If you are restoring a car, you may be thinking about having parts of the vehicle powder coated. This is a process that coats metal with a much more durable finish than paint. Powder coating works great on car frames and chassis, engine parts and more. It can also be used to make non-automotive items look great and to nicely restore general household antiques.
Since a powder coated finish has to be oven cured, some shops can only handle small parts, but Statewide Custom Powder Coating in New London has a 20-foot long curing oven that can handle large car parts. Statewide Custom Powder Coating is a family-run small business, but its 10,000-square-foot facility and curing oven (big enough to hold a car frame) make it special to car collectors.
Located just east of New London on a road lined with farms and foliage, Statewide Custom Powder Coating began as an idea that owners Jeff and Jodi Maney turned into a reality about seven years ago. It is a batch type operation, which allows customers to customize their projects, whether they involve a single piece run or a large quantity run. Jeff prefers the small business atmosphere that allows him to give customers personal attention and make them feel welcome.
Statewide Custom Powder Coating currently employs two full-time employees -Mike and Travis. Both of the workers have experience in painting, plus the knowledge needed to prep a piece for finish. Chazz Maney, Jeff and Jodi’s son, works part-time. There’s also Sammy, the dog, who loves to ride forklifts and greet customers.
Statewide Custom Powder Coating powder coats many of the classic cars that are restored in area restoration shops, such as Gunner’s Great Garage in Manawa. Statewide has powder coated frames for a 1940 Dodge pickup truck and a rare 1960 Daimler SP250 sports car. Frames for two early 1950s MG TdDs have been media blasted and will soon be powder coated after repairs by another shop. The company also does a lot of work for local racing car drivers.
Many people ask, “What is different about powder coating?”
Powder coating is a type of coating that is applied as a free-flowing, dry powder. The difference between a conventional liquid paint and a powder coating is that the powder coating does not require a solvent to keep the binder and filler parts in a liquid suspension form. The coating is applied electro-statically and afterwards it is cured at 450 degrees. This allows it to flow out and form a “skin.” The skin creates a hard finish that is more durable than conventional paint.
Statewide Custom Powder Coating’s building allows the company to handle large and small jobs with no scheduling backups. The concept of using size to insure good customer service is also reflected by a large 8x10x 20-foot. paint spray booth and the 20-foot long curing oven. Statewide Custom Powder Coating also does the media blasting of many of the parts it restores before it powder coats them. The firm has a wide variety of customers ranging from Industrial Equipment to Jodi Maney’s own Antique Treasures.
At Statewide there is always something different coming in the door. A lot of the workflow depends on what time of year it is. For instance, January and February are the busiest time of year for racing car chassis, while winter seems to be the preferred time of