Powder coat vs Stainless

[MI3GTO]

Folks I have been looking around for a good A frame at reasonable money for a SR4 and drawn a blank. Part of the problem being carriage to NI is as bad as the unit price itself.

While I have access to benders for SS tube the welding will prove more of a problem (and cost). So has anyone any experience or comments on fabricating a steel tube A frame and then powder coating? Steel tube is a lot easier to bend in a neat curve, easy to notch and a lot easier to weld with a MIG to give a neat clean strong finish. By powder coating it provides a secure finish but how does it stand up to use in sea water and what do you think about appearance? Colour coding to boat? What other ways are about to finish steel tubing for use at sea? Any drawings or plans about showing sizes etc. Any designs?

[biffer]

Powered coating always comes off eventually. Stainless is the best option

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[Courageous]

The seas are littered with bits of flaked off powder coating.

Wot Biff said!

[ashbypower]

Originally Posted by biffer

Powered coating always comes off eventually. Stainless is the best option

sent from a remote device

+ 1

We have in the workshop a 5 year old Diving compressor which is powder coated and had very little use, more Flakes than a '99 ice cream and has never been near the sea!!!.... stainless every time on a boat for me..

[Ruari 29]

I had an ex-Raf "towel warmer" as an a-frame it was galvanised, horrible to touch and corroding. I prepared & painted with black hamerite until I could afford a stainless one.
Stainless all the way! Will last longer

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[diverbert]

Stainless of aluminium is ok and you can get stainles pre bend corners direct you only need to weld them.
they come in 45' 90' etc etc. and there will be a workshop in NI to weld those? isnt there?

you can come over to holland and i can arrange it for you.

lots of succes

reg
bert

[jyasaki]

I have a hard time believing that welders there have that much trouble welding stainless. The bending problem I can see, but here in the SF Bay Area, stainless welding goes roughly the same rate as welding mild steel.

Aluminum will work for an A-frame, but you want thick walled material, and etching and powder-coating will prevent the rough powdery coating that inevitably forms on aluminum (which won't hurt all that much but isn't pleasant to look at or touch.) You also want to design it so vibrational movement is mitigated; aluminum will tend to stress-crack if it's allowed to repeatedly flex.

I'd go stainless if at all possible.

jky

[Mollers]

Our's is in non-marine 2" Ally with quality orange powder coating. Looks dead smart. Keep it simple, the lugs were an unwanted add-on c/o the fabricator.

We kept it low and braced as it's a wakeboard tug.

[9D280]

Powder coating is fine until the water gets in behind it, which is inevitable.

I have an ally frame. Self anodising! Having said that it's not anything like as shiny as a stainless one, but until I get the toobs sorted it doesn't look too out of place!

[MI3GTO]

Today got price for 316 polished stainless tube @ 31mm and 50mm x 6mt long 31mm was £8 a meter and 50mm was £12 per meter so looks like SS is way to go. Welding I have asked at a local engineering shop and they will TIG it for me if I cut all the parts and do the bending etc. so looks like a go thanks for all the info

[kitten]

Do a search for dairy bends, you will find all the stainless bends you could ever want

[two stroke mick]

Mollers

Can you please post additional photos of that A frame. with particular attention to the fixings at the feet

Regards

TSM