[email protected] wrote:
> How good does powder coating look? I have the impression it doesn't
> have the "depth" appearance of a nice paint job - am I right?
>
> - Frank Krygowski
Just like paint, it depends. Depends on who does the prep, the work,
depends on what you want them to do, depends on the color, texture
choices, prep, etc.
I've had 3 bikes powdercoated so far:
1: my quad (inline bicycle built for 4). Purple. The color choice was
left to the powdercoater. Purple or black. This particular guy
normally did gym equipment in black. There are a couple of minor runs
and a couple of thin spots. This huge frame is probably harder to
paint than any other bike and it's pretty good overall. Done about 12
years ago, it still looks great. A couple of top tube scratches where
stokers dragged their cleats on the tubing when geting on/off the bike.
2: I had a 1952's schwinn kids balloon tired bike powdercoated. 5
parts, frame, fork, chain guard, both rims. More parts = more cost.
John Deere green. The bike was green & white before and I have a green
seat and green good year balloon tires. JD green is a simple request
to make from the local paint & powdercoat service (Rainbow in Cedar
Rapids, iowa) here in the agriculture midwest. There was a bit of
yellow metal flake floating around the air from a previous job that
wound up in it. Barely noticable but it did help the overall
appearance in the sun. The 'painter' said it looked too dull when
finished so he did a clear powdercoat coat gratis. That really helped.
The only problem was he removed all my masking tape before the clear
so it was a bear to reassemble the bike.
3. I had my 1960's schwinn typhoon powdercoated. Bright orange metal
flake with a clear coat. Yikes, this bike is so bright you can barely
stand to look at it in the sunlight. It looks like semi solid
liquid. Brighter than any bike paint job i've ever seen other than
orange safety paint. Looks great, no runs, no thin spots. Rainbow in
Cedar Rapids again. This did cost extra for the metal flake and clear
coat but I think it was worth it.
There is lots of stuff powdercoated that you normally couldn't tell
from a paint job. Often cheaper than a paint job and tyically much more
durable. Once out of the oven, it's done. No waiting days/weeks for a
cure time.
But powdercoat does have it's limits. Two tone is probably not a
reasonable option. Depending on who does it, the finished powdercoat
can be thicker so some components may be hard to install. I' have
never had decals applied that would get clear powdercoated over. I have
applied decals over the powdercoat and I see no reason why you couldn't
use a regular clear paint over that. Powercoat is really hard & tough
to remove from threads. You need to tap or machine everything out.
So if you are looking for an accurate resto job, go with paint by an
bicycle specific expert.
If you want a uniform color without decals, or panels or pinstriping or
different color lugs, lower cost, go powdercoat. Be sure to mask the
fork threads, bb shell interior, seat post, etc. Powdercoaters aren't
normally bicycle assemblers and just don't know any better and because
of the process, the powder will go everywhere it can.
Rick