I don't do much sanding and painting, but for the $350 quote I received, I thought maybe I should own a setup myself. Any recommendations?

[tylerssn]

Maybe your recommendation is—"Bad idea, Tyler." However —

Backstory: I'm cleaning up and stabilizing an old Yerf Dog 3203 I purchased recently. I began stripping the paint with some spray I purchased from O'Reilly's. It didn't put much of a dent in the paint—just some flakes here and there. After I started this process I learned that powder coating would be the preferred coat for off-road terrain. A local place quoted me $350 if I brought the kart in already broken down. With $350 investment in the kart already, plus new seats, seatbelts, and brakes—I'm not sure an extra $350 on the coat makes sense at the moment.

The question: However, I do think it may be worth owning a sandblaster and powder coat kit (and compressor) if I can get one within that $350 budget. If anything, perhaps one of the kids can get decent at it and make some car payment money in the future . Any recommendations for products that could fit in this budget and have reasonable quality?

 

[Denny]

How do you plan on baking that GoKart frame? By the time you buy all the equipment that $350 will look like a bargain. Maybe check with some other companies and find out what they would charge to sandblast and powder coat.

 

[tylerssn]

How do you plan on baking that GoKart frame?

I live in Florida. Everything is baking

This is why I asked. Today I learned this process needs to bake.

 

[Denny]

For a pressure pot sandblaster, an air compressor big enough to run it, and a harbor freight purple spray gun and don’t forget an air hose and running a 220v line your probably in the $2,000 neighbor hood. If you forget the sandblasting part you could get by for under $500. That’s all for just the equipment to paint a kart. Paint and supplies are about $50-$1,000 depending on color and type of paint. Pearl, candy color, metal flake or just plain old solid color. Single, 2 stage, 3 stage or 4 stage. There are literally thousands of variables.

 

[panchothedog]

I have refurbished 4 different karts. Engines, seats, tires ect. the whole 9 yards. One is still ugly, but the other 3, I took everything apart, sanded or power wire brushed off the big stuff and all the decals. No way near bare metal. Too much work, because they were originally powder coated as well. Then I brush painted them with Rustolium oil based enamel. A coat of primer, then a coat of color. You can get it on thick enough to hide lots of imperfect spots. Things that would show real bad through a rattle can spray job. Plus at $15 for a quart at Lowe's,
I was able to do 2 karts for $45 in paint. 1 qt primer, 1qt red, 1qt black. Is it as good as powder coated, no way. But they came out looking brand new, two tone paint jobs, I have plenty for touch up, and the first two are 4 years and holding up fine. At $7 a spray can it would have cost me double or triple for a inferior job, and touch up would impossible. My grandkids use them pretty hard, and in 5 minutes all the scratches are gone.

 

[BaconBitRacing]

I used a wire wheel on an angle grinder, stripped it to bare metal (NOT WORTH IT), and did a spray primer job, then spray painted it. if I did it again, I would scuff the whole thing, prime and paint.

 

[Master Hack]

I spent money on good poly paint, epoxy primer etc. a few hundred bux.
my opinion, it ain't worth it. It looks great 3 years old still, but battle scars happen.
While it is more durable and looks better longer. Scratches, dings and repairs are more difficult to accept. Consider the actual real world conditions the vehicle is gonna see, then make a choice.
l like the quality of the paint, but when it gets buggered up it hurts more.

 

[Evanguy]

350 isn't bad for complete powder coating job, ideally they would blast the frame within that price. if you wanted to paint it opposed to powder coat you would want to use a 2 part epoxy paint for metal, if you just scuff up the original paint you shouldn't need the 2 part epoxy primer first. if you blast the cart to metal you would to use the 2 part epoxy primer before the 2 part epoxy paint, sprayed, rolled or brushed

 

[BrianD51]

It's also a lot easier to fix any blemishes on a rattle can paint job, and cheaper for that matter.

 

[panchothedog]

Its both cheaper and easier to fix with the brush on enamel. No masking needed, regardless of where ouch occurred. A pack of 3 paint brushes at the 99 cent store, just throw it away when you're done. Did the original paint job the same way. You can keep your rattle cans. Expensive for the amount of coverage you get per dollar spent, and a real pain in the you know what for touch up. Especially around upholstery, the engine, cables, tires, etc. VERY few places that don't need masking.

