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Powder Coating

kstompaint

New Member
I'm considering a venture into the coatings business. This would be spray-in bedliners, hydro image dipping and powder coating, with emphasis on the powder coating. The liners I already do, just don't push it. The hydro image dipping requires painting equipment & knowledge, which I already have. The powder part I'm a little green to, there's really not much competition around other than a shop in the middle of nowhere that does primarily high volume industrial coating. Liners and hydro imaging have a little more competition, but already being established with the local automotive community gives me a boost there. I'm tired of referring all these jobs out.

I'm educating myself and equipment shopping, it's deja vu to the days when I was expanding the sign shop into printing. Does anybody out in S101 land powder coat or know anything about suppliers of equipment?
 

skdave

New Member
I owned a huge powder coating company in the late 80's.
Pm me for my cell number if you want some facts.
 

Mosh

New Member
There are 20 shops in my area...moneys can do it from what I have seen...
It is like the NEW tree trimming and lawn mowing deal, asphal paving, gypsy type stuff.

Market is floaded here, spray on liners were $700 couple years ago, now $200....
 

kstompaint

New Member
There are 20 shops in my area...moneys can do it from what I have seen...
It is like the NEW tree trimming and lawn mowing deal, asphal paving, gypsy type stuff.

Market is floaded here, spray on liners were $700 couple years ago, now $200....

So others have done to coatings and landscaping what you've done to signs then... Glad I'm not in that market.
 

Mosh

New Member
Let me know what you are doing in five years....I bet it is not that....I see stuff like this come and go.
Not trying to be a downer, but for that type of thing to be done right you are talking $250K-$500K,
 

Flame

New Member
Honestly Powder Coating is not that tough. You need a blasting cabinet, an oven, and a place to spray. Takes a little practice but I built some "at home" style stuff and produced some nice products. If you can paint, powder coating will seem like cake walk. Decide how big you want to go, and the big $$$ item is the oven. Feeling industrious? Build one yourself.

A walk in is the hot ticket and most full time shops have one. However to get your feet wet, could do a smaller 4x4x8 or so, and would handle most bike frames, wheels etc. At that size, you can even build one out of heating elements and sheet metal, with a roller system to roll the product in and out.
 

qmr55

New Member
Where at in PA are you? I have a friend who just sold his long time owned powder coating company in the outskirts of Philly. Also have a friend in SJ who has been doing it for years! I can get you in contact with either one of them if you have any questions!
 

visual800

Active Member
get ready to get off some dough. I have to agree with the others on here its just another phase and phases phase out!
 

rjssigns

Active Member
Get yourself a kitchen stove from the thrift store and a Harbor Freight or Eastwood powder coat kit. You will be able to do smaller pieces and test the market. You'll only have a couple hundred bucks stuck in it if that.
 
Ya ive messed around with it best way to start is to just get yourself some cheaper equipment and buy a cheap range from somewhere start with smaller projects and just tinker. My dad used to run a trailer manufacturing company in louisiana and he had a huge baking oven and did tons of powder coating not just for his trailers, idk what the market is like in your area but I dont see why it wouldnt help suppliment your current biz.
 

Edna

New Member
Their is a guy woo power coats are race teal car chassy's for my husband.
He does have to charge like $1,000 to do a frame and cage. He does have lots for color optsions.
He does have it in his machine shed. He does have a big booth that cooks it on. He does have to
media blasts it before the applicant. He does have to use glass beeds to clean it.
 

ova

New Member
Might want to take a ride to Rocket Chassis in Fairmont WV. Mark Richards' [owner] brother does all the powder coating on the new frames being built. If Mark is not available to talk to, ask for Steve Baker. They're good guys and are always helpful.

He has a gas well on the property where his shop is located. This would be your biggest cost in the process. Whether you have a gas or electric oven, this cost is the major factor.

On a side note, what do you use for the sprayed bed liners? I inquired about the Line X franchise. Cost is quite affordable. Major factor would be the support and protected franchise area.

Dave
 

kstompaint

New Member
Everybody's entitled to their opinion, but I think powder coating is about as much a fad as digital printing. It's been around for 40 years. The only local competion isn't geared to do short runs or custom jobs and I know him pretty well (he has a plotter). I think we could complement each other by me sending him large runs and him sending me short runs.

I'd have sold $2k worth of powder coating this morning without even trying if I had been up and running. The key here is to be able to do parts at least as large as a car chassis. I've been around powder coating and I've been painting for 20 years, so I think I can handle the technical side of it.

Right now I'm just looking for referals to reputable equipment suppliers. That info isn't as easy to locate as sign trade suppliers.
 

SignManiac

New Member
No fad. Incredibly large industry. It's just that some areas are saturated with companies doing it, but if you are lucky enough to be in an area that has little competition then you should do very well. I even considered it for my shop since there isn't anyone local. You have to drive 40 minutes to Tampa to get anything done.

The place I bought my paint booth from sells powder coating booths too. Almost the same as a paint booth really. As said, gas or electric will be the biggest expense once you're set up and operational.
 
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