george koller on sun 1 jul 01
>>I was under the impression that "Powder Coating" was an
>>industrial process which was used to apply various
>>thermoplastic finishes to metallic objects.
Iandol,
Thanks much for your input. Indeed you are right, I am finding it is a fairly common industrial process, used since the 1930's, but one which I have been unaware of. It is receiving increased interest these days, perhaps, because it is environmentally sound - it removes the need for solvents.
I have been calling and searching to learn more because the ability to spray a powder to a selected area could be very exciting for the process we are developing. Basically we have an ability to precisely meter, and move a special atomizing nozzle "all day long" in a plotter like fashion (as in NOT "digital"). Our intention is to use metal sulfates directly to our base glaze.
Using just water, it occurs to me, we might be able to "activate" areas selectively. By "activate" I mean "make sticky". Perhaps using CMC, but we might also be able to spray "holding agents" directly. Then with an ability to spray stains to these general areas we could "dust" the piece with powder, perhaps containing stains, and later dust off the over spray. If this can be done, this would be extremely exciting because we would have everything needed for a simple, non-toxic, "all day long" decorating, which I expect could be useful to many potters.
Indeed, the powder gun, as you suggest, appears to be a cheap knock-off, but I use the HVLP guns from this same catalog with success. The industrial prices I have seen seem prohibitively expensive to me, this one is just under 100 USD. I'm concerned that a brush would pick up the sticky material and start applying the powder to areas not intended to be covered Non-contact seems the way to go, perhaps a device like a floor sifter might have some utility.
Does anybody know of another way to evenly "dust" over an area with powder?
Thank you,
George Koller
Sturgeon Bay - Door County
(920) 746-8705
Yesterday we had a humid 90d F, but a nice breeze piped up sometime in the night, and now we are getting some fresh Canuck air some 20d cooler. Thank you Canada!
Fredrick Paget on sun 1 jul 01
Have you tried a fluidized bed?
In the 60's the transformer factory at Sylvania Lighting products used it
to apply a coating of epoxy to transformer coils. The coils were baked and
while hot , dipped in the fluidized bed of uncured epoxy powder which was
formulated to melt and a high temperature curing agent in the epoxy would
kick in and cure it . The coils were dipped and hung up in the oven to cure.
A fluidized can be made from any powder by running gas up through it .
Usually the container has a somewhat porous bottom and compressed air is
forced through it at the correct rate, The powder levigates and behaves
like a liquid as long as it is fed the air from below.
Fred Paget
>
>Does anybody know of another way to evenly "dust" over an area with powder?
>George Koller
From Fred Paget, Marin County, California, USA
iandol on tue 3 jul 01
Dear Fredrick Paget,
A fluidised bed (to the uninitiated, this is not a Water Bed, as in =
"Good Night's Sleep) will give an all over covering. A better tool for =
applying a top surface coating to tiles would be the old Powder Box used =
in the printing industries for preparing Copper Etching Plates.
Best regards,
Ivor
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