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Clear Powder Over Polished Brass

We are thinking of going to a clear powder coating over our polished brass hardware components. What is the preferred method of stripping the powder off of rejects?

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Q. We are thinking of going to a clear powder coating over our polished brass hardware components. What is the preferred method of stripping the powder off of rejects? We are located in California and have very restrictive VOC limits.–J.K.

A. There are several options that could work. I would look into a chemical strip product since you do not want emissions and are working with a heat-sensitive substrate material. Check out pfonline.com for a list of companies that supply chemical stripping agents and to search for powder coating stripping products. There are a few around that are effective and environmentally sound that could work out well. Be aware that brass is a very porous material and will trap gases and liquids in the surface. An ultrasonic cleaner would be useful for removal of the impurities after stripping and before coating. Be sure to run samples, as there is a risk of generating pin-holes and other imperfections in the brass if you leave any impurities on the surface after the strip process. 

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