Powder Clinic: Powder Coating Small Parts

 

Q. What is the best way to paint really small pieces with powder coat? I currently make my own custom racks and then dispose of them after one-time use.

 

A. That is a tough one, especially without seeing the part. A lot depends on what kind of contact area you have. If you have a short part with some area that can be free of powder, such as a screw, you can drill holes into a steel bar and drop the parts into the holes. 

Spring-tempered stainless steel can sometimes be used to grip the part with inward tension on a stud or outward tension in a hole. Wire can be used in some cases to hang the parts or clip them with tension. Magnets are sometimes effective, although they are not inexpensive and they have a limited life span from repeated heating and cooling. It is a hard task in general. If you give me a specific part shape and size it would be easier to suggest something specific. 

 

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Originally published in the October 2016 issue.