Powder Coating things

[Jtovo]

Can you powder coat carbon fiber? I was thinking of doing my wings but didnt think you could.

[martyb]

I'm pretty sure that the only way you could powdercoat carbon fiber (or fiberglass) would be if you painted them first with an electrically conductive paint of some sort, since you need a conductor for an electrostatic paint system.

Marty

[Tom Sprecher]

Questions:

What temp can the resin used with the carbon fiber withstand?

Is the carbon in the carbon fiber conductive?

[DaveB]

You can powder coat wood.

Dave

[TimW]

You can powder coat wood.

is that legal in soap box derby?

[Tom Sprecher]

I am not aware of the oven temps required to bake powder coat.

[Kim Carter]

How do you get electrostatic adhesion without electrical conductivity?

[glenn cooper]

Why would ya? Covering up the beautiful pattern seems criminal, like:
A bummper sticker on a Ferrari, or a tramp stamp / whore tat on the lower back for the females?

GC

[rickb99]

I am not aware of the oven temps required to bake powder coat.

Somewhere between 350 and 450 degrees F for 15 to 30 minutes, depending. You can do it in the oven while the wifes not home. That assumes you aren't concerned about any toxic out gassing from the parts.

Pretty good article on the subject:

http://my.execpc.com/~davewrit/Powder.html

On the NEGATIVE side, I'm pretty sure the curing temperatures in the autoclave for carbon fiber parts we use are LOWER then the cure temps for powder coat.

Yes, they have carbon fiber brakes but I think those use special resins. I've seen carbon fiber prefab'd parts that specify 180 F operating temps (probably similar to our race car specs) or like 400 F. I'm sure brakes etc are even more exotic stuff.

Therefore, your nice wing may come out in liquid form

[steve zemke]

I bake them in the oven at 350 degrees until they are shiny. How do you powder coat wood? I didn't think it was electrically conductive/chargeable.

[Dave Welsh]

If you want to give carbon fiber a different look you can apply a candy paint to it.

Here are some photos of candied motorcycle windscreens I have made.

They look much better person than the photos show.

http://www.sdcarbon.com/coppermine/t...ls.php?album=2

http://www.sdcarbon.com/coppermine/t...s.php?album=10