Anodizing or Powder Coating, which do you prefer?

[flipwils11]

I think the reason I get so geeked out on anodizing is that you can still feel the texture of the metal whereas powder coating (kind of like paint) is a very perceptible coating covering up the metal.

If there's metal there in my RC stuff, I like to be reminded of it visually and from the texture!

Anybody else? Lol, Coelacanth, should I just go ahead and cast a vote for you too since I know where you stand?

[scr8p]

i personally like ano better than powder coat. now that being said, i do like the flourescent powder coated ae tubs and nose plates (i'd also like to have a set on day if the time/price is right). but i don't think i would send stuff out to be powder coated.

painting stuff doesn't bother me either. lord knows i've painted plenty of stuff for myself as well as other members. plus, i have all the materials i need so it costs me nothing...... or next to nothing to do it.

[jwscab]

anodizing all the way. the parts were designed without the added thickness powercoating adds. This can give you problems with close tolerance areas, OR, you have to scrape off the powerdercoating, negating the benefits. Although powdercoating is a tougher medium, and can possibly have greater abrasion resistance, it does not provide the same environmental protection, especially if poorly done and is particularly weak around sharp edges.

powdercoating also requires time at an elevated temperature. for steel, who cares, but for certain aluminum alloys, the temper can be significantly compromised.

the downsides to anodizing include less abrasion resistance, and color inconsistency.

[Coelacanth]

Actually, I can't really choose one over the other because either option is better than the other in certain circumstances.

For aluminum, definitely anodizing. I wouldn't powdercoat aluminum. And you gotta admit, anodizing on a properly-prepped (wet-sanded & polished) aluminum surface looks better than anything else.

For metal parts such as steel, you can't really anodize, so powdercoating is your main choice. Powdercoating is much more durable than paint, probably more durable than regular anodizing (not hard-anodizing, though), and requires far less surface preparation. If you have scratches in your steel item, powdercoating will probably hide everything. Not so with anodizing, which shows off every flaw and scratch in the underlying aluminum.

So, each process has it's pros & cons.

EDIT: I voted anodizing, but purely for cosmetic reasons. It just looks so nice, but there are plenty of reasons to choose powdercoating over anodizing.

[losiXXXman]

I vote for anodizing. Of course I'm so tight with my spending, I'll probably never custom anodize anything... or powder coat for that matter. Spray paint works well for me. (So what if it scratches up over time - take it off and throw another coat on it. Bonus, you can cheaply change the color with changing body color themes.)

[longboardnj]

i was thinking of painting a few chassis.is it bad to paint the chassis?? i was gong to just strip a few chassis and run them raw is that bad???

EDIT: I voted neither

[Phin]

Anodizing over powder coating though I'm still thinking about trying out Cerakote. Thinner layer than powder coating, cures at a lower temperature and has a nicer matte/textured finish.

Hydrographic dipping would be a neat option too. Lots of cool possibilities there besides the obvious camo....e.g. a carbon fiber print on an aluminum tub.

[Coelacanth]

i was thinking of painting a few chassis.is it bad to paint the chassis?? i was gong to just strip a few chassis and run them raw is that bad???

If you mean stripping off the anodizing and leaving it as-is, then I wouldn't recommend that. Bare, raw aluminum is softer and will quickly show every scuff & scrape and dull with age. Just handling a raw finish will imprint the surface with your fingerprints, the oils will attract dirt and will darken the surface.

If you strip it to raw aluminum and don't want to polish, then I'd at least suggest applying automotive wax to protect the finish. I put wax on my polished surfaces that don't get anodized, such as polished aluminum wheels.

As far as paint goes, I'm not a big fan of painting a chassis because I know it'll show every single scratch & ding. Every new scrape would irritate me. But if it's a shelfer that'll never be driven, I don't see why not.

[Charlie don't surf]

I voted for powder coating..........assuming we're talking about florescent RC10 chassis I haven't played with anodizing anything other than titanium-

[longboardnj]

If you mean stripping off the anodizing and leaving it as-is, then I wouldn't recommend that. Bare, raw aluminum is softer and will quickly show every scuff & scrape and dull with age. Just handling a raw finish will imprint the surface with your fingerprints, the oils will attract dirt and will darken the surface.

If you strip it to raw aluminum and don't want to polish, then I'd at least suggest applying automotive wax to protect the finish. I put wax on my polished surfaces that don't get anodized, such as polished aluminum wheels.

As far as paint goes, I'm not a big fan of painting a chassis because I know it'll show every single scratch & ding. Every new scrape would irritate me. But if it's a shelfer that'll never be driven, I don't see why not.

yea im thinking shelfer paint,runner raw... thanks for your input.. maybe ill try the wax on the bottom/sides.. i usually just scuff the metal and leave it