Letter 9167

Seeking powder coat filler

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I am working on restoring a motorcycle and want to re-powdercoat the frame. Unfortunately, there is a dent about 2 inches long in the tube steel and I would like to smooth it out prior to coating. Is there a material which can be used to fill in this large of an area and still achieve proper bonding?

As I do not have the proper materials for doing this myself, I would welcome suggestions as to where I could get this done in my area.

Brian McDowell
- Hillsboro, Oregon

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Ed. note: A powder coater on Letter 3801 recommended Lab-Metal 24 oz [link is to product info at Eastwood] as a good choice for this, Brian. And Finishing.com's supporting advertiser Dura-Chem has developed a solvent-free filler specifically for powder coating.

Brian-

We have had good success with a product called All Metal [link is to product info on Ebay]. Check out an auto body or auto paint supply store, look for Bondo-type products that have aluminum or titanium materials in the mix. They ARE out there, sometimes hard to find, though. They are easy for you to apply yourself, if you have any experience with Bondo [link is to product info at Amazon] filling and feathering.

Hope this helps...

Lynn Hughes
- Kent, Washington

Brian,
Please try a product called Thermobond 3.

Coleen Sirois
Dura-Chem - Lake Elsinore, California

I am interested in the discussion of filling underneath powder coating. I am working on a project to convert a range of sheetmetal parts from a painted to a powder coated finish. Unfortunately the parts have very high cosmetic appearance standards and we have found it impossible so far to find a filler that completely covers up joints and fasteners under the surface of the powder coat without leaving a visible line or indentation. This problem appears to be electrostatic as it is visible before the powder is baked and does not occur where there is continuous metal under the filler (e.g around studs). We have tried a range of conductive fillers and it seems the more conductive the surface the better, but we don't have a solution yet. Can anyone suggest a product that works?

Tim McLean
- Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Three products have already been suggested on this page, Tim. I think you should pick a vendor, like the site's supporting advertiser, Dura-Chem, and work closely with that vendor to a solution. Good luck.

Ted Mooney, P.E.  finishing.com Brick, New Jersey