Do-it-yourself (DIY) powder coating, may save a person money in the long run if he or she invests in quality tools and does powder coating regularly, but it is important to consider a few important aspects of this activity before investing in any tools. First and foremost, DIY powder coating will require a workspace that is well-ventilated, since the powder can cause health issues that can be potentially dangerous. Safety equipment such as goggles, gas masks, and gloves should be worn at all times to prevent injury or other health problems.
The effectiveness of DIY powder coating will be affected by the quality of tools used for the process. This includes the powder coating equipment as well as an oven that can be used to cure the pieces once the powder is applied. This oven should not be the same one used in the house for cooking food, as powder residue can contaminate the oven, making the oven unusable for food preparation. The oven should also be large enough for the size of the pieces being powder coated, and the temperature of the oven should be easily regulated.
Aside from the investment of money into the proper DIY powder coating tools, a person will need to spend some time preparing a work area for the powder coating process. The powder can be messy, and it is possible to recollect some of the spent powder that does not adhere to the piece, but a person will need to set up the workspace properly to contain the power. A beginner is likely to spend a lot of powder on the first few attempts, so he or she should be prepared to keep powder from going everywhere it should not go.
It is a good idea to do some test coats when doing DIY powder coating. Scrap metal can be used as a test piece so the final piece to be powder coated does not get ruined with practice runs. It will be very important to thoroughly clean any pieces to be powder coated, which includes the removal of grease, dirt, grime, and rust. Removing rust can be difficult and may require some specialty tools like a wire brush or angle grinder. The powder will not effectively adhere to the metal if it is greasy, dirty, or rusty; the DIY powder coater will find himself having to repeat the process several times on a dirty piece.
