Fuel tank for Fad

[EX JUNK]

I'm no expert on powder coating, but isn't it a problem to get the powder to seek out those depressed areas of the star ends? Just asking...

Corley

If I'm not mistaken, the powder is "electrostaticly" applied and gets everywhere. That is supposed to be the advantage of powder coating over paint along with its resistance to gas and chips. Perhaps BenT can give a more complete and correct answer as he and his dad are in the business.

Jim

 

[Youngster]

Powder coating should work very nicely on your tank Gerry. Don't worry about the baking process, it won't get that hot.

Ron

 

[Gerry]

Powder coating should work very nicely on your tank Gerry. Don't worry about the baking process, it won't get that hot.

Ron

This is starting to sound good. I have a friend whos brother in law has a powder coat company. Now how close to brass can they get?
G

 

[Youngster]

There are lots of manufacures of powder. I would think you could find something real close from one or more of them. Talk to your coater. A while back i made some parts that needed to look like the blue anodizing on aluminum. A match was found and they look great.

Ron

 

[ruggs]

Gerry,
I thought BenT would have been here by now, he must be busy. Anyway I have been doing my own powdercoating for about 8 years and have had very good luck with candi colors that I buy from a company called Caswell. For the look that you are after it would take three times in the oven @ 400F. First coat is a imatation chrome followed by a gold candi and then a clearcoat. Maybe your coater can do a sample. When you have a sample try a wetsand and buff, it doesn't have to be done but, it does make it look super nice.......ruggs

 

[Allen]

HI Gerry-----How nice the body work is will be the big thing!?

 

[Gerry]

HI Gerry-----How nice the body work is will be the big thing!?

Sorry but I dont understand what you mean?
Gerry

 

[Gerry]

Gerry,
I thought BenT would have been here by now, he must be busy. Anyway I have been doing my own powdercoating for about 8 years and have had very good luck with candi colors that I buy from a company called Caswell. For the look that you are after it would take three times in the oven @ 400F. First coat is a imatation chrome followed by a gold candi and then a clearcoat. Maybe your coater can do a sample. When you have a sample try a wetsand and buff, it doesn't have to be done but, it does make it look super nice.......ruggs

Ruggs
Thats a lot of temperature!!!. I am a bit worried about distortion as you know.
G

 

[ruggs]

Ruggs
Thats a lot of temperature!!!. I am a bit worried about distortion as you know.
G

Gerry,
You really need to talk with your local guy. The super chrome and the candi colors I use call for 392F and 400F. Other types of powder only call for 350F but would not give you that metalic look of polished brass. To be honest with you, without a sample and varying the mil thickness of the candi gold I couldn't say for sure that it will get the effect your looking for. Only one way to find out. On the other side of things you can always do the tank in a candi urethane like House of Kolors sells. Same as the powdercoat you would have to play with the amount of candi you use to control the darkness. Down side is that gas dribbled on the tank won't do anything if wiped off however, you have to watch out at the fuel cap. Fuel will encroce where you stop the paint at the threads.....JMO....ruggs

 

[Gerry]

Fuel will encroce where you stop the paint at the threads

Good point. Had nt thought about that. Maybe I can brass plate the filler at the top and do a candy paint job on the rest.
G

 

[ruggs]

Gerry,
I've learned alot from this thread. The biggest lesson for me is that if I were to build a tank like yours I would pay the high price for brass sheet stock and solder it together. Guess I won't be building one, I wouldn't be able to afford it. Good luck, I'm sure you'll find the answer.............ruggs

 

[Allen]

YES--ruggs you are right on the money!!

Gerry,
I've learned alot from this thread. The biggest lesson for me is that if I were to build a tank like yours I would pay the high price for brass sheet stock and solder it together. Guess I won't be building one, I wouldn't be able to afford it. Good luck, I'm sure you'll find the answer.............ruggs

 

[Gerry]

YES--ruggs you are right on the money!!

I did consider brass and soldering but for me its too weak. I am very mindful of the tank being out back. Thats why I used 'thick' MS and a welded construction. Also the cantilever bracket this is going to sit on is IMHO a real push for a brass tank when you consider vibration, stress and the limited area its being held on.
One thing is for sure, you guys have helped a LOT with your suggestions, comments and advise.
Now its just down to finishing it and seeing what it turns out like.

Gerry

 

[EX JUNK]

Gerry, check out this link: http://www.spectrachrome.com/ I have see this in person and it is UNREAL. I sure that they have a brass finish.

Jim

 

[Ted Brown]

Gerry, You can use 4 bar bushings to mount the tank, and as you say, it will all be hidden... Should help a lot to protect against bad vibrations...

 

[benT]

Gerry,
I thought BenT would have been here by now, he must be busy. Anyway I have been doing my own powdercoating for about 8 years and have had very good luck with candi colors that I buy from a company called Caswell. For the look that you are after it would take three times in the oven @ 400F. First coat is a imatation chrome followed by a gold candi and then a clearcoat. Maybe your coater can do a sample. When you have a sample try a wetsand and buff, it doesn't have to be done but, it does make it look super nice.......ruggs

Sorry I was at the shop this morning and then was busy with family in town.

