Re: Block Paint Question

["James J." <m1garand@speakeasy.net>]

I believe that the common T6 heat treating involves bringing the 
aluminum up to ~550 Deg F, or thereabouts.  I've been doing alot of 
powdercoating at home, and most of my suppliers now make hi-temp powders 
for head and exhausts, good to ~1800 Deg F.  They are thermosets, which 
means that once they hit their "melting point"  (a more accurate term 
would be "curing temp") the polymers begin to cross-link in a bond that 
is permanent, so they won't "melt"  if raised to that temperature.  They 
will burn at a certain higher temperature, once cured, but they will 
never melt.
Several of the powder suppliers also sell ceramic-based paints, which 
are the chemical equivalent of Jet-Hot.  Some of these oven-cure, while 
others cure by the exhaust heat.  As long as the substrate is prepared, 
both methods should work more or less the same.  Sandblasting (not 
bead-blasting) roughs up the surface, and allows the powder and paint to 
bite into the object to be covered.
I've been writing an article for the next issue of the newsletter all 
about DIY powder coating, so you can look for it in September.

Both methods have similar limited color choices in the hi-temp line, due 
to the ceramic/metalic content.  Mind you, keeping heat in the heads is 
good, as long as you are not detonating or overheating.  Then...... it 
is bad.
JJJ

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