Triumph Repair: 1974 TR6 Frame Cleaning/Powder Coating, acid dip, frame powder

Question
QUESTION: I am in the process of a frame-up rebuild. I am currently preparing the frame for powder coating. Degreasing the frame has become quite a project. My concern is that the oil will reappear during the baking process of powder coating. There are many holes that open the frame interior to the outside environment. I am concerned that oil or rust may be inside the frame though I do not see evidence of this. Should I seal the frame before powder coating or just clean the frame exterior and send it in for powder coating?

ANSWER: Hi Scott,
If you have oil inside of the frame it can probably migrate out of some holes because the powder coat process uses heat to "cook" the paint and that would probably cause oil to steam out of the holes. The inside is bound to have rust but I don't think that would be a problem for powder coating as the powder coating is only going to be on the outside. There are methods to clean and coat the inside of frames. It depends on to what extent you want to go to preserve it.

You should contact the company that is doing the powder coating and ask the question about possible oil in the frame. If they have facilities large enough to do frame powder coating, they would know if it is a problem. That may be part of their cleaning process. I doubt that they expect their customers to be able to clean a frame enough for them to just powder coat it as is.

I do small part powder coating and the cleaning of the part is very critical.

Howard

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thank you for the reply.

I am going to look into other powder coating companies.

What methods do you know of to clean and coat the inside of the frame? Acid dip?

Scott

Answer
I have not had it done but friends who have bodies dipped to remove paint tell me they can have them dipped to remove rust plus a dip that prevents rust in areas that they can't access. They probably told me what it is called but I don't remember.
Howard