Sealing a chassis before powdercoating. - Cut-Weld-Drive Forums

Dragonbuilder · September 6th, 2016, 07:47 PM

Wanted to pose a question about how to seal a VW chassis before I powdercoat it. I was thinking of brazing it along the seams and other places that the original tar was. Sweating with solder is out of the question due to the baking process @ 400 degrees. Although I want it to be sealed... I also want it to look clean. Any suggestions or experience with this would be appreciated.

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**SCOTTRODS** · September 7th, 2016, 03:52 AM

Silver Solder or Brazing... Since powder coating, Brazing is fine. It withstands the temps pretty well. I've done a lot of bicycles that are brazed at the intersections of the tubing and they do great with powder coating. (I powder coat as a "serious hobby".... about $20k invested in equipment and supplies).

**Unkl Ian** · September 7th, 2016, 07:22 PM

^^^ will handle the temp.

**SCOTTRODS** · September 8th, 2016, 03:50 AM

From a powder coater's point of view... yes... sometimes the lab metal works... but often times it is purely problematic... In the case of doing a frame like these, if I had the option, I would use brazing over most anything. The "filler" brazing rod is metal and can be prepped just like the rest of the frame when sent to the coaters... if you do any filler before they get it, and they don't blast it completely off before they do their thing... it would be a coater to avoid... If you have a brazed seam, the metal will be left intact and not blasted off during prep. If you have plans to use a filler and don't mind paying for the coaters to do the work, they can use a filler that will work (lab metal, EpoStrong, etc...) for the results you desire, but ALL prep should be done by the coater to insure his work. In powder coating, prep includes using fillers a lot of times.

Dragonbuilder · September 8th, 2016, 04:35 PM

Thanks guys for the info. Watched a couple of videos and read some literature on the Hi Temp LabMetal. I have no doubt it would work for me but it can't be sandblasted after I'm done with all my fab work. I think I will finish weld and braze everything so I know it done right.

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