Power coating vs Paint question

Posted: Wed Nov 23, 2011 2:29 pm

Ok, the time has come for me to get the newly acquired wheels to paint. I need some thoughts on what I should do.

Powder coat them satin Black??...Paint them black??...go with Ohlin yellow - paint or Powder? Not sure what to do...I have to live with it too once done so I want to weigh my options heavily and make the right one.

Posted: Wed Nov 23, 2011 3:06 pm

Powder coat is much more durable, i just had a Luggage rack PC'd By Tomk1960 and I plan to have my wheels painted when he's set up again, a far superior finish to rattle can. Also, its somewhat solvent resistant.

Posted: Wed Nov 23, 2011 3:15 pm

Powder over paint every time m8, very tough, ideal for your wheels.

Daz. Very Happy

Posted: Wed Nov 23, 2011 4:11 pm

Should I go BLACK? Gloss? Satin?

Silver? Ohlin Yellow?

Posted: Wed Nov 23, 2011 4:24 pm

What are the end colors of the rest of your body work? I don't think the yellow would look good with silver and blue, for instance. Black pretty much goes with everything. Maybe I'm not one to talk though, I have red wheels!

I think it gets tied in with the Red Anodized AN fittings, Piping on the Corbin, and Red in the swinger/shock springs.

so if you can coordinate properly, any color can be good!

-Seb

Posted: Wed Nov 23, 2011 4:25 pm

Careful. There is a common misconception that Pwder Coating gives you that indestructible coating. It doesn't! Most coating powders/colors are the same base as paint colors and thus are being destroyed by brake fluid, for example. Repairing nicks and scratches in painted surfaces is much easier than in powder coated ones. Total cost should be a consideration besides the actual look you want to achieve. The color selection needs to match the bike color somewhat. A silver bike and gold wheels do not go together well.

Posted: Wed Nov 23, 2011 7:15 pm

Recently I had my CBX1000 Prolink cam cover ceramic coated; I was a little apprehensive at first thinking that the finish would be way too far from the original- I was presently surprised at the end result which looked stunning. Whilst in the shop I saw that they offered a wheel rim ceramic coating service with several finished examples in various colors on display. They too looked sharp. I'd go that way if I were you

Posted: Wed Nov 23, 2011 7:18 pm

Ceramic coating is definitely an option.....
Looks great...not too much bling.....

Jebby

Posted: Wed Nov 23, 2011 9:27 pm

I agree with the ceramic coating. Did my VC and side covers this spring. Looks like highlty polished aluminum and grime just wipes off it. All told, it was less than $100 to do all three. Will be doing exhaust this winter in satin black and maybe pillions as well in chromex. Parts and pieces on display at coating shop were awesome to see! ONly comes in a few colors though, black and silver mainly. See link.

http://www.performancecoatings.com/index2.html

Hawk Joined: Dec 19, 2007 Posts: 356 Location: New Zealand

SEsmick wrote:

What are the end colors of the rest of your body work? I don't think the yellow would look good with silver and blue, for instance. Black pretty much goes with everything. Maybe I'm not one to talk though, I have red wheels!

-Seb

That Red looks really great!!

Posted: Wed Nov 23, 2011 10:25 pm

Thanks! I think so too Very Happy

Posted: Thu Nov 24, 2011 4:04 am

I agree with DOHCRob, paint can be touched up easy, can be changed if you don't like the color also. I'm also not a fan of PC on motors. Its just a big blanket keeping the heat in.

My two cents. JJAM

Posted: Thu Nov 24, 2011 1:41 pm

I just had my first item powder coated. It was a luggage rack. The guy talked me out of the high gloss black. He said it looked so shiny it looked wet. My bike paint looks like that & I like it. He said he mixes the powder to bring it down a bit. The one thing I don't care for is the texture appears a little bumpy. Someone else told me thats why they didn't care for powder coating. I thought I've seen members here with pictures of powder coating & it looked smooth to me. I'm not sure if I just got poor quality product or workmanship, but it looks good enough to leave alone. I would think twice about it for a super nice bike though.

Posted: Thu Nov 24, 2011 5:59 pm

justwanttoride wrote:

I just had my first item powder coated. It was a luggage rack. The guy talked me out of the high gloss black. He said it looked so shiny it looked wet. My bike paint looks like that & I like it. He said he mixes the powder to bring it down a bit. The one thing I don't care for is the texture appears a little bumpy. Someone else told me thats why they didn't care for powder coating. I thought I've seen members here with pictures of powder coating & it looked smooth to me. I'm not sure if I just got poor quality product or workmanship, but it looks good enough to leave alone. I would think twice about it for a super nice bike though.

