Does anyone know how thick a layer of powder coating is? I need to know to allo clearance for a bearing carrier.

Thanks
Shawn

It depends on the type of powder...

Thermoplastic resins need to be classified as.
PVC
Nylon
Polyester
polyethylene
polypropylene

There are two application methods for thermoplastic resins.
Fluidized bed technique ...... results in coating thicknesses between 5-12mils.
Electorstatic spray ....... results in coating thicknesses between 3-5 mils.


Thermosetting resin yields a coating thickness of 1-2 mils.

Yeah, I was going to say 'depends'. For sure 1 mm though. Powder coat all my bikes, but they also have a clear. It builds up fast.... use powder 'masking tape' whenever you can....

It's also varies by who's shooting that day.


bb

I would think that if whatever you're building is so tight on tolerancing that the thickness of the powdercoat makes a difference in offset, you'd be better off masking the bearing carrier mount before powdercoat, or scrape the powdercoat off before mounting the carrier bearing.....

The p-coat application, especially in holes, counterbores, will vary as well.
On critical masking/plugging issues--I discuss this, in person, with the part in my hand, with the powdercoat foreman.

For close fit items--I have the surfaces masked, plugged or capped. Hi-temp, silicone mask tape, plugs, etc.McMaster-Carr has a sampling of hi-temp plugs and tapes.

Removing powder coat is a bear. I do that too--by burnoff, but never on finished parts. Only for prep and re-work.

Since the powder is applied electrostatically--the parts are hung and grounded thru hangers. This means that one or more holes in your part, will have little portions, not powder coated, since they were the ground area to the hanging hooks. These areas are touched up with enamel paint afterwards.

Additionally, on 'fussy parts'---I make a temporary, hanger--screwed into the part or thru bolted, to save hassle for the powder coater.

mils is not mm. mils is thousandths of an inch.

Caswell sells a chemical stripper:

http://www.caswellplating.com/powder/s_stripper.html

Yup, I specifically used mm's.......

This is an issue especially at the top of the seat tubes of bicycles where there is often a seat post clamp (Al) slipped on afterwards. They run in .2 mm increments to take into account differing tube diameters, and wall thickness (via diameter). So a 26.8mm seat post will go into a 28.6mm seat tube and take a 32mm clamp in theory, until you start adding up all the layers of powder coat!

A good powder coater will be able to cover sharp corners w/ the same ammount of powder as the rest (flat) of the work piece. A crap powder coater will have to really slather it on.... so a good unifrom thin coat is what you want.... but maybe not what you'll get.


bb