First post - Am I getting in over my head?

[Guest]

Here is the story: I recently bought a used Hobart 20 qt dough mixer for my wife. It is a hefty, commercial type device, weighing 200 lbs.

My fatal flaw is that I cannot leave well enough alone. I want to do a full up restoration, which includes taking it down to the individual castings and powder coating them.



I have never powder coated before but I love welding, woodworking and working on cars. I want to do it myself. Here is my plan: Buy the Caswell 50 kv gun (it’s on sale for $179), buy a infrared thermometer, and get a cheap or free electric cooking oven (on Craigslist) and learn how to do basic powder coating. Nothing fancy. I do have a few concerns and questions.

The castings (iron) are quite heavy. I will have them media blasted, cleaned up a baked at 425 def F to flash off oils. Is glass bead or aluminum oxide ok?


Because they are heavy and have varying wall thickness, I was thinking that it would help to pre-heat them before applying the powder. Will the lack of a convection fan make the curing of the powder difficult? Is there a family of powder type that has more “latitude” as far as non-uniformity of temp? Should I stick with a single coat solid color?

[Guest]

Re: First post - Am I getting in over my head?

I will let Harleydad chime in on the thick question. I personally only have done one "thick" project but am no pro by any means, and he would be able to give you much more than I would.

I would not pre heat the parts personally to shoot the powder. I would buy a overbake stable powder to coat with though, this gives you a little insurance as far as thin vs thick spots on the same part.

I would outgass the parts at 450 degrees (not 425) for at least an hour (after part reaches 450) and then let them cool before I shot anything.

Alum. oxide would do fine I would think.

These are just my 0.02

[Guest]

Re: First post - Am I getting in over my head?

It would for home use. We were thinking of this:

http://cgi.ebay.com/1lb-Reflex-Blue-Pow ... m153.l1262

The cross section differences are not to great; they are just heavy. That one that sits on top prob weighs 40 lbs. If I am using a run of the mill electric cooking oven they would have to go separately due to the size alone.

I am in no hurry and might still be able to find a convection type oven if I am patient. HF also has a small PC oven (18 x 18 x 18 inside) for around $400. But that's kinda small.

I'll do some small test runs in a spare toaster oven just to get a feel for the basic process.

My wife is wondering when she will able use the mixer.

[Guest]

Re: First post - Am I getting in over my head?

how about an oven like this ?(for a hobbiest)

http://rochester.craigslist.org/hsh/962167252.html

[Guest]

Re: First post - Am I getting in over my head?

That is the same oven most of us started with, if we didnt start with a toaster oven. They work fine, just dont use it to bake pies again.

That reflux blue, I dont remember who on this forum was selling it, but someone had a bunch and was getting rid of it for a good price. It might be the same person who is selling on ebay Im not sure. Hopefully they will see this and chime in.

P.S., If your looking at that color becuase of the price per pound, you may want to take a look at the on sale, or specials that PBTP is running, they have some cool colors for some cool prices.

[wiseguyz]

Re: First post - Am I getting in over my head?

Welcome to the forum. Where are you located? I have a used kitchen oven to give away, but I'm in ND.

Best of luck.

[Guest]

Re: First post - Am I getting in over my head?

Oh crap, I didnt see the 350 dollar price tag on that oven. If your not in a hurry, keep your eye on the free ads on craigslist. In my area I have picked up 3 ovens people were throwing out. I just grab the elements out of them now so I dont have to buy any, but you can usually find them free every once and a while.

Matter of a fact, if your close enough to me, I have one out back that I have not got around to gutting yet that still works you can have.

[Guest]

Re: First post - Am I getting in over my head?

Welcome

[Guest]

Re: First post - Am I getting in over my head?

I was considering that because it is a convection oven, and they would take $250.

Gee, maybe I should start with a free or cheap standard electric oven.

[Guest]

Re: First post - Am I getting in over my head?

I started with a $10.00 yard sale oven and then a another $10.00 one, so they are out there. Cheap, you bet, but they work good and sometimes you can find them for free on Craig's List.

Welcome aboard.

[Smashing]

Re: First post - Am I getting in over my head?

Welcome! I see you're from HF - home of Custom Brewcrafters! I found a buddy at work that was giving an old oven away. It's a 1974 avocado beast but it was free. Fine for me for now. Good luck with it - it sounds like a great first project!

[JW450R1]

Re: First post - Am I getting in over my head?

WELCOME to the forum.aorund here you never get a head of yourself.theres tomany awesome people

[Guest]

Re: First post - Am I getting in over my head?

Welcome to the forums... Lot of great advice on ovens already so I'll throw in my two cents. I started with a 30" range I bought from a friend for 50 bucks. Got the cable from Home Depot and did the 220 install for under 40 bucks so close to 100 dollars to get started. Search craigslist daily and you'll find something sooner or later. Good luck.

[Guest]

Re: First post - Am I getting in over my head?

Look for second hand stores like the Salvation Army and Good Will and Habitat type stores. I picked my first digital up for 75 and it look like it had never been used. Does now for sure

Now if she gets in to big of a hurry to use it you could tell her that you could use the house oven and then she could mix all she wanted but she might want to go next door to bake it because it just might smell funny

Good luck and welcome to the forum and pleas tell her to bake a lot because we all need bread