Agreed, powder is not really for the super detailer. It looks good and is hard wearing, but proper paint does look nicer. You have to draw the line somewhere. As good as paint looks, it is no where near as tough and solvent resistant as powder.

Posted: Thu Nov 24, 2011 6:52 pm

justwanttoride wrote:

I just had my first item powder coated. It was a luggage rack. The guy talked me out of the high gloss black. He said it looked so shiny it looked wet. My bike paint looks like that & I like it. He said he mixes the powder to bring it down a bit. The one thing I don't care for is the texture appears a little bumpy. Someone else told me thats why they didn't care for powder coating. I thought I've seen members here with pictures of powder coating & it looked smooth to me. I'm not sure if I just got poor quality product or workmanship, but it looks good enough to leave alone. I would think twice about it for a super nice bike though.

If the finish was meant to have a texture, then what you have makes sense. Otherwise, it should look nice and smooth like paint.

I agree that touching up paint can be a bit easier than powder coated surfaces, but I have done a touch up here and there occasionally and no one would ever know. PC is NOT indestructible and no one should ever think that it is. It is harder wearing than paint and when properly prepared and applied, it has a better bond than paint, so less likely to flake off over time.

Remember one thing about high gloss finishes - they show surface flaws at lot more than less reflective coats do.

Posted: Thu Nov 24, 2011 7:09 pm

If the powder coating you've been using doesn't resist brake fluid or the finish looks lumpy.....
You've been going to the wrong guy!

For a test, I had a set of grab handles black chromed and another set in gloss powder. When both sets were compared side-by-side you couldn't tell the difference. BTW, powder was a fraction of the cost and returned in less that 2 weeks.
Concerning brake fluid, QC Coatings here in Shelby Twp, MI uses a polyester/epoxy blend that I've had applied to at least 10 sets of calipers and mastercylinders and the coating is next to bullet-proof. Brake fluid wipes right off.

I have a state of the art down draft spray booth with heat at my disposal. There is NO WAY I can match the performance, reliability and cost of powder coating.
QC will blast/prep and coat whatever you have for less than the cost of traditional spray materials alone.

Just because you might have used the Eastwood stuff doesn't mean you'll get the same results as work done by a professional.

Posted: Thu Nov 24, 2011 10:47 pm

CBXtras wrote:

If the powder coating you've been using doesn't resist brake fluid or the finish looks lumpy.....
You've been going to the wrong guy!

For a test, I had a set of grab handles black chromed and another set in gloss powder. When both sets were compared side-by-side you couldn't tell the difference. BTW, powder was a fraction of the cost and returned in less that 2 weeks.
Concerning brake fluid, QC Coatings here in Shelby Twp, MI uses a polyester/epoxy blend that I've had applied to at least 10 sets of calipers and mastercylinders and the coating is next to bullet-proof. Brake fluid wipes right off.

I have a state of the art down draft spray booth with heat at my disposal. There is NO WAY I can match the performance, reliability and cost of powder coating.
QC will blast/prep and coat whatever you have for less than the cost of traditional spray materials alone.

Just because you might have used the Eastwood stuff doesn't mean you'll get the same results as work done by a professional.

Exactly.....those who do it for a living...have the right powder.....
QC is some of the best in the biz.....

Jebby

Posted: Fri Nov 25, 2011 9:06 pm

Jebbysan wrote:

CBXtras wrote:

If the powder coating you've been using doesn't resist brake fluid or the finish looks lumpy.....
You've been going to the wrong guy!

.

Exactly.....those who do it for a living...have the right powder.....
QC is some of the best in the biz.....

Jebby

Powder Coating shops are doing the same as paint shops. They use different powders as painters use different paints. It doesn't mean it is the wrong stuff. Different powders are for different purposes and unless you find a powder coater who specializes in brake calipers, the coating may be sensitive to brake fluid.

Posted: Fri Nov 25, 2011 9:18 pm

one other thing powder coat is thicker than paint. probably not an issue with wheels, but one has to pay attention where parts fit together.

Posted: Sat Nov 26, 2011 2:13 pm

Thanks tomk & cbxtras, I probably just got a poor job on my luggage rack. I will have to find another source for my powder coating. Not sure the shipping would be worth sending to the place mentioned.

Posted: Sat Nov 26, 2011 2:56 pm

justwanttoride wrote:

Thanks tomk & cbxtras, I probably just got a poor job on my luggage rack. I will have to find another source for my powder coating. Not sure the shipping would be worth sending to the place mentioned.

FYI, QC is just up in Mi near Detroit, so the shipping shouldn't be too much. Consider the cost of having a part re-done, and the shipping means even less.