Yes, most powders require about 400 degrees...some more some less. There are several brass and gold powers available. Like Ruggs says, they are all multi stage (mostly 2 stage as the brass is a tinted translucent clearcoat ) to get the depth and translucence. Any good custom powdercoater should be able to get you a sample. If they can't make you one, many of the manufacturers will be able to send them one. The powder manufacturer we deal with has almost 10 variations of just brass color available. With the available sheens, brightness and colors you should be able to find something you like. If you want something different, there are lots of pretty crazy and amazing translucents and candy colors that have been produced in the last few years. If you were closer, we'd be happy to help you with coating it, but I imagine the shipping would be cost-prohibitive! There should be some very capable coaters on that side of the pond however. I would though try to stick with a custom powder coater. Most of the big production shops do not do this kind of work and use more of an automated system. The smaller shops like ours are better suited to do one-off stuff and have more experience in the specialty powders. We stick to custom stuff more in the automotive, bike, race, and boat realm--all fun stuff!

I don't have any photos of the brass powder work we've done, but here is a Harley gas tank we did. It was finished in a Granny Smith Candy-Apple metallic. We also did the front and rear fenders.

 

[benT]

Gerry, check out this link: http://www.spectrachrome.com/ I have see this in person and it is UNREAL. I sure that they have a brass finish.

Jim

SpectraChrome is some pretty cool stuff-- It may be the best solution for Gerry's application. There is an outfit here in Indy that is doing it, but they mostly do Indy car stuff. We've been looking into the process the last few years and evaluating it as we get a lot of requests for "chrome". It would be a nice addition to the hi-temp ceramic coatings, engine coatings, protective coatings and powdercoating that we already do. I wonder if there is someone close to Gerry that does it?

 

[Gerry]

SpectraChrome is some pretty cool stuff-- It may be the best solution for Gerry's application. There is an outfit here in Indy that is doing it, but they mostly do Indy car stuff. We've been looking into the process the last few years and evaluating it as we get a lot of requests for "chrome". It would be a nice addition to the hi-temp ceramic coatings, engine coatings, protective coatings and powdercoating that we already do. I wonder if there is someone close to Gerry that does it?

Thanks for the insight in to powder coating. In the UK we dont tend to have shop that specialize in custom stuff. If they are out there they charge a PREMIUM, and I do mean a premium.

OK the SpectaChrome stuff. I have been following this for a couple of years now and seen a lot of conflicting views on it. Yes its incredible and awesome. Trouble is that there are a lot of reports out there that says the finish is short lived. 6 months down the line and the problems seems to start. Tell me Im wrong and it will last as long as a good paint job... then I will go for it. I believe its dirt critical and you need to have a ultra clean water supply to wash off between coats. Then its down to the top coat getting a good enough 'key' to eliminating any kind of exposure to air otherwise you can get staining between the coats.
Maybe I do too much research these days.
Gerry

 

[Allen]

Hello Gerry, The paint will show all the ripples, so I use the word ' bodywork '. You cannot use fillers, like bondo, when powder coating. When I referred to the 160F, it was for a automotive paint booth, and that would be way too high of a temperature setting. You can use automotive paint that is polyurethane, maybe House of Color paints. A lot of this beautiful, specialty products are probably way too expensive. On the brass, what I was talking about, was simply an overlay and soldered. I've done a lot of artwork that way. I use a lot of powder coating and love it for the right application. On the gas spill thing, guys have been running Model A's, and 32 gas tanks for years that are painted with no problem. A custom paint shop in the UK, can easily do an antiquing process.
P.S. Powder coating will show every ripple in the tank. Although it can be sanded between coats, IT IS NOT A FILLER.

Sorry but I dont understand what you mean?
Gerry

 

[Gerry]

Sorry I was at the shop this morning and then was busy with family in town.

Yes, most powders require about 400 degrees...some more some less. There are several brass and gold powers available. Like Ruggs says, they are all multi stage (mostly 2 stage as the brass is a tinted translucent clearcoat ) to get the depth and translucence. Any good custom powdercoater should be able to get you a sample. If they can't make you one, many of the manufacturers will be able to send them one. The powder manufacturer we deal with has almost 10 variations of just brass color available. With the available sheens, brightness and colors you should be able to find something you like. If you want something different, there are lots of pretty crazy and amazing translucents and candy colors that have been produced in the last few years. If you were closer, we'd be happy to help you with coating it, but I imagine the shipping would be cost-prohibitive! There should be some very capable coaters on that side of the pond however. I would though try to stick with a custom powder coater. Most of the big production shops do not do this kind of work and use more of an automated system. The smaller shops like ours are better suited to do one-off stuff and have more experience in the specialty powders. We stick to custom stuff more in the automotive, bike, race, and boat realm--all fun stuff!

I don't have any photos of the brass powder work we've done, but here is a Harley gas tank we did. It was finished in a Granny Smith Candy-Apple metallic. We also did the front and rear fenders.

Ben
Thanks for the insight. Wish I was in the US... you would get the job without question. If the tank was nt so heavy I might have considered shipping it. Also it would worry me that it might go missing as so many things do these days between the UK and US. I have lost 4 things in the last 3 years while being sent from the US. Did that tank go through an oven at 400* and did not distort?
G