Frame powder coating

[Geoff Leake]

Hi guys, as a novice in the area of motorcycle restoration, I've already received excellent responses/advice to my enquiry about paint colours, for which I'm very grateful, so here we go again on another subject. I need to get the B33 rigid frame powder coated, and as I'm spending good money on everything else (too much some might say), I'm looking for the best job I can get. I've read of some horrendous problems experienced by other folk, so anybody care to stick their necks out and recommend a good, reliable powder coater? I'm in the East Midlands, but having a proper job done is more important than geographical location. I hope somebody will be able to help me. Cheers.

[Spaceman]

I've had quite a few frames powder coated and most were done by Redditch Shotblasting Co Ltd. Quality was always good but the turnaround time was measured in months. However, more recently, I have used Henry Cole's favourite powder coaters in Banbury who are not only good valve for money but turnaround time has also been a few weeks, or at least was pre-pandemic.

[Geoff Leake]

Hi Spaceman, thanks for getting back to me promptly, they sound as though they'll do for me. Can you confirm that's Banbury Powder Coating, 6 Power Park, Station approach, Banbury, OX16 5AB? Cheers.

[Spaceman]

Geoff - that's the one but it is a little tricky to find the first time. Essentially, you have to take the small road (with speed bumps) to the right of the Banbury station car park and then keep going to the end past all the buildings where it used to open out into a large unpaved parking area but which might now be filled with BR portacabins. Just before you get to this parking area, there is a small track down on the right and Banbury Powder Coating are at the bottom.

Like most powder coaters I know, the inside of this one looks to be covered in a huge amount of dust because of the shot blasting they do but, despite this, they do a lot of vehicle spray painting and a lot of good quality powder coating. What I would recommend is to type out a list of all the parts you want powder coating and the finish required (gloss black?) to make it easier for both them and for you to keep track of everything. That said, I've never had a part go missing and the last bike I did consisted of a myriad of frame bits!

[Geoff Leake]

Thanks again Spaceman, that couldn't be clearer. I'll definitely give them a go with the powder coating when the bike's all dismantled and ready; and point taken about preparing a list etc. Are you saying that you'd trust these people to carry out really good quality paint jobs too? Please let me know. Cheers.

[berniej]

Hi Geoff, it might be an idea to have a chat with them to establish what they offer and what they expect from you in terms of preparation - in my experience this can vary.

Parts need to be free of oily or greasy crud as this inhibits the blasting process.
All areas not to be coated need to be effectively masked (resistant to high temperatures), male threads can be capped and female threads plugged with silicon.
I find the steering head the most challenging and use penny washers and studding to blank them off.

It's important to mask all threads as getting powder coat off is a real pain - especially small, female threads.

Some companies might offer a cleaning and masking service, others may expect you to do it all yourself so a good idea to talk it all over in advance.
(Personally, I always do it myself so I know I won't be having to scrape/dremel excess powder coat off when I get it back!).

I also count and photograph all the parts and offer them when taking the parts in. I once took a B40 in to my local powder coater and a week later collected an A10 !!

Cheers,
Bernie

[cdsdorset]

I've been using Redditch shotblasting for more than 30 years. Never had a longer wait than any other powdercoaters regularly less then 3 weeks.

[Geoff Leake]

Thanks for the comprehensive advice on the masking issues benrniej and thanks cdsdorset for your observations too. Both duly noted. Cheers.

[Beesy]

I would also make sure you get an undercoat done.

It was only a few extra quid and makes adds better rust protection and improves the finish of the top coat.

[Spaceman]

For both companies I recommended, it has never been necessary to do any preparation or masking although removing any obvious grease or oil would be just good manners They will do all the preparation and the masking which has always been 100% reliable from my experience with both companies. 

Darren (Daz) who runs Banbury Powder Coatings is a very good spray painter as you might have seen on one of Henry Cole's programmes and spray painted the tank and fairings on one of his televised bike projects - I think it was the Phil Read replica if memory serves me. If you need some spraying done, it would be worth talking to him.

ps. Banbury Powder Coatings always use a zinc primer as the first protective layer as far as I can remember.

[Geoff Leake]

Thanks guys, the comprehensive nature of the replies really inspires confidence for which I'm extremely grateful. Cheers.

[Dean Southall]

Geoff
I use Thornix in Nottingham.
Bantam frame, chainguard, foot pegd and hangers, centre stand, rear rack, and couple of brakets blasted a powder coated £80. Turn round within the week.

[Pete Gill]

Hi Geoff
One of the problems already mentioned I want to emphasise. That is the need for ensuring all oil and grease is properly removed. I had a frame coated about 10 years ago and there must have been a trace of grease or oil somewhere inside a frame tube as it ran out during the baking process and ruined the finish on the coating. It had to be stripped off and re done!

Have you considered other options ?
Some of the newer 2pack acrylic paints give a high quality finish.

Pete

[Spaceman]

I have had well over a dozen frames powder coated in the last 10 years or so and have only had a problem from grease contamination on one of them - and that was due to the fact that I couldn't remove the swinging arm from a B40 making it difficult for Redditch Shotblasters to properly degrease the bearings. In the event, only a small amount of residual grease leaked out in the oven but, fortunately, the damage to the powder coating was miniscule. In general, the two companies recommended are experienced in powder coating bike parts and always degrease very effectively.

Powder coating of frames and other parts is relatively low cost because the process naturally fills in small surface imperfections. With paint spraying you have to fill in the surface imperfections manually using filler and/or high build primers which then requires considerably man effort to flatten back thus significantly increasing the cost. In addition, it is very hard to get an even covering of spray paint on small diameter tubular structures making it also very wasteful on paint adding further to the cost.

If the frame in question is very badly pitted with rust or has significant surface damage then powder coating might not give a good enough finish. Also, if you are after a Concours finish it will probably not be good enough. However, for the vast majority of people it is a cost effective and relatively quick approach to painting bike frames and cycle parts very reliably.

[Geoff Leake]

Evening Spaceman, thanks again for a very detailed response, and I clearly understand your point about the merits of powder coating as opposed to painting and visa-versa. I'm fairly sure my frame will be good enough to powder coat effectively leaving a good smooth finish. In any event I've spoken to Tom, a very helpful guy at Banbury today and they'll happily use a base-coat on parts that require them and I was assured that wouldn't incur to much additional cost.

Just another piece of advice based on your considerable experience (if you're not running short on patience by now): would it be preferable to two-pack paint the cycle parts such as mudguards, oil tank, tool box etc. or could I expect to achieve as good a finish by powder coating these? And any thoughts on this from anybody with experience would be welcome. Cheers.