How can you tell the difference between paint, and powercoat?

[george graves]

As the title says.

How can you tell the difference between paint, and power coat?

Is there any tests? I assume like paint, power coat can be dissolved with acetone - so no go there. Neither should react with alcohol.

How can you tell the two apart?

[nando]

I don't think you can dissolve powdercoat. it's pretty impervious to most things.

[LJ851]

As the title says.

How can you tell the difference between paint, and power coat?

Is there any tests? I assume like paint, power coat can be dissolved with acetone - so no go there. Neither should react with alcohol.

How can you tell the two apart?

Powder coat is more impervious to chemicals, but is easily removed with quality paint stripper like "aircraft remover"

Automotive grade catalyzed paint is also pretty damn tough, but most parts on a car are not painted with the quality of paint the exterior has on it.

Most paints will react to brake fluid, powder coat should be stable.

Powder coat has a more plastic-y feel to it and is very dense, paint is more brittle and less tough.

Whatever test you try, do it where you cant see it !

[TobyB]

paint is more brittle and less tough

this. Whack it with a hammer. The paint will chip first.

I have found some powder coat is very resistant to aircraft stripper, too.
And media blasting doesn't make much of a dent on it, either....

t

[AndrewBird]

Acetone will not do anything to powder coat. Powdercoat is essentially plastic. It is a powder sprayed on that is then melted on with an oven. Most solvents won't hurt it.

[bastianshaw]

About the only thing that removes powder is methalyene chloride; nasty stuff, it burns you on contact and is said to be a carcinogen

to answer the ops question...Its tough after looking at both for a long time I still have trouble telling. Sometimes ots obvious and to me the powder looks more like a baked on enamel...which it is.