Ironically, lack of DIY/consumer powder coating (and, perhaps, more significantly -- steel bending) tools were reasons Bre Pettis gave for why MakerBot went closed source.
"Some of the shifts we’ve just made, that’ve made some people grumpy. We are not sharing the design files for the body of the Replicator 2. That’s because it’s powder coated steel, and unless you have, like, an open-source steelbender, you’re not going to be able to do this, it’s not something you can do, at home. It’s something that really you have to have a manufacturing facility to do." [http://makezine.com/2012/09/28/bre-pettis-ohs-challenges-of-...]
The frame of the Replicator 2 is very simple. You can get a 40$ sheet metal brake at harbor freight and a blind rivet setup for 20$. It was just an excuse on the part of makerbot to take things closed source.
Everyone should have a rivet gun though. Extremely useful when you have sheet metal that needs to be fastened.
I had to look up "blind rivet" because I've always heard them called "pop rivets". I agree, though: it's my new favourite tool. Be sure to buy a box of different size rivets at the same time; having the right length to hand is critical, and unlike screws they can't be cut shorter. But the tool is magical---it attaches things securely when you can only get to one side, with a joint that is strong, rigid, and low-profile. Best tool ever.
For the infrequency of use, and the cost, I agree. A home brake wouldn't be impossible to buy (just a couple hundred dollars) but they're huge and not very useful.
This seems like a lot of work. For an oven, an old toaster oven works. An old home oven would work. We even learned the hard way that powder that gets on the shop truck when it is in the sun will bake on. I have two industrial powder coating ovens. One is 6'x6'x10' and heated with gas, the other is 6'x6'x6" and is electric. I purchased them for less than $8000 each, the gas one was used and the electric was new.
You can get a usable powder gun here for $169.00 http://www.eastwood.com/paints/hotcoat-powder-coating/powder... We have one for prototypes and as a backup. It works ok, and is fine for hobbyists. It would not last in a production environment (we have a pricey $7K Nordson for that)
Actually jessaustin, powder coating does not chip if the pretreatment is done properly. Powder coating is far more durable than any liquid coating available. Far more superior in finish without the runs, fading and sagging. There are ways to test for adhesion, impact resistance and hardness. For more information check out the PCI.com or ccaiweb.com both have finishing handbooks to help novice coaters.
I have no experience here, but I'm wondering why not use a regular kitchen oven, if all you want is 400F temperature? My kitchen oven easily goes to 500F.
Same reason you need a dedicated toaster oven for solder reflow.
That said, if you are not fortunate enough to have something like a couple scrap bar heaters lying around, getting an old electric oven off Craigslist or similar is not a bad alternative.
"Some of the shifts we’ve just made, that’ve made some people grumpy. We are not sharing the design files for the body of the Replicator 2. That’s because it’s powder coated steel, and unless you have, like, an open-source steelbender, you’re not going to be able to do this, it’s not something you can do, at home. It’s something that really you have to have a manufacturing facility to do." [http://makezine.com/2012/09/28/bre-pettis-ohs-challenges-of-...]