x1rider

WARNING: I like red, when the funds become available, I want to get a red StopTech BBK. I chose red to coat my rear calipers, it may not be everyone's cup of tea. Feel free to flame me if you must, I won't cry. That said, on with the write-up.
I bought a set of used rear calipers through car-parts.com.
<img src="http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q33/x1rider/brakecoating2.jpg">
I only coated one because I broke the other one taking it apart.
First step is to clean the caliper with acetone (in case you are wondering why the caliper is so shiny, it's because I sandblasted it a few months ago to try my sandblaster). I also masked the places I didn't want coated with foil so that it would tolerate the heat from the oven.
<img src="http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q33/x1rider/cali1.jpg">
Next I sanblasted (I did it again to remove any oxide layer that might have formed since) with 100 grit aluminum oxide.
<img src="http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q33/x1rider/cali3.jpg">
Then blow with compressed air to remove any aluminum oxide left on the caliper.
<img src="http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q33/x1rider/cali2.jpg">
This is a pic of the modified oven I used for the heating part.
<img src="http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q33/x1rider/ex7.jpg">
So I tied the caliper to the grille which makes it easier to suspend in the oven and for the coating. I placed the caliper in the oven at 450F for 30 minutes to help open the pores and let any oil or gasses out.
<img src="http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q33/x1rider/cali4.jpg">
It is important that the part is at 450F, for that, I monitored the temperature of the caliper with an infrared thermometer.
<img src="http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q33/x1rider/cali5.jpg">
For the coating, I used Cerakote (red) and a touch up HVLP paint gun (0.8mm nozzle).
<a href="http://www.caswellplating.com/powder/ceramics.html">Cerakote&gt;</a>
<img src="http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q33/x1rider/cali6.jpg">
Then I hung the part, waited for it to cool down to about 150F.
<img src="http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q33/x1rider/cali7.jpg">
I applied the Cerakote (that was a real PITA because the caliper has a lot of grooves and corners).
<img src="http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q33/x1rider/cali8.jpg">
The next part was not in the instructions but I put it back into the oven for 1 hour at 450F for curing. I'm not sure it was a good idea, more on that later.
<img src="http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q33/x1rider/cali9.jpg">
Then I hung it again and allowed cooling down to 160-180F and shot it with silicone spray and wiped the excess off.
<img src="http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q33/x1rider/cali10.jpg">
<img src="http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q33/x1rider/ex15.jpg">
Pictures of the finished product.
<img src="http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q33/x1rider/cali11.jpg">
<img src="http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q33/x1rider/cali12.jpg">

After a few hours, the caliper seemed to be more of an orange than a bright red. I am not sure if this is due to putting it back in the oven after the application (the instructions said to air dry). When I get my hands on another caliper, I'll try to let it air dry and see if it makes a difference.
Let me know if there are any questions.

PDXA4

Nice job...

Pabblo

Looks good. Why not do the broken one...just as a color test.

x1rider

first I think I'll buy a cheap bench top sandblasting cabinet. You wouldn't believe the mess sandblasting in a garage makes!

x1rider

I'm thinking about buying a powdercoating kit so that there are more colors available.

LEH82

wow nice job, did the oven cook the rubber boot on the piston?

Pabblo

Seriously, silica dust is bad news.

x1rider

<center><img src="http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q33/x1rider/apart2-1.jpg"></center><p>
I have to buy a rebuild kit to put it back together.

x1rider

one set for dust and another one for paint.
A sandblasting cabinet would definitely reduce some health hazards.

Pabblo

Which would become disturbed whenever you moved boxes or stuff in the garage. I wonder if you could rig a fan shroud to pull the air/dust into a reducer that would fit up to some flexible ducting. That ducting could then go to the inlet of a shopvac with a hepa/silica proof filter.