So I just traded for a powder coating gun and a small oven and pounds and pounds of powder

What the H am I going to make with it?

I CAN get low-temp powder and put it on wood but people like the natural wood tone (

OR I can use the oven to bend acrylic for genii tubes but who's buying those today?

What needs made with a powder coating on it?

Tubes, flaps, shells and pretty much anything metal that might get banged around. Powder coating does not chip or scrape like paint does. It would also be excellent for metal legs on larger illusions.

Is it possible to powder coat a metal screw-on lid that has plastic threads inside?

Michael, that would depend on the plastic. Powder coating is set with heat and it could easily affect the plastic threads. I'll ask my neighbor, who owns a powder coating business what temp his ovens run. It could be a few days as I am out of town right now.

I saw at least one low temp powder online that sets at 250F. I have a particular item in mind, and I'd be curious to know if this could be done, but I don't want to invest in the entire rig, just to find out it won't work. Come to think of it, I could sacrifice one part in the oven even without powder coating just to see if the plastic part holds up. The jars I have in mind are cheap enough. Now.. do I want to risk my oven?? Ha!!

180 is the lowest temp that I'm aware of

From working in a plastic injection mold company, making steering wheels and ABS horn pads, most plastics melt at 750 degrees. Don't know if that information can help in this discussion, but that is what our machines were set at.

Thanks for the info on what's available, Jay.

Bill, I would imagine the degree of "melt" would depend. For injection molding, I'd imagine the plastic needs to be literally in liquid form. I have seen plastic soften and become misshapen at temps far less than 750F. I was hoping the metal part of these lids could be powder coated, but the plastic threads be unaffected.

Any way to R&R them?
Your second option is to get a few extras and do the following:

Get an accurate oven thermometer.
Test the empty oven to see if the dial and temperature match.
Raise the tested temp to 120 and see if the plastic softens.
Continue testing at 5, 7, 10 and 20 minute intervals -at ever increasing tempuratures. If there is no effect at 20 minutes then it's solid at that point. I believe 20 minutes at continues heat is the indicator.

Play scientist like you do with your painting and decal issues.

Powder Coating is applied in 4 phases although it appears you apply it and bake it as one process.
You must apply it. Then Initially the entire product must be brought-up to temp. Then it takes 20 minutes for it to melt and interlock. Then it requires a slow cool-down period by turning off the heat.

NOW if that isn't enough there are different ways to prepare the base product.
You can powder coat wood using a intermediate application of a paint that's heat resistant AND contains ferris particles.
You can powdercoat anything that is statically charged and will attract the powder.
You can use the powder coating system which applies a static charge to ferris metals and then spray the powder.
You can try an adhesive spray and blow the powder onto that and hope enough sticks.
(I'm told that it's not usually possible to put a coat overvalue coat and that's why you have to tape-off areas and do different colors separately

And finally, if the surface is flat then you can waft (yes... waft) some powder onto it and it will just sit there as it bakes and cures.

Did I mention all the different ways you can clean and prepare the various metals and other base-metals Ect.

I might not be exactly correct on every detail. I just got into this last week but now you know why professional shops charge 75 an hour. There's a lot of details. All ivwant to use this for is hinges, catches, and maybe some tubes for tricky bottles and maybe some Okito boxes, and maybe..... Who knows.

That's why I asked in the first place.

Thanks Jay! I know a bit about powder coating, even if I've not done it myself. I have a pretty good mentor (probably the best in the business). The low temp powder was new to me, hence my question.

You are correct... lots of R&D (although R&R sometimes works better), and a scientific approach. Just don't tell anyone I'm really a mad scientist... and disregard that mushroom cloud rising from Peoria! (cough-cough)

I thought that was all the paint fumes in your garage.

Eat some granola, Jay. Your So-Cal is showing.