Epoxy coating

[Steelshanks]

I did a search and only found a couple threads that touched on the subject so I figured I'd ask:

I am going to use a local media shop to blast my car and they also do Powder Coating. I did a walk through of their facility and they have a blasting booth and a HUGE oven. The owner shows me a frame from someones project car which has Epoxy on it.

He goes on to explain the following process for applying this Epoxy:

• Hang item from large rolling rack
• Warm in oven @ 400 degrees
• Apply Epoxy coating while warm
• Bake in oven @ 400 degrees / done

He suggested to me that, since I have the car completely apart for a Rotisserie style resto, I have everything (Shell and all) Epoxy coated in that manner.

Now I have obvious concerns with heat warping the sheetmetal etc, and I'm wondering if anyone has had this done. He explained how he has applied this to several cars and even powder coated the engine compartment and the underside after the Epoxy. He makes it sound like it is a suitable base for primer / body filler but the frame he showed me looked REALLY glossy.

The company has been in business for over 10 years and has a good track record with the local car shops who referred me there for blasting / powder coating. Any feedback would be appreciated. If I get it all done at once I can get a good deal but I just don't know enough about it.

[Steelshanks]

If it is not a good idea what is a good, cost effective, alternative after stripping the car?

[Troy]

Interesting. I have never seen an oven that big. Is this powdered epoxy? I think it would be about as good as spraying liquid epoxy but with less waste. You still only have epoxy in areas where they can hit it with the gun. One of the keys to prepping the metal is to coat it ASAP after stripping it so if they are right there it's a bonus. I don't know how much heat it takes to warp sheet metal so I can't help you there.

What was the price?

Troy

[68blue]

It sounds like it will work, the company where I worked for 30 years had an oven like that but nobody ever painted an entire car. We made paint and powder coating. Straight epoxy powder will be tough to strip off once it is on, you usually get a thick,tough, and shiny film when done. Powder coating can be tough to force into small holes when applied electrostaticly which is the most common type of application, unlike an air spray gun which uses pressure to drive the paint forward. 

[Steelshanks]

Is this powdered epoxy?

What was the price?

Troy

Pretty sure it is powder and they apply it electro statically. The frame he had done was completely coated with this stuff as far as I could tell. I shined a flashlight in the holes and looked from one end as far as I could see and it was all Epoxy. I'm sure there might have been a few spots bare but I believe him when he says he can cover more area then someone with a paint sprayer.

Total for striping the car and applying the Epoxy would be around $1500 depending on any surprises they find when cleaning up the car. Half that if I just have them strip the paint/rust.

Straight epoxy powder will be tough to strip off once it is on; you usually get a thick, tough, and shiny film when done.

The few items I saw with the Epoxy coating seemed pretty tough and shiny but not really thick. I could still make out all of the imperfections / seams / welds / etc. I’ll take some pictures next time I go into the shop.

That is a big concern though too... how thick and tough it will be cause I want to strip the car and then do my body work.

[bull]

IMO there's probably no better place to apply fusion bonded epoxy than the underside of a car. I'd be somewhat leery to do it in the engine compartment and there's no way I'd do it on the body but I think the underside would be a perfect place for it. You could either leave it that way or scuff it and paint.

And 400 degrees of ambient air is not going to warp metal. 400 degrees concentrated on one spot while the surrounding metal is at room temp however is a diffferent story.

[Silver R/T]

Sounds like they're doing powdercoating. As someone suggested above I would do underside of the car and call it good. Finish off rest of the car with regular automotive epoxy primer.

[elitecustombody]

several local powdercoaters do this to customer's cars,but I have yet to see it in person on a car, but they have done few sets of 3 piece wheels for me and let me just say I was very impressed how well it etched to chrome,I could not scrape or chip it with sharp scraper