Hanging / Hook marks and $ question

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Shane Warnick
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Hanging / Hook marks and $ question

Post by Shane Warnick »

So I don't powder coat, yet. I have some guys that do it for me, for around 4.5 cents a square inch over 24" in size, 24" is $20, 18" is $15 and 12" is $10. Under 12" is $5.

So, first question is, when you hang parts I understand there has to be contact with a hook somewhere. There is always a small spot where there is no powder where the hook was when I get my parts back. Is this the norm? There was a time when they had a different guy doing it that I don't remember this issue, but maybe I didn't notice. Seems hard to justify the cost when it's not perfect. I just have a hard time giving a customer something that I know has a spot with paint on it that will rust. So do you guys run into this, and do you just touch up with paint and go on? Or are they doing a sub-par job in your opinion.

Second question, I was thinking about building an oven and doing my own coating. Problem is, time wise, I am not sure I can justify the cost. I mean, these guys are doing it for roughly $6 a square foot, I mark that up 150% so I charge $9 / square foot, and all I do it knock the dross off, drop it off with them and come back and get it. I usually go once a week, so I am picking up and dropping off quite a bit at once. I am making good money and have no risk / investment. How expensive is it to do this? I don't mean to get into it, but how much does it actually cost to shoot the powder and then I have to cycle the oven and invest the time to sandblast and hang and shoot and cure etc. I guess what I am asking is if you had someone that would do yours for this price would you look at bringing it in house, or is there not enough meat on the bone to justify the investment? I am tempted to just let sleeping dogs lie but thought I would ask what you guys thought first.

Thanks in advance for your time on this.
Shane
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Re: Hanging / Hook marks and $ question

Post by AnotherDano »

$5.00/sq foot is an average starting point for a lot of us.
You must remember that it's not the amount of powder that sticks to the piece, but the amount that comes out of the gun that must be accounted for.

The hook mark dilemma will always be with us. Ya gotta hang it somewhere and that will leave a mark.
For a 2-coat finish (base + clearcoat) the piece can be hooked in a different spot for the second coat. The mark will still be there but the protection remains. At first, I would use clean hangers and a reamer to clear the hole between coats to get back down to raw metal. But there wasn't always a hole to use. :cry:

My hooks are seldom cleaned. The hang from whatever I grab. The ground is made with an alligator clip. The last step is to remove the clip and shoot the mark. Another problem arises with the second coat. You have to get through the base coat for the best ground. If it was easy, everyone would be doing it. :lol:

I use an emory board to sand down any rough spots and then clear nail polish to provide protection from the elements.
Care can be taken to choose a good spot to hang the piece from. Tight corners can be good- if you can get the emory board in there.
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Re: Hanging / Hook marks and $ question

Post by Largemouthlou »

If they are using the thinnest gauge hook for the job then the mark should be very small. On Steel I would say you probably have to do a good job covering that mark especially for outdoor use. 99% of stuff I cut is out of aluminum so I hang from a spot that won't have any mounting hardware touching or that will have coated mounting hardware so it protects against electrolysis.

If you are doing good biz and making money on the coater's work then to me there is no reason to put out all the money for good equipment and try and to take on a new learning experience. That time and money can be better used to expand your business now with tools that could make your job easier hence more profitable.

Are they using any kind of pretreating chemical? This will also help on the rust issue.
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Re: Hanging / Hook marks and $ question

Post by kkroger »

I have started making my hooks from Sheet Metal and sharpening the edge to make it as SMALL as possible, the coating generally flows out pretty good.
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Re: Hanging / Hook marks and $ question

Post by RevvedAC »

Talk to your powdercoater and see if he has touch up paint to match his powders. This way you can dab that hook spot and make it disappear.
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Re: Hanging / Hook marks and $ question

Post by motoguy »

kkroger wrote:I have started making my hooks from Sheet Metal and sharpening the edge to make it as SMALL as possible, the coating generally flows out pretty good.
I know it's an old post, but you're also still active...so... :) I'd like to see your sheetmetal hooks. I'm thinking a triangular profile?
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Re: Hanging / Hook marks and $ question

Post by kkroger »

Sort of an S hook shape with the edge honed that the part hangs from, I'll see if I can get a pic later.
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Re: Hanging / Hook marks and $ question

Post by chips2853 »

I concur with most of the other guys on here that it is almost inevitable to get away with no marks. I usually find the best spot that is the least noticeable and hang it from there. And depending on what the color is and how big the job is you can get nail polish or touch up paint sticks. But its so relative to what you are working with, I mean if you have a 75lb object that is 4 foot long, chances are you need thicker hooks and possibly more than one. So yeah lol I know Im stating the obvious here sorry. But moving the hook on a second coat has helped me a bit to make sure there's not a bare spot.
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Re: Hanging / Hook marks and $ question

Post by Gamelord »

Everything I do is wire hung. I have a bare metal rack on the top of my powder booth with welded hooks on it and tie a piece of wire through the project and then hook it onto a metal hook and hang it in the booth, My ground is bolt-fastened to the metal rack so you don't have to worry about hooking it to the project. then when covered I move it to the oven by unhooking the wire loop and then hooking it onto another fixed hook that is in the oven. I just dab nail polish on the spot where the wire is. I zinc coat everything before powder so it is very weather resistant, even where the wire divot is.
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Re: Hanging / Hook marks and $ question

Post by little blue choo »

Hey Gamelord, what do you use to zinc coat your projects? Do you use spray cans or do you use a gun and which coating do you use. Have though about this for my outdoor signs but never followed through on it.

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Re: Hanging / Hook marks and $ question

Post by Gamelord »

Electroplating. Just use zinc. If you are shooting translucent powder a quick buff of the zinc coating will give a very nice shiny undercoat before powdering. For base powdering, just shoot over the zinc like normal steel. The plating is extremely durable to the weather and the powder seems to stick to it better.
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Re: Hanging / Hook marks and $ question

Post by little blue choo »

Gamelord wrote:Electroplating. Just use zinc. If you are shooting translucent powder a quick buff of the zinc coating will give a very nice shiny undercoat before powdering. For base powdering, just shoot over the zinc like normal steel. The plating is extremely durable to the weather and the powder seems to stick to it better.
WOW! I'll have to stick with the spray can from local hardware. Electroplating is another can of worms and would be another credit card maxed out!

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Re: Hanging / Hook marks and $ question

Post by Gamelord »

It's easier and cheaper than you think.

http://www.eastwood.com/ew-electroplati ... -zinc.html

I started with that one, then upgraded to a larger tank for the bigger stuff and a switching variable volt power supply where I can monitor the amps/volts much easier.
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Re: Hanging / Hook marks and $ question

Post by little blue choo »

Thanks Gameloed, I've purchased many things from Eastwood but have never seen this kit. Did you build a special tray to do your signs in?

Rick
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Re: Hanging / Hook marks and $ question

Post by Gamelord »

I use a small jar for small items, 5gal bucket for larger and a large 4ft vat for the larger stuff. Just suspend the item from the top with a rod spanned across the top.
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