Restoring a Bike at TechShop PART 2: POWDERCOATING AND FINISHING

Flat tires, bent rims, and allot of surface rust, have you ever come across a bike that has been in neglect?
Thank you to the person that left and forgot about their beautiful Raleigh in front of the State Hall and gave me the opportunity to compose this Instructable. This bike is in the middle of restoration using a sandblaster and powder coating hood at my local hackerspace, TechShop. "I made it at TechShop"

This is part Two from my TechShop Bike restore series.

This Instructable will illustrate how to restore a bike after it has been prepped by stripping and sandblasting. https://www.instructables.com/id/Restoring-a-bike-... (PART 1)

Materials you would need.....
1. Powder sprayer
2. Ventilated powder spray booth
3. Powder coat pigment https://www.powderbuythepound.com/
4. Powder coat curing oven.
5. Gloves

Prepare for powder coating your frame.
Your frame should be striped of all components and paint down to the bare frame.
Refer to part 1 for illustrated instructions https://www.instructables.com/id/Restoring-a-bike-...

After sandblasting prep the frame for powder coating.
1. Clean frame from any grease, dirt, residual paint, etc.
I used Trisodium Phosphate, its easy cheap and highly effective for prepping.
http://www.lowes.com/pd_151379-91-10622_4294935484...

2. Hang dry and wipe frame using Acetone.
Acetone will help evaporate most of the moisture and aid in adhesion of the powder.
http://www.lowes.com/pd_206558-34228-CR.AC.M.04_0_...

1. Start by pre-heating the oven 5- 10 degrees over the recommended curing temperature stated on container your powder comes in.

3. Mask open tubes and bottom bracket. Mask any open tubes or threads that you don't want to powder coat like your headset tube and bottom bracket tube. (The bottom bracket tube is threaded and installing a bottom bracket would be hard if it was

2. Hang frame and fork in the curing oven using a conductive piece of wire.
I found a old coat hanger and sanded off the painted coating.
Important: make sure you are using a bare metal part hanger. Powder sticks to your frame and fork when it is electrically charged by the grounding terminal of your powder sprayer.



3. Load the sprayer and spray! adjust sprayer settings for best adhesion.
Powder costs between $8 - $12 a pound. The powder in the scoop will
cover about the same square footage as 10 spray cans. It goes a long way. The amount of powder necessary to cover my part is about 1/4 of a teaspoon. Pour the powder into a jar using the funnel. Screw the powder jar onto the gun and turn on the power the the gun.

4. Carefully hang your frame and fork in the oven. Make sure you hang your parts far apart to where they wont collide with the walls of the oven and with each.

5. Bake and wait. Follow temperature and time settings stated on the instructions of the powder container. 15-20min @ 375-380 degree F is the typical time and temperature for most powder coating applications.

6. Hang out and chill. Remove your frame and fork from the oven and hang them to let them chill. Anywhere from 30-60mins is a good time.

Your frame and fork should be ready for riding. N'JOY (: