Powder Coat base - hydro dip film - Clear Powder Coat seal

jsamouce

Howdy, I own a business where I powder coat all my steel products.
I have done TONS of bazaar powder coating tricks and amazing experimental effects...
I mix my own top coats for SICK effects and even fade them together for even more insanity.
I have used actual glow in the dark sand, air brushed bright powder coats using my own hot flocking techniques, and even blown ink onto powder coat, and sealed all of these effects in with a clear powder coat.. Hell, even sharpies work AMAZINGLY well and seal just fine! I have done this kind of experimental work for 5 years. NOW, my customers---and investors--- have asked if I can hydro dip this way too. and frankly I am curious...

As the title should make clear.
I want to powder Coat a 50" Steel flag pole (say in white), then Hydro dip it with a hydro film print, and then seal it in with a clear powder coat...

In my limited research I have read that to do so, the only difficulty is getting the hydro printed film to adhere to the powder coat base. to do so some have said that scuffing it with a fine sandpaper works. others have suggested acetone to rough texture it enough. I am also wondering if I can use a mat finish powder coat base as well?

Again, to make my question clear...
Assuming, I can some how successfully get the hydro printed film to adhere to the powder coat base... is the hydro dip film inert enough, once dry, for me to clear powder coat over it? Will the hydro printed film take the 10 minute 400 degree oven cook time for the clear Powder coat to set, effectively sealing in the hydro print film?

studebaker

You are heading in the right direction with your "matte finish" powder coating. You also have the option to only partially cure the base coat. The pigments will stick to that method as well.

When you have dipped your object, you need to fully rinse off the water soluble PVA film that was used as a carrier for the ink. Then the only thing that is left are the pigments that will indeed last through the 400-degree clear coat cycle. Please don't try to powder coat over the "unrinsed" PVA film, it will cause a failure in the final product.

WileECoyote

Typically using a 2k clear over the top of the print is enough though. The material is protected by the base coat powder. Don't forget you can clear the flagpole and then print and clear over the top of that as well. Essentially finishing your project and then putting the decoration on top of that coat. At that point you can use intercoat print and clear, or undercuring the clear powder to adhere to that. Typically the print will hold up to the 400°... but not always. your results may vary. That is why I would consider the print over the top of the clear powder.