We get asked frequently what pieces of equipment newer shops should upgrade as their business grows. This is a tough question to answer because everyone’s business model is a little bit different. However, this list covers some items that we feel you’ll get the value out of the cost for the upgrade.
- Iwata LPH 80
- The LPH 80 is going to give you the most consistent finish of any gun used in this industry. It will also give you the largest margin for error. The LPH 80 is more precise than any of the cheaper guns that many people start out using.
- Air Dryer
- An air dryer system is basically a mini-fridge type of system that takes the hot air from your compressor and instantly drops the temperature to typically 35°. By flash cooling the air, you remove any moisture that may end up in your air system. This does two things: 1) it keeps water droplets out of your coating and 2) it keeps your air system from rusting.
- Commercial-Sized Sand Blast Cabinet
- One of the main bottlenecks in the Cerakote process is sandblasting. A more robust sandblast cabinet will increase the efficiency of your prep, which translates to better time management and a better final product.
- Larger Oven
- We recommend a purpose-built oven for this industry. At the end of the day, the oven is just a large metal box that can hold the temperature that we need to bake the Cerakote. The oven should include sufficient space to hang multiple projects, a circulating fan, and some type of metal grid system to hang your projects while they bake. We have two ovens in our shop. One is 6’ X 4’ X 3’ and the other is 6’ X 6’ X 4’. The smaller oven is our “tack oven/polymer oven” and runs at 180° throughout the day. The larger oven is designated for final bake of mostly metal projects and normally runs at 250°. We know of several shops who have started out using smokers and smaller ovens, which is fine; however, having a smaller oven limits you on the size of the projects you can complete in one batch. A larger oven increases your efficiency.
- Compressor
- At the end of the day, this industry all comes down to air. As you get busier, it becomes more important that you have a heavy-duty compressor that can keep up with your shop’s air demands. Another factor to keep in mind, especially with off-the-shelf compressors, is that they are not generally designed to run non-stop several days a week. In the long run, a more durable industrial compressor will cost you less than the constant maintenance issues and project do-overs due to air contamination.