Hello folks, I am going to be getting my 456 frame powder coated soon and was just after some advice really from those in the know. I am leaving an old BB in it and can leave the headset cups in too but what else do I need to do? How do I fill the seat tube/ head tube? Is it a case of filling with newspaper or something, I am a bit clueless. Cheers for any help you can offer.

I’m taking mine to Edmo in Ross and they said they would block up BB, headtube, etc. Will your coater not do that?

EDIT – dipped for £25 and then coated for £25, so it must be easy enough to do to include it at that price.

For the headtube & crank, get some large square washers, all-thread & nuts from a builders merchants. Cut the all thread such that one side is flush with the nut so can be undone easily.

For the seat tube, get some thin card, roll it up, then uncoil it tightly once inserted. The powder coater’er can whip it out then before baking.

Take it to a powdercoater that will do all that for you. Find one that does stuff like motorbike frames and alloy wheels rather than crowd fencing or the like.

Mine cost £50, they masked inside and the ends of both the BB and headtube, the insides of the brake holes (roadie frame so no threads), they even did the tiny little threads that take the screws that position the axle in forward facing dropouts.

Plenty of powdercoaters about, no need to settle for a 2nd rate job.

Don’t bother putting anything in them. I have had a few done recently and the first few I masked and blocked. The powdercoaters told me not to bother in future as they can just wipe out the powder before it gets baked. Same with threaded holes. They put their own plasticine type stuff in which pulls out after baking. They said trouble with masking with tape/card etc is that it can move the dry powder if removed before baking and it will burn in the oven when the frame is baking. Just check with them first though before you waste your time. I certainly don’t doubt their knowledge as the finish on the frames is stunning. Really deep glossy shine for powder coat.

Andy

my powder coater did everything headtube, bb, bottle cage bolts, rack bolts, rack eyelets on the dropouts.

There was a slight amount of paint on the bb face and the headset faces. I just took some fine sandpaper (emery board) and took it back to bare metal.

That was 2 years ago so it has been fine.

Larry don’t leave an old bb in the frame as when it goes in the oven the grease will heat up and run out all over your new paint,I used to use rock wool.
If you use rock wool you will have to run a sharp knife round where it has been once removed.

+1 let the pros do it and…

+1 for rock wool

As above, if they blast it rather than dip it, be sure to really, really rinse and blow all the media out of it when you get it back as it wrecks threads and picks up and gouges seat posts.

Thanks all, I shall take it down to them fully stripped then and follow their advice, hoping they do it all. Cheers.

Took my Five frame completely stripped of parts to a powder coaters and he told me exactly where he would mask before I had a chance to even ask about masking. Only bit I had to point out was the pivots. The extra masking cost me an extra £5.

There was a very small amount of paint of the BB face which I hand sanded. I had been worried like yourself before hand but it was all fine.

Larry where are you based? I can recommend one in Birmingham.

Powdercoaters have stripped an masked all four we have had done

They pack it with rolled up newspaper

Got my stumpy fsr done at bettablast in the north east. All I had to do was drop the frame off and they did everything else and what a cracking job they did

The quality of finish is dependant upon sprayer skill, powder used and therefore reflected in the price. An industrial “job lot” firm may charge £35 for frame and forks but may not mask threads, apply a layer of chromate or quality lacquer topcoat. Chose a project finisher who will talk you through the process at each stage, perform minor dent repair etc. Moreover, this latter group will handle the frame/fork with sympathy and the utmost care rather than rushing it through with office furniture. On the flip side, it helps if you flush the frame internally of oils/grease/preserves such as Waxoyl, or at least inform the finisher, since these will turn molten in the curing oven, running into the powder-ergo creating imperfections.

I have enjoyed particularly favourable results using Maldon Shot blasting & powder coating who plug derailleur hangers,bottle/carrier/mudguard bosses, mask bottom bracket shells, head and seat tubes as a matter of course.

Strip it completely and instruct them properly. Mine was recently done at fastline in Preston, can’t recommend them enough.