Recommended powder coaters/enamelling old steel frame?

[Baritono]

Hi there folks! Long time no lurk..

Can anyone recommend a decent powder coaters (for bicycle frames, natch) - either in the Leeds area or further afield for a good'un - I'm about to take the plunge and resurrect an old bike using a second-hand 'new to me' frame, and would like it to last if at all possible. *edit* I'd (presumably) want them to shotblast the original paint off too. *edit*

Now I'm all for a good-looking bike and am prepared to put my money towards a special colour if it suggests itself, but my priorities are giving the bike the toughest coat I can - mostly to keep the tin worm at bay, but also something that won't chip off or scratch through incautious parking, knocks, chainsuck etc.. from what I've heard powder coating beats painting for this remit.

Can anyone also shed any light on the differences between a powder coated and an enamelled frame? - again, in terms of durability and price. FWIS it appears that enamelling produces a very tough and scratch-free coat, and a beautiful gloss finish, but powdercoating may give more chip resistance.

Many thanks! Cheers for your help. Bonus points for personal recommendations, tips, warnings, anecdotes..

Baritono

[tooley92]

Triple S in Bingley are very good and are well regarded in motorcycle circles.

http://www.triple-s.co.uk/

[Valbrona]

Woodrup or Bob Jackson.

[tonythompson]

MERCIAN CYCLES
7 Shardlow Road, Alvaston, Derby, Derbyshire, England, DE24 0JG. United Kingdom.
Telephone: (+44) 01332 752468. Email: service@merciancycles.com

They have done a great job on my 60's Flying Scot. Even put the decals on. These are the same people who have been making Mercian frames since the 40's. So a great pedigree.

They will also post, but don't be in a hurry as they are always busy.

[seph]

Powder Coat it! Not long bought a lovely new mercian frame, but have been horrified at how easy it chips. At least 3 marks down to the primer within 100 miles. I dont think its mercian per se, just stove enammeling.
I had my old 531 ribble blasted and powdercoated about 3 years ago, despite heavy use the paintwork is still perfect. Powdercoating is cheaper too.
A trad paintshop will do all the lug lining/ transfers / barbers pole etc though- one good reason for their extra cost

[mrjemm]

Powder Coat it! Not long bought a lovely new mercian frame, but have been horrified at how easy it chips. At least 3 marks down to the primer within 100 miles. I dont think its mercian per se, just stove enammeling.
I had my old 531 ribble blasted and powdercoated about 3 years ago, despite heavy use the paintwork is still perfect. Powdercoating is cheaper too.
A trad paintshop will do all the lug lining/ transfers / barbers pole etc though- one good reason for their extra cost

+1 for Mercian paint chipping when sneezed at. And something like 12 weeks of no pretty bike. If it wasn't for that, Madame's bike would've been having some time back there. Paint is pretty, but I am happy with my powder coated frames. Had mixed results from different places though, so won't recommend right now.

[honesty]

Here's my understanding of it, so I may be wrong...

Powder coating is done through an electrostatic charge. The powder is dry when sprayed on and flows to make a coat when baked in an oven at a slightly higher temperature than the stoving process. It takes less layers of paint to get a good finish, but coats cant be rubbed down between them and are much thicker. Final result is more susceptible to orange peeling, heavier, and much more durable.

Stove enamelling is a wet painting process. Coats are applied using a traditional spray gun, and stoved in an oven. Coats can be rubbed down, but you need a few more of them (I think if you look at Bob Jackson for example its about 10 different coats). There is a much greater range of colours and you can get fancy pearl colours. As the coats can be rubbed down you're much less likely to get orange peeling but ad more susceptible to scratches. Its usually more expensive as well.

Have a look at Argos, Bob Jackson and Mercian for top notch stove enamelling.

[keyboardmonkey]

Ellis Briggs, Shipley.

I tried to keep the cost down to a minimum so got the basic single colour enamel paint treatment (after being "shot blasted to the bare metal, rust proofed, primed, base coated then clear coated for a tough finish"). £87. I paid for a few extras, but that is the price of all the preparation and enamelling.



I've never had a bike powder-coated, but I am happy with the enamel finish on my bike. It was very rusty around the bottom bracket in particular. I have been keeping it for special occasions, so it hasn't had a lot of use, but I had a few hairy moments trying to readjust the front derailleur height (I have Biopace chain rings) and the paintwork held up fine.

[Baritono]

Hi folks! Cheers for all suggestions, photos and info (plus background mrjemm and seph!) I shall have a trawl and see if any other suggestions come up, but some good leads there to follow. May have to ask more about what to do/not to do in terms of frame preparation/masking etc..

Thanks again,

Baritono

[Jezrant]

Woodrup or Bob Jackson.

Woodrup send their frames out for painting. And that place does a very good job. Just like Bob Jackson.

[Milfred Cubicle]

I don't know if Darlington is too far for you, but there is Impreziv Finishing. He did a lovely job on my frame for around £60. My local bike shop recommends him, and all the others I've seen have been good too.

[Skabillyrebel]

I have enjoyed particularly favourable results using Maldon Shot blasting & powder coating who plug derailleur hangers, masked bottom bracket shells, head and seat tubes as a matter of course.

www.ctc-powder-coating.co.uk/

[Steve]

Another one to consider

CHRIS MARSHALL CYCLES
UNIT.1, CORNMILL GARAGE, HALIFAX RD, INGROW BRIDGE, KEIGHLEY, YORKS., BD21 5AX
01535 691073

[mrjemm]

Another one to consider

CHRIS MARSHALL CYCLES
UNIT.1, CORNMILL GARAGE, HALIFAX RD, INGROW BRIDGE, KEIGHLEY, YORKS., BD21 5AX
01535 691073

Hmmm, I've heard he's good a framework, so if he's also decent with the paint side of things, there may be a job to talk to him about in our shed.

Do you know if he has an email address? (And answers it...).

Cheers.

[Jezrant]

Best to contact Chris by phone. He does good work at good prices.