Powder Coating a Mast?

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Feb 4, 2005
524
Catalina C-30 Mattituck, NY
Hi All, I was in my local marine shop inquiring about 2-part paints for refinishing my aluminum mast. One guy there suggested powder coating the mast instead of painting it. Anyone ever hear of this on a mast? He said they could do it in white. Let me know if anyone has ever seen or done this before. Also, any idea on what it would cost? Thanks - Rob Long Island, NY
 
M

Monty Miller

Big mother of an oven

I thought powder coating was a bake in an oven process. Great coating for engine parts and bicycle frames. Do "They" have a large oven?
 
Dec 2, 1999
15,184
Hunter Vision-36 Rio Vista, CA.
It would take a big oven.

Rob: My understanding of powder coating is a process where the powder is sprayed onto the item that has an electro static charge. Then the item is placed in an oven and the powder is cooked (melts on to the item). It would take a very large oven to do this and probably very expensive. It is worth checking into and I would like to hear what someone else has to say about this process.
 
Dec 2, 2003
4,245
- - Seabeck WA
Ovens are sold by Eastwood

They sell mainly automotive restoration stuff. They have an expandable powder coat oven in this months catalog. It uses single or three phase power. The base size is 57 inches. With single phase power it costs $9300.00. But it's expandable to 105 inches for $12,000.00. But hey, they're walk-in. But the real limiting factor when it come to powder coating masts is the temperature needed. I think it's up around 400 degrees, but I'm not sure. But it is much higher that what is used to cure a carbon fiber mast so that system wouldn't do it. Sure would be nice though.
 
Feb 27, 2004
142
Hunter 29.5 Lake Travis, TX
Fred...

...please don't let the Admiral (Judy) know that there are bigger ovens out there. I just paid big bucks to replace ours with a KitchenAid that was wide enough to take a regular sized baking sheet. The old one wouldn't and I couldn't take the complaining anymore. I've read that car nuts reuse old residential ovens to do powder coating. So why couldn't one cut a slot on each side of an old oven and cook a mast 30" at a time. It's too cold to sail here today and I'm at at loss for time.
 
Jun 1, 2004
227
Beneteau 393 Newport
It is

easier and cheaper to use Awlgrip. If you follow the instructions, it is easy to apply. Jim
 
Feb 4, 2005
524
Catalina C-30 Mattituck, NY
Thanks

Thanks for the advice! I think I will stick with Awlgrip. They do make ovens large enough to do a mast - per this conversation I had today. I would not attempt to do it myself. Thanks - Rob
 
J

Joe Daly

Mast refinish

Refinished my spars last winter, 1980 36ft.hunter, Kenyon spars. Did the project in a heated space, sanded to bare that which needed it, chromated paint bare metal and prime coated all surfaces, finished with 2 part epoxy. Used all Interlux product. Brushed with a fine china bristal and deliberate vertical brushing,fine hand wet sanded and touched up as needed. Spars have a beautiful finish look brand new. Simple approach with good results. brand
 
May 18, 2004
385
Catalina 320 perry lake
Valmont

There is a company called Valmont that among many other activities, powder coats power poles, huge light poles etc. I am only familiar with their Valley Neb. location but they have facilities all over the US. They may not do one of a kind jobs but it would be real cheap to ask them.
 
E

Ed Fluss

Powder Coating by an Expert

Try this guy. Very experienced in high performance auto part powder coating. Also knowledgeable about Marine products. Ask for Lee www.pristinepowdercoating.com
 
Jul 1, 1998
3,062
Hunter Legend 35 Poulsbo/Semiahmoo WA
Interesting Link Ed

There's more to powder coating than I realized. This guy is obviously really into it. For Fred: Speaking of a long oven - what one could do is just drive around the County and pickup some of those old ovens sitting out in back yards (and some front yards). Figure out the size hole you need and cut a hole in each side of the oven, place them together side by side and presto - you got an oven to bake your mast! Probably want to collect only the gas ovens though - the 240v current would probably melt the nearby transformer. Picture: A VW "bike" with posh seating for the passengers - no air conditioning required!
 
Aug 2, 2005
374
pearson ariel grand rapids
powdercoat oven

A friend and I made up a pizza style oven for coating long items, a slow conveyor sytem feeding through a small homebuilt oven, (roughly 14" sqare by 6ft long) conveyor speed set to keep the part in the oven long enough to fix the powder coat (enter to exit) was easy to build and easy to operate, but no longer exists complete as we don't do the long parts anymore and needed the conveyor elsewhere. Ken.
 
Dec 2, 2003
4,245
- - Seabeck WA
Rob and John

Rob, please let us know about Valmont. It looks like you have to call them. I couldn't find specifics on their web site. John that contraption reminds me of an out-drive as used on smaller powerboats. The worst of both worlds. :)
 
Feb 4, 2005
524
Catalina C-30 Mattituck, NY
Thanks

Thanks for all the responses....think I am going to use Awgrip instead.
 
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