Powder Coating or Painting for Habitrails?

[Wiredworm]

So the big strip down of the 'ol R&B playfield is finally underway. I've stripped off the first two habitrails and noticed that they're both pretty scratched up.

Has anyone got any experience with painting and powder coating habitrails? My gut instinct is that they'll take too much punishment and that powder coating might be a bad idea, but i've also heard that powder coating is actually harder wearing than paint so it could be an option.

Views, and feedback as always welcomed. I'll be wrapping them up tomorrow and putting them away for the moment but i'm building a job list and parts list of things that need doing so it would be useful to get some feedback before making a decision as to which way to go.

 

[robotgreg]

I've done both but certainly recommend powder coating over paint as much more hard wearing.

Only think is for the side rails powder coating is fine on Data East/Stern/Sega as they're easily removed and solid enough but for B?W apart from the fact they're a pain to get off, powder coating WILL warp them and bet you can work out how I know that! So have to paint B/W side rails - several thin coats works best but for R&B powder coating def your best option.

Cheers
Greg

 

[Moonraker]

Or just buy some new habitrails...

 

[Wiredworm]

Thanks Greg. Appreciate the feedback.

Erm, but just to be clear I was asking about powdercoating the habitrails that guide the ball back down to the return lanes once they've had their little ride up the ramp. At least one of these (yellow one at the top left) takes a fair bit of hammer as it's taking the ball from a Super VUK.

But yeah, the side rails on my actual cab are already powder coated red. They came off cleanly - I used the scraper method.

 

[PeteB]

If you're going to spray paint your habitrails, make sure to rough them up a bit first with scotchbrite.

Once you've done the colour, they should be clear coated. The trick here is to apply 2 coats and go heavy with it, but let the first coat fully harden for 24 hours (at least) before doing the 2nd coat. This way it's very resistant to chipping. I had great success with the heavy duty PU lacquer available from Halfords.



If I had to do habitrails again though I think I would just go with powder coating as it's the proper way to do things.

 

[Wiredworm]

Thanks Peter.

I was leaning more towards powder coating but in my brain I always think that it's not hard wearing enough. I can't figure out why I always think that - perhaps it's just because it's 'powder' coating and inherently it makes it sound weak. But of course the powder is then baked onto the metal which makes it very very hard wearing.

We have two powder coating places nearby and as the habitrails have now been stripped i'll take them down and see how much for shot blasting and then powder coating. These are the items in question and you can see where they're worn.