 

[Functional Artist]

Its both cheaper and easier to fix with the brush on enamel. No masking needed, regardless of where ouch occurred. A pack of 3 paint brushes at the 99 cent store, just throw it away when you're done. Did the original paint job the same way. You can keep your rattle cans. Expensive for the amount of coverage you get per dollar spent, and a real pain in the you know what for touch up. Especially around upholstery, the engine, cables, tires, etc. VERY few places that don't need masking.

Yup, for a heavy duty DIY but, low cost paint job ya can't beat Rustoleum Oil Based Enamel

A couple of tips:
If ya brush it on, use a fine bristle brush (helps ta reduce brush lines)

I try-n-do-it when the temp is kooler outside
...&/or also, in the shade, ta give the paint more time to "level" (which also helps ta reduce brush lines)

Also, just to add to the discussion, I've also used automotive type of paint on a few of my projects

This is my El Mini

Hey Denny,
Do ya remember this conversation about "flippin'" paint? (from a whilst back)
https://www.diygokarts.com/community/threads/color-shifting-paint.41047/

 

[Denny]

Sure do! But I do like a candy over a pearl white base! Otherwise my views have not changed.

 

[Hellion]

With $350 investment in the kart already, plus new seats, seatbelts, and brakes—I'm not sure an extra $350 on the coat makes sense at the moment.

DO IT. It's only worthless dollars, right? YOLO....

OR blow the money on the sandblaster, paint booth and oven (but it won't be within a $350 budget lol) and hope you can justify it for one project. Powder coating is overrated as you can sense in the replies in this thread, but people still think it's the end all-be all in paint finishes.

 

[BrianD51]

I bought a sandblast cabinet for no reason other than I was tired of picking needles out of my clothes from the wire wheel, did I need it? Not really, I could have kept making due without but hey... It is what it is.

 

[Master Hack]

bought a sandblast cabinet for no reason other than I was tired of picking needles out of my clothes from the wire wheel, did I need it? Not really, I could have kept making due without but hey... It is what it is.

That the best ya can do? Purdy weak justification for buying tools. Yeah i know ya really don’t need a reason for buying. Your justification is the problem. It should sound like ya HAVE to have it or ya can’t finish, and all your previous effort would be for naught and terrible things will happen. Ya have to say it like ya mean it, with athority, like there is no other option.
Apparently you never had to justify why ya blew the budget to a spouse/girlfriend/or other financial party.
Just trying to help here.
Follow me for other financial tips and tricks!

 

[Master Hack]

people still think it's the end all-be all in paint finishes

True dat! And it is not really.
l had axcess to dirt cheap unlimited powder coating when l was working and i took advantage of it. The results a few years later are mixed. It doesnt weather much better than good paint. It's a little tougher than paint, but it is not some indestructable finish.
It's a bit*h to get off when it needs repair.
Just my observations. I know nothing about the process and/or materials.
your results may vary

 

[BrianD51]

Apparently you never had to justify why ya blew the budget to a spouse/girlfriend/or other financial party.

It's actually funny that you say that, but my wife (girlfriend at the time) had never been with a grease monkey prior to me. She could not wrap her head around who someone would need thousands upon thousands of dollars in tools, until she spent a day working on her car with me. If you have ever spent decent money on any tool, you know that feeling you get when someone uses it the wrong way. ie, using a gasket scraper as a prybar... Long story short, she learned quickly, using the right tool for the job tends to make the job that much easier, both in the shop and also in finance department.
From then on, if I needed a tool for a job, the only justification I needed with her was that it was designed to do said job.
10 years and probably 100k in tools later, my tools have more than paid for themself. The last big tool purchase I made was a new tool box, and when the wife asked me why. My justification was that I was out of room in my current box. Which was the truth, I had even filled up a roll cart, so it was definitely needed. So I went from left to right, and even that's almost full.

 

[Grizzlymi]

Grinder grinder grinder! Use a wire wheel, grinder sanding disc's, and wire wheel drill attachments for tight corners. Remove as much paint if possible if not all. Good all elbow grease and some time will take it all away. Clean everything with paint thinner and then with rubbing alcohol. I am a spray can wizard, and highly recommend Rustoleum Painters Touch spray paint. Prime a few coats, sand if needed, and then 3 coats of final color. Finish with clear coat, satin or gloss, about coats and wet sand if needed on rough spots. It'll save a bunch of money, but if money isn't a concern, pay the $350 and be done. The work will pay off and if you kids, a good father son project that will be a learning curve for everyone. Sounds like a fun project and good luck.

 

[Grizzlymi]

Btw, a cheaper small sandblasting cabinet is a great investment for all the small parts and such! Of coarse a decent air compressor as well.