wheels: paint or powdercoat?

[zedhead26]

hi guys, im looking make the centres of my rims black, leaveing the dish of the rim polished steel.

 

would powdercoat be a good option? ive tryed ringing a few powdercoaters in brisbane, but it seems no one wants anything to do with them when i mention i only want the centre done and not the dish.

 

any suggestions?

[maddos]

Don't see why it would be so hard.

They only have to mask with high temp tape and do as usual then remove tape while cooling.

Maybe offer to mask it for them?

[.]

Powder coating is more like a plastic than a paint. So masking wouldn't really work. I think painting is your only option unless the wheels can be dismantled

[Scoota G]

Yea i would think that the edge would peel and thats why they would shy away from it.

[maddos]

Have any of you had experience with powdercoating?

Reason I ask is I've done this at TAFE last year.

When the job is removed from the oven, the coating is still in a semi liquid form

which after allowing to cool briefly (it bakes at about 200 deg) the special heat resistant

(Blue) 3M tape can be peeled off prior to full cooling and hardening.

 

[.]

Ok, you know more about the process. I would say the reason is that they have been burned in the past when jobs like that have gone wrong. Sure its possible but it still sounds risky. One little mishap and they don't get a second chance. It would be tough to calm down a customer thats just lost a unique item.

[lightmaster240z]

From what I been told you can do it but it a pain in the neck to do. the rim need to be primed with a etch primer then powercoated and in the long run it comes off if it not cleaned 100 %. If you can find someone to do it that is.

regrads

Bruce   

[zedhead26]

my rims are single peice so i think ill just go with paint. thanks for the posts

[DatPilot]

why not get them powdercoated, then once hardened after a few days, get the lip machined on a wheel balancer....

 

or get in contact with this guy, he is a pro.

 

Laurence Gleeson

 

Managing Director

 

WheelTech Wheel & Tyre Centre

 

19 - 21 Glomar court

 

Dandenong, Victoria..3175

 

P: 03 9792 3717

 

F:03 9769 2404

 

M: 0437 967 177

 

wheeltech@bigpond.com

 

www.wheeltechwheels.com.au

 

 

[240Z_au]

Don't see why it would be so hard.

They only have to mask with high temp tape and do as usual then remove tape while cooling.

Maybe offer to mask it for them?

 

Unfortunately very few powder coaters (in Sydney) can take the time, have the patience, skill, knowledge or attention to detail which is required to do this job properly. The typical approach is to simply "wack" the wheels in with the rest of the products (usually fences, poles etc) and use the same baking temperature as the other pieces. This is where the 1st problem starts. Various wheel manufacturers, use varying mixes of alloys and magnesium in their wheel manufacturing. During the baking process many alloy wheels release silicones and other impurities which at surface form uneven texture, which in-turn creates "corroded", orange feel-like effect and bad under surface for the powder to finally set and bond to. Paying lot of attention to detail and working on high end vehicles I consider such finish unacceptable. We have tested 4 or five different coaters around Sydney and all with the same bad results. The core of the issue with the coaters is that most of these businesses are paying upwards of $16K per month in electricity and being a commercial business, they are not about to turn the knobs down and place one set of wheels in the oven for a few hundred dollars). Just last week I have spoken to our German suppliers of German made wheels and they confirmed they use specific powder for their coatings and the results as seen on the car below are truly impressive (matt black with machine/diamond lip finish). As a sacrificial lamb, I have used my original wheels from a good quality manufacturer to test local powder coating capabilities. These wheels are now race track dedicated and on closer look the only way to fix the imperfections is to strip again back to bare alloy and do a conventional spray paint using high fill to achieve perfect surface qualities. Getting matt black is also an art, many paint shops have no clue how to make matt black with low sheen and how to have them coated for long lasting good looks and durability. For my money, have them painted.

[/img]

[Whittie]

I'd go with paint.

 

 

I did all three sets of wheels with paint.

 

First, polish the wheels by hand or machine. This can take HOURS depending on starting condition of wheels, but is worth it!

 

Second, paint entire wheel the colour you want.

 

Third, use thinners on a rag (dampen part of rag), use to remove paint from where you don't want it.

 

Fourth, paint the entire wheel with clear lacquer to keep the polish from fading and the paint from chipping.

 

Too easy!

[maddos]

Well there you go.

Thanks for the informed response. 

Agree with the, most places are mostly just interested in pumping through the pool fencing.

[zzzzed]

powder coating is more likely to chip. Paint is easier to touch up if it does chip, so i would sy paint FTW.

[DatPilot]

I had my alloys (5 spoke cheap JDM) sandblasted, and then left in a dry area for a week, then powder coated and left for a few days to harden the F up.

 

Then I got a brain fart and got yellow pinstripe tape from autobarnz and traced the rim with windex, then applied the pinstriping. doesnt look too bad either.

 

http://s330.photobucket.com/albums/l435/MR30_SKYLINE/

 

I hit the gravel at speed the other day on Mt Stromlo Road, gravel has scratch marks all over the rear rim lip so now im either going to rub back the muffed area and re-paint, or fully machine off the paint from the lips. I need a set of crappys though as these rims are really my only ones (with tyres).

 

 

In summary:

Powderoating can be done, it is tough, and not too expensive (sandblasting and coating was $60 per rim)

[aidannn]

id say go paint. you get a larger variety of colours etc. and as its already been said its easier to touch up if you get scratches etc.

 

heres a set of regamasters i had redone a while ago.

 

 

 

with regards to the op painting centres, are they 3 piece wheels?

 

if they are i wouldnt powdercoat them unless you take them apart first. as powder coating gets up to like 200degs and will mess around with sealant and glue etc holding the wheel together.

 

 

[MuckUp]

Hey guys,

 

I came across thif forum whilst looking for something compleatly different but had to join you so i could give anyone that may be interested some real truths on powder coating and wet painting.

[Roberto]

Ok then, go ahead.  Give us the truths.....

[MuckUp]

so if anyone is interested in info on powder coating an article on their cars or wet finish for that matter i will be glad to offer some advice, no strings as painting is a much loved hobby and main scorce of income to me. I can even wet or powder the chrome look finishes like the team voderfone cars

[MuckUp]

Anyway,

 

Im not trying to upset anyone just help, if you need answers to paint or powder questions I can help you.

 

off to bed now so Ill be back

 

cheers

 

[Whittie]

Well, considering the more than moderate amount of time I have, do and will put into painting parts on my car, I would like to hear what you have to say.

 

Perhaps you should start another thread instead of tacking on to this one and share your knowledge.

[maddos]

Hi Muckup.

What's your view on this topic?

Do you do much DPC paint schemes?