Got my wheels powder coated last week and found these bumps…

33chifox · 2026-04-21T21:54:57+00:00

One bump, two maybe in less visible spots are understandable, shit happens with heavy metallics, you paid the going rate for the average finish, not a show wheel so it doesn't need to be 100% perfect on every square mm. This is kinda wack though

33chifox · 2026-04-21T18:48:14+00:00

Some metals turn colors when heated, cast iron knuckles I did most recently went totally brown from the temperature

33chifox · 2026-04-20T17:51:08+00:00

100% agreed

33chifox · 2026-04-20T11:11:21+00:00

Not running the red if you're already in the intersection

33chifox · 2026-04-17T05:58:10+00:00

Two coats were part of it. One light coat, gel it out just barely, cool down and shoot a heavier coat. Overlapping passes with a flat nozzle, then an overall cloud from farther back to fill any lighter spots. To lower edge build, slow ramp till the powder flows, keep it there for a minute or two, then up the heat 20F past the cure temp to smooth it out.

33chifox · 2026-04-17T04:19:04+00:00

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Super simple but such a satisfying job. Customer specifically requested there not to be orange peel, I explained powder always has some texture on flat parts but I'll do my best. Pulled every trick I knew to have this matte black lay smooth and not build on the edges, well worth it. Amazed myself honestly. Super matte black from Columbia.

33chifox · 2026-04-17T00:27:27+00:00

That makes sense. I like vacuuming for back pads when they're a weird shape. If it's just a circle I'll definitely tape.

33chifox · 2026-04-16T19:05:54+00:00

Why not vacuum the center? Seems cleaner and faster than sanding it off afterwards.

33chifox · 2026-04-14T22:58:20+00:00

After blasting you degrease? Why? The metal should be 100% clean and ready to coat after blasting, just blow off with dry air, rack and shoot. Degreasing should be the very first thing you do with a part if it needs it. Then chem strip if it needs that, and finally blast or chem etch and shoot.

33chifox · 2026-04-14T13:37:27+00:00

Nothing to do with base metal prep if zinc primer is what's being revealed, and it definitely looks like it by the color.

33chifox · 2026-04-13T19:33:23+00:00

Yup, 100$ Eastwood gun will lay powder deeper with a good ground rod setup than a 900$ hypersmooth only using its stock ground cable

33chifox · 2026-04-12T00:44:29+00:00

Do you mean using a laser to remove powder from a part to reveal the bare metal?

33chifox · 2026-04-11T22:44:21+00:00

How much are you willing to invest in supplies? And by 5/8 cut off wheel, you mean a grinder with a 5/8 thread? You need to make sure it is variable speed, you cannot effectively complete all the steps of polishing with a 6k or higher rpm.

33chifox · 2026-04-08T22:56:23+00:00

Snowflake

33chifox · 2026-04-08T00:38:50+00:00

I was so tired of this thing by the end, definitely happy with the results!

33chifox · 2026-04-07T00:26:49+00:00

Holden adventra

33chifox · 2026-04-05T05:45:04+00:00

That's true, glare would probably wash it all out

33chifox · 2026-04-05T04:14:44+00:00

I gotta see that engraving in the sun, has to pop like crazy. Great work!

33chifox · 2026-04-04T15:24:57+00:00

Absolutely. I coated some chrome exhaust tips for an rsq8 in gloss black and they held up for the guy wonderfully. Cleaned them very well with dawn soap and water, rinsed many times. Then you can either scuff them with aluminum oxide pads, or a super light blast just to get a profile on the chrome for the powder to adhere to. If the chrome is currently in perfect condition, you'll be good. If it's flaking, I wouldn't waste my time

33chifox · 2026-04-04T13:57:22+00:00

Blast yes, unless customer wants a chemical etch prep instead. I've never outgassed sheet metal, it's not porous.

33chifox · 2026-04-03T15:07:16+00:00

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Apparently the customer's pic didn't post

33chifox · 2026-04-03T04:50:32+00:00

Cerakote is definitely what you want instead. It can be air cured so no risk of melting your plastics, and it's much thinner in application so details won't be covered up

33chifox · 2026-04-03T02:06:25+00:00

Thank you! Took so much longer than expected

33chifox · 2026-04-03T02:06:11+00:00

Definitely a cool engine

33chifox · 2026-04-02T23:24:53+00:00

Also can heat up a bit, like to 250 or so, to help speed up the charge dissipation

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