[Tick]

I have a Western plow < 1 year old. At the end of the season I noticed in 2 spots the powder coat was bubbling and cracked. I wasn't 100% sure there wasn't damage and some water got behind it so I sanded the spots down and painted. I checked for more spots (weren't any) and put the plow in the garage. I just took it out and noticed more spots where the powder coat is bubbled and peeling. Anyone know what is going on? Is this a warantee item?

Tick

 

[nsmilligan]

POWDER COAT

This was a post I was thinking of making. Powder coat is great except on a plow. The powder coat on my Fisher is stiffer then the metal under it, so when the plow flexs under load the powder coat cracks. Of course we're operating the plow in a pretty severe enviroment, the salt content in the water in parking lots and on the highways is a lot higher then salt water in the ocean, and I've seen the effects of salt water on metal. The salt water gets in the crack and eats away at the plow during the summer, and after a couple of seasons the powder coat will bubble and flake off. I don't think this is a warranty item.
With all the high tech stuff around I wish the plow manufacturers would come up with a coating that's flexible as well as tough enough to wear well.
I think it was Dino who mentioned some space age epoxy paint he uses to paint his plows.

Bill

 

[John DiMartino]

I have a Western Unimount,3 yrs old,hardly used at all,it is doing the same thing as yours,it looks terrible.My 7,6 and 4 yr old Fishers look like new yet,still original paint,I messed it up a bit when i put the pro-wings on,but other than that,they are mint.Its a shame the western bubbles up so fast,I dont think there-s much you can do about it,short of blasting the entire thing and repainting it.

 

[thelawnguy]

Has anybody tried the $50 plastic overlay for the plows you glue/bolt on? Looks intersting, never need paint again, but do they hold up?

 

[BRL]

I put one one an old beat up Meyer to try to get a few more storms out of it. We haven't gotten any snow to test it yet. Easy to install & looks like it should perform better than the steel as it was (less snow sticking, I'll bet it rolls & throws the snow better than what was happening). I'm not so sure how long its going to stay on because it just gets glued on. A fellow plower & I were joking that I'd be stacking snow and pull away to see the hunk of plastic sticking to the pile after it peeled off of the plow. We'll see what happens.

 

[GeoffD]

Fisher had a recall on 97 model plows for powder coat not sticking. The powder coat would come off in big chuncks. Fisher recalled something like 4000 moldboards and replaced them all with new ones. I actually have been to the place where Fisher had 4000 moldboards cut up and scrapped. It was hard to watch plows being cut up.

Geoff

 

[Lazer]

Cut up and scrapped because the paint didn't stick?

That's paramount to buying a new truck when you need an oil change.

 

[litle green guy]

They did fix the paint problems,... they came out with poly plows

 

[GeoffD]

Yes it is true. The scrapped 4000 plows, because Fisher has a high quality standard. I saw guys with no paint on a plow after 1/2 a winter, the paint came off in huge flakes. I guess they ended the recall in the spring of 2000.

Geoff

 

[litle green guy]

man, 4000 plows, thats alot of plows to scrap, thats crazy

 

[plowking35]

Geoff, I saw some of those plows, but they were not being scrapped. They were sandblasting and recoating. Not sure if they did that to all 4000, but to at least 500 or so. They had a huge pile in the new factory when we went through for the tour in June. I asked if they were all new ones not yet coated, most plows go right from welding to acid wash to paint booth. The guide said no, that they were recalled paint problem plows. So maybe some were sparred.
Dino

 

[jrblawncare]

I have to ask this...why is it called "powder coat"is it a type of paint or process?JRB

 

[GeoffD]

Dino the ones that were repainted were the ones that were sitting at dealers, and hadn't been installed. The ones that were used, were scrapped. The scrap yard told me Fisher wanted them cut up so no one could use them.



Geoff

 

[cat320]

My diamond did not doe what i see alot of fishers doing paint peeling of in big sheets.I do get some bad spots like us all but never as bad as the fisher.

 

[GeoffD]

The ones that you see pealing were the ones that recalled. However the recall started in 1998 and ended in the spring of 2000. It wasn't published as far as I know, it depended on if you complained to the dealer or not.

Geoff

 

[cat320]

A freind of mine complained to the dealer and they did nothing since it was 16 month old at the time he now has no paint on it>should he complaine to them directly you think?

 

[GeoffD]

I guess they have ended the recall. I last winter I told someone about it, and they were all going to bring there plow in and never got to it. Well they tried to bring it in this fall because there was no paint. Well the dealer said they recall was over and sorry.

BTW he did call the dealer last fall,

Geoff

 

[Chuck Smith]

nsmilligan, I am the "toxic paint guy"....
The paint I used was a "moisture cured urethane". It has held up extremely well. It was made (and still is) by Mastercoat Industries.

As far as powder coating, it is a type of finish, that is applied a certain way. Powder is applied to a surface "electrostatically", then the piece is baked to cure it. Applying it electrostatically, insures coverage even in places paint could never go. It might also trap moisture under the powder in some cases. We all know what happens when moisture gets trapped under paint.

Years ago, Volkswagen beetles were painted electrostatically. Superior coverage, and NO overspray.

To put it as plain as possible, a "ground" is put on the piece, and a "positive" cable is connected to the spray gun. They are drawn to each other. Something to do with ions...

The grass catcher on my 36" Bobcat mower flaked off after 2 years in spots, huge chunks. Seems the coating got chipped, moisture got under it, and bye bye finish.

~Chuck

 

[thelawnguy]

"Years ago, Volkswagen beetles were painted electrostatically. Superior coverage, and NO overspray."

Virtually every vehicle made today is painted this way, now.With increased environmental regulations, it appears powdercoating will be the way cars are painted in the near future, just need to solve the flexibility problems.

Side note, be careful with urethane paint, use a respirator designed for such use, a regular repirator will not keep the paint from your lungs, when it cures in the lining of your lungs you are tomorrows obituary fodder. Happened at a local body shop recently.

 

[jaclawn]

I have some background in finishing, and can say that powder coating is not necessarrly the absolute best finish out there. The newer modern urethane based paints are as good, if not better than powder.

Powder does have its advantages though. Since it is put on electrostatically, and dry, you don't have to worry about getting runs when trying to coat an intricate part. Also, in a mass production environment, there is no waste. They can re-use the power that is "oversprayed".

IT is more cost effective from a manafacturing standpoint to power coat products.

I think that it will be a while before entire autos are finished with powder. You cannot mix powder like paint. Ie. if you mix black and white powder, you will get a black finish with white specs in it, not a grey finish like you would expect. At least auto repair work will be a long way away from using powder.