have been doing it.

here's one i did recently with a friend:

that is a laser decal print though, not inkjet. not sure which brand. leaving it in there much over than heating (about 10 mins) + curing (10 mins) time can tarnish the colours yellow though.

so it's possible, but as usual, you'll have an annoying variable or two.

with my crappy guns, it's hard to get second layers of powder coats on. so i normally do it while the enclosure is at temp (200c). if there's not enough coverage on top then i'd spray it once cold and once lightly while still hot.

[Zilla]

So those of you who have success are you using laser printed water slides?  Those of you who have not had success are you using ink jet water slides?

darron that looks great!

[vigilante397]

Again I've been heating to 300F, not 400F, but I used laser waterslides as well.

[bettsaj]

how about spraying a thin coat of clear varnish over the decal to seal it in before you powder coat..... Just a thought

[jbo]

I know this is an old thread, but I'm resurrecting it.  I've had pretty good success with powder coating a clear coat over water slide.  I use an HP Laserjet printer and sunnyscopa water slides.  It's taken some time and a handful of messed up enclosures.  But, here's the process...
Depending on if I get an unpainted enclosure (which then I'll powder coat it whatever color I choose). 

* If it's an unpainted enclosure, I'll bake the bare enclosure for 20 minutes at 400 F.  This is to get any impurities out of the metal.  After it's cooled, I'll rub it down with some pre-coat from Eastwood.  Then paint it a color. 
* I'll put the decal on and use a little squeegee to get all the water out.  I'll let it dry completely.
* I then bake the graphic at about 210 F for 20 mins.  It could stand a little hotter, but this is going by the graphic papers recommendation. 
* When it's cooled, I'll rub the sides of the enclosure down with Eastwood pre-coat to get any impurities off of the sides. 
* I'll put a nice coat of powder on it and bake it at 400 F for 10 mins.  Let it cool then bake it again at 400 F for 10 mins.  The recommended curing time for Prismatic powders is usually 20 mins at 400F.  But, obviously that would burn the graphic.  Depending on the color of the enclosure (let's say, white), there may be a hint of brown tint to it, but it's not bad enough to really notice.  Colors like orange, yellow, purple you can't even tell. 
* I then wet sand and buff the top of the enclosure with some Meguiar's Ultimate Compound until it has a nice and shiny finish.  I don't bother with the sides.  I have done the sides a few times, but you take too much of a risk of scuffing a corner. 

I make a signature pedal for Chris Robertson of Black Stone Cherry, and this is my process I use.  The powder coating offers more protection than screen printing and it is something that any pedal maker can do.  It's just a process. 

I know this is an old thread, but hope that my process can help some others out.