joey what type of media do u like to use when blasting aluminum?

I have a 50kv caswell gun what do i want to shoot at low kv and what at high kv also when doing double coats how do i want to shoot?

do diffrent tip deflectors really help you out much or do they all do aboout the same?

And lastly where do u like to order your powder from?

Thanks

RDAY,

  Great questions.  Here we go:

  To blast aluminum, I have always been partial to #4 glass bead.  It will leave a good profile on the surface, but it isn't so abrasive that it starts to distort the aluminum.  I'm sure we have some guys with tons of blasting experience who read these forums so I hope they will chime it.  Blasting has never really been my cup of tea.  In shops that I have owned (and own) we do blasting because it's a necessary evil sometimes but it's not on my top-ten list of things I would like to spend my day doing.

   As far as gun settings go, a rule of thumb is to coat all flat surfaces with high kv.  Inside corners or faraday areas can be a pain, especially with a hobby gun so you may want to back your voltage down about 25-30% to do those.  And COAT THE CORNERS FIRST ...it will save you tons of time.  When you do re-coats or second stages of a coat, remember that you are coating an insulated part so it isn't going to ground well.  Back ionization will be a major problem to deal with so I would turn the voltage down 50-60% in those circumstances.

   Boy the powder gun sales guys are gonna hate me for this one, but I honestly have to say that most deflectors don't really make a major difference.  OK GUN GUYS, I SAID "MAJOR" DIFFERENCE so call off the lynch mob!  They can make a minor difference, but I can honestly tell you that I have been in this business for over 20 years.  Not to date myself, but I worked my way through high school powder coating in on a $2 million system in the mid to late 80's.  I have tried every deflector known to man.  Because we do not manufacture guns (only booths and ovens), I maintain a good relationship with all the large gun mfgs and get to try all the hot new stuff.  Nothing in deflectors has blown me away.  I learned to spray with a flat spray nozzle and I always go back to them.  I love how they let me use the edge of the spray pattern to "draw a line" into corners.  That being said, it's just my opinion.  My opinion and $5 will get you a footlong sub!

  Where would I buy powder?  I try to keep my answers in the forums as politically correct as possible because I don't want these to turn into a commercial for any of the companies that I own.  That being said, you did ask.  www.powdermarket.com carries all of the powders that we use.

Hope that helps and here's to profitable powder coating!

Joey