*(NOTE)* Jake, if we have a FAQ for this type of stuff, you can add it in there...(if you want to )

So, finally got some more powder in, and am moving on to my friend's turbo RSX.

Decided we are going to do the battery tie down, the intake pipe, and valve cover.

First, the pipe and tie down....

I forgot to take pics of them just stripped to bare metal, but Im sure you can imagine what that looks like....so lets start from step 2. The colors used for this are a gold vein basecoat with a lollipop blue candy coat.

Step 2, base coat....









This powder is uncooked. I didnt like that there was that much gold in there. I wanted more vein and less even-ness. This is craftsman gold vein. Didnt like it too much.

Now, we bake for 10 minutes at 400F and let the basecoat cure.
Gold powder cured...




Step 3.

Take the items out of oven, and while still hot, being to spray on the candy coat.









Dont want to overdo this step, as candy coats, like clearcoats, will run.

After baking that at 400F for 15 minutes for a REALLY good cure, you let cool, and here is the result. Sorry for the pics, but to get the detail the camera had a hard time focusing. Hopefully, you can make it out.












Looks AWESOME in direct sunlight!

Continued....

 

Now that the "balls" status is high....we moved on to the valve cover....

Again, I forgot to take pictures of certain steps but I will explain them.

Step 1
Remove Valve cover from car (*Note, this is an RSX valve cover, but I assume that the s2000 cover has the same guts)

Step 2

REMOVE ALL RUBBER COMPONENTS...EVERY SINGLE ONE....THEY WILL TORCH IN THE OVEN

Step 3
Purchase a GOOD stripper (paint stripper you perverts) that is SAFE on metals. I got a gallon of "Aircraft Remover" at Autozone for $22.00 Apply with brush. DO NOT PUT A CRAPLOAD ON. Just wipe it everywhere (on the outside of the cover only.) Sit back and enjoy a brew for 30 minutes. When you return, you will see the stock honda red (in this case, Acura Silver) bubble up and flake. The paint will wipe right off. If it is not wiping, leave it on for another 15 minutes and/or add one more coat of stripper.

WARNING! THIS STUFF WILL EAT AND BURN YOUR SKIN VERY QUICKLY. THE PAIN IS MASSIVE AND CANNOT BE RINSED OFF WITH WATER. THIS STUFF WILL SEND YOU TO THE HOSPITAL. ALWAYS WEAR LONG PANTS, LONG SLEEVED SHIRT, AND HEAVY KITCHEN GLOVES! I AM VERY SERIOUS ABOUT THIS!

After you are done waiting, grab a wrag and begin to wipe off all the paint (while wearing your gloves)....get as much as you can. After you are done, hose the cover off.

Step 4

Get some Dawn dish soap and a sponge (a clean wrag will work fine) Wash the inside and outside of the cover VERY thoroughly, and get as much oil off as possible. If you do not, the outgassing process will make your oven billow smoke, as the oil is burning. You will not be able to get all the oil out, but get 95%. If you see smoke coming out of your oven, you left too much in there. No harm done, just smells the house up. After you are done washing, hose the cover off thoroughly, inside and out, and dry as much as you can. Dont go nuts, since the water will evaporate in the oven anyway.

After this step is complete, your cover should look like this....(only yours will be an s2000 cover )



Step 5

Outgassing.

*NOTE....THIS IS A VERY CRUCIAL STEP. DO NOT CHEAT ON THIS STEP, OR ELSE YOUR END RESULT WILL SUFFER!!! (only needed on aluminum)

Outgassing is a process in which gasses are extracted from metal through heat. Aluminum is a porous metal. Gases pass though it, and get trapped inside when the aluminum cools. If you dont let them out before coating, once you coat the part, and start your car, the gases will find their way out, and puncture your coat, resulting in a massively pitted finish.

So, take your clean valvecover (after step 4, use rubbergloves, so you dont leave oils from your fingers on the metal) and place in a preheated oven at 400F for 1 hour. Yes, 1 hour.


You will smell a weird smell, it is just the gasses escaping from the metal. Dont be alarmed. (if you see smoke billowing, you did a bad job on step #4, and can leave it in to burn the grease off, or chicken out, take the cover out of the oven, and repeat step 4. Careful, its hot!)

After 1 hour, remove the rack with cover, and place somewhere safe to cool. It will take about 30 minutes. DO NOT PUT IN FREEZER OR HOSE OFF WITH WATER TO SPEED THE COOLING UP. YOU WILL CRACK THE COVER!

After you can keep the back of your hand on the cover without running and screaming like a girl, you are ready for the coat! Again, after you remove from oven, DO NOT TOUCH WITH BARE HANDS. The oils will leave a mark. Also, helps if you have a spare rack you can ruin, so you can keep the cover on the rack at all times, and not need to touch it.

Step 6

Masking

After your cover has cooled, plug all holes that lead from outside to the inside of the cover. You can order silicone plugs online, but I didnt have them, so I used balled aluminum foil for the job. You do not want too much coating on the inside. If some gets in, and it will, dont worry....once its cured, its not going anywhere, and motor oil isnt nearly hot enough to melt it.

Step 7

So, after plugging, put the rack down at about knee level. Set your ground, and lay down the basecoat.


This is as far as I got today. Im VERY tired (had a long day). I will finish it tomorrow and post up the rest of the tutorial and pictures of the final product. Thanks for tuning in. Tune in tomorrow for the finale!

To be continued tomorrow!

 

Very interesting!

 

where do you buy the paint for it and how much does it cost?

 

pics of valve cover!!!!!!!!!!

 

Its not paint.

 

The powdercoat is about 12-17 dollar a pound (remember, its powder, its like a pound of feathers...its A LOT)

 

Dave that looks siiiiiiick! Damn it, should I go with something like this or the chrome/lollipop blue... they all look so damn good. BTW, we def. need to do my valve cover when you get a chance... this has me drooling. I can have it all preped for you so you don't have to bust your balls as I have a spare being shipped out on monday.

 

No problem Mike. Its just a painstaking process. Not hard, just takes a while. Luckily, the stripper makes life A LOT easier. If I had to sit there and sand all those nooks and crannies, Id be there all day. Outgassing takes a while too. Overall, I will have a core when mine is done, so ill just do whatever colors people want, and they can give me their stock one when they pick up the bling bling one!

I was VERY impressed with the blue. First time Ive used it, and saw the final result. It would look SICK on chrome of silver vein!

 

If anyone is interested in doing this....

You need the following things...

A gun.

Here is the one I have, On sale for $95 bucks.
http://www.caswellplating.com/powder/powder_coat.htm

Here is one for $69.99
They are all pretty much the same. Powder guns are very simple tools.
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/disp...temnumber=42802

You need an air tank that can push about 15psi. Nothing crazy.
(If you dont have a tank, money for a tank, or room for a tank, you can get an all in one gun like this...
Craftsman Powdercoating Gun

You need an oven. The only things that will stop you from coating something is the oven. Whatever you can fit into your oven is what you can coat.
(you are not supposed to use gas ovens. I am not responsible for you setting your neighborhood on fire) I use my gas oven, and have no problems.

You need powder....

You can get them here....
http://www.caswellplating.com/powder...r_colors2.html
dont forget to click on the " MORE COLORS" Link near the top of the page.

or here...

http://www.columbiacoatings.com/1024t45676...45erfrg5467.htm

Both companies have top quality powders.

If anyone has any questions, I will do my best to answer them.