Weld on studs that I found

This might be old news to some but I just found them so I thought I would share.

I’ve been struggling with how to connect multi color multi layer signs. Welding after powder coat blisters and burns the coating. Powder coating after welding is difficult with complicated multi color designs. I’ve done some epoxies with mixed results (not Ideal for outdoor or large temperature swing areas, or kids).
I don’t do enough to justify a cap-discharge stud welder. To be honest I’m a better grinder than a welder so slapping a stock screw on with a few tacks normally ends in the screw off a an odd angle an half the threads welded together. Saying that I picked up some of these weld on studs from Fastenal.
Weldonscrew
These are 10-24 x 3/4" but they come in many sizes.
I used a set of visegrip clamps to hold the straight …then let the goose loose around them (remember the part about my welding skills…a tig would be a better choice)

They worked out Pretty good.
Maty_sm

I use a spot welder before powder coating (I do two color powder coating in multiple passes so I can clean the weld and then do the powder coat).

I haven’t tried these studs before but they look like a nice way to get stand-offs without having to custom cut & bend small brackets/boxy things I can weld on.

I have never heard of those but thank you for sharing, I will be picking some up ASAP!

Would you mind sharing the part #

After looking the 10-24 ones I got are 1/2" long.

https://www.fastenal.com/products/details/0124689

Here’s the 1/4" ones I ordered as well
https://www.fastenal.com/products/details/0124694

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Excellent, thank you!

I just started powder coating. Like a week ago. I picked up an oven, and have an eastwood multi voltage gun. Now my question since some of this was about powder coating. How do people keep the oven shelves clean for a good ground. If I keep grinding and sanding on them after each use I will not have any wires left, lol,I do put some tin foil around edges when spraying to keep it from sticking in oven. But getting a ground and having tin foil over wires doesn’t work so good for me. Am I missing something? What am I doing wrong?

Are you spraying inside the oven? Or hanging your parts from the oven shelf (rack) and then sliding the whole thing into your oven?

I made a spray booth for my powdercoating operation out of that chrome rack/shelf setup you can get at Home Depot. I wrapped it in a canvas dropcloth so the powder doesn’t go everywhere. I have a steel hook on the top shelf that I attach my ground to and hang my parts from. Then after spraying the powder I hang the part in the oven from a hook I have mounted in the top of the oven (I have an electric smoker that I use as my powdercoating oven - no shelves inside and the hook & swivel bolted through the top to hang parts from.

So my hook in the spray “booth” gets powder on it but doesn’t get baked so it taps off. The hook in the oven gets cooked but doesn’t have any powder on it so doesn’t get coated and need sanding. I’m not looking for a ground connection inside the oven, just the booth.

Hi Thanks for your response.
I am hanging the the rack and spraying then putting in oven. I try and wipe off as much as possible off the rack before placing in oven.
So you are carrying the piece form your booth to the oven?
I was actually thinking about putting a hook inside the oven, but didn’t think carrying what i sprayed to the oven would work.

Yep. They’re next to each other. So I unhook from spraying it and then hook it onto the oven’s hook. I use stainless steel S hooks so there’s not a lot of finagling needed.

I’ve been covering the whole rack in aluminum foil if I’m going to spray on the rack. Most of the stuff I hang and spray the parts then set them on the rack, or hang it from the rack to bake.

I know we started with weld on studs but, reading this thread, I’m interested in powdercoating… What kind of oven are you guys using? Something special or??

Yeah, that happens on forums like this :slightly_smiling_face:

I use a gun from Harbor Freight (it’s pretty equivalent to the Eastwood gun but cheaper). Not a pro gun but good for occasional hobby or even small commercial use. Good powder makes more difference than the gun once you get past the $75 mark.

For an oven, lots of folks repurpose home ovens - they’re pretty cheap on Craigslist or even Freecycled. I wanted a vertical orientation vs the flat rack approach. It had to be at least 2x2’ since I could cut that on the table :slightly_smiling_face: So I got an electric smoker (Masterbuilt I think - I’d have to go check :wink:) on sale on a Black Friday sale.

I drilled a hole in the center of the top and bolted in an eyebolt. I have a swivel snap attached to the eyebolt. I hook an S-hook in the swivel snap so it’s easy to pop a piece on to the hook and the swivel lets me get it set into the oven right without having to manipulate or handle the piece too much.

Mine works on 110V. A residential oven will need 240 although you can also get a propane or gas oven or smoker. (There are people who swear against gas or open flame due to the explosive potential of fine dust but most large commercial ovens I’ve seen are gas powered, you just need to ventilate your operation so dust & powder doesn’t build up.)

I picked up the Eastwood dual voltage powder coating gun. I looked for a cheap toaster oven, but found that the “powder coat” oven sold by Eastwood was the better value for size. It runs on 110V. With that said I have found myself wanting a bigger oven and will be on the lookout for a low buck Electric oven moving forward. (I have access to 220V electric in my shop).

I picked up a commercial oven from govdeals auction site for $100 a few years ago that came out of a school, it was 3 phase but had someone re wire it for single phase 220 and it has been working ever since and has a 28x28x28 inch heating area and will hold 400 deg F all day.

Over the weekend I had a builder buddy give me a normal oven out of a remodel he was doing. I can bake bigger things now :grinning:

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So I’m a better welder than CNC plasma guy. Lol. But when I want to attach a stud like that, I drill a hole through the work piece smaller than the diameter of the bolt head…or stud head. Then I plug weld it from the face side and grind it flush. I feel like i get a cleaner look over all that way. I don’t think you’d have any powder coating issues using that method.

unfortunately I’m not a great welder. My plug welds are 50/50 on goose pooh and burn through :rofl:
Something like a 3/8" or 1/2" dia bolt I might be ok but a #10 or 1/4" I’m going to make a mess.

You could always braze them. it’s a little easier and you’ll get the feel quickly

I was going to recommend the same thing.