Primarily Petroliana Shop Talk Forums Shop Talk Petroliana Forums General Petroliana Discussion Powder coating gas pump frame

I thinking about powder coating my frame, i would like to hear your thoughts on doing this, is it a good thing or a bad thing ?

Powder coating the frame on a pump is fine, I have done a few that way but I have my own powder coating setup. More often I just leave them I'm primer. I'm not sure I'd spend the money to have it done otherwise simply because it's rarely seen after a pump is restored and displayed and usually never subjected to any harsher environment than your garage or living room. It's been discussed before how we spend hours on the inside of a pump to make it pretty and then close the doors on it forever.....GB

Do you leave the bases on when you powdercoat ?

I powder coat my pumps. I disassembly the entire frame and have all the individual pieces sandblasted and then powder coated. Then I reassemble them with all hardware (nuts, bolts & washers).

I don't like the idea of leaving the frames together as you still have dirt & rust between all the mating surfaces...I wouldn't be able to sleep knowing that I took a short cut...but that's just me...I don't sleep much anyways...no time to be laying in bed.

Here's a few photo's of a MS80 I working on currently. In the 2nd photo I just finished reataching the upright frame rails to the base. Then installed the top brace.

At the end of day, it's your pump and the only right way to do it is your own way. Enjoy.

Thanks Dave

Wow Dave that looks great!

I usually just sand blast the frame myself and coat with an etching epoxy primer. I don't disassemble unless there's some special need. The epoxy primer has about a seven day window it can be topcoated without sanding. Then, I just hit it with flat black single stage paint.

If powder coating, sometimes you can get a better deal if your willing to wait for the next time there shooting your color.

Is there any other way?

I usually always powder coat the bases because they will get scuffed and chipped easily and powder coat is a lot tougher. It depends on the frame condition as to whether or not I completely disassemble it or not as well as the design of the frames. On the Erie 70 I am working on, the top and base both are cast iron so I ended up taking it all apart and will powder coat all of it. The 70 is a special baby to me so I want it all as good as I can get it. I'm not so picky on more common stuff.....GB

Here's a Bowser I did and powder coated the frame in a smoke chrome with a black base. Looks awesome....if you open the doors on the pump. This pump was almost prettier inside than out..GB

Thanks Guys, for your input 👍

I powercoat most of my pumps, way more chip resistant. One helpful hint is don't use body filler it will not take the heat. If you have any places you need filled use J-B weld it will hold up with heat and you can sand just like filler (just a lot harder)for a ultra smooth surface IMO

On the base if you powder coat, you can fill the whole thing and sand smooth. Then powder coat prime and sand that before color. If you have not pits or anything just powder prime and sand then color. You can then clear and wet sand this and polish. Makes it look like the outsides when done.

Craig, intrigued by what your saying but don't understand? Doesn't powdercoated parts need to be negatively charged, can you put on multiple coats of powder, using powder like primer? The later coats will stick? Does it work on the base because the base is thick metal maybe and easier to attract powder?

Paul, I was going to ask Craig a similar question but not exactly. Yes, you can use a powder primer and then apply the top coats, at least some folks can. I have tried it and didn't have the best luck, same with clear coat powders, I haven't mastered that process either. I think the secret probably lies in the equipment you have to apply the powder. I use a dual voltage gun from Eastwood and its not a real quality piece of equipment compared to what powder coating shops use I'm sure. My results when applying more than one coat are less than stellar so i try not to have to do it. I don't think the thickness of the part has anything to do do with it because even with a primer on the parts my gun will jump a spark through the primer coat the same as to bare metal, the second coat just doesn't seem to adhere as well (the dry powder) to the base coat or won't cure to the same gloss as a single coat will. The primers I have came from the same place as the colored powder so that shouldn't have been the issue. I'm sure it's operator error, I just don't know what the error was.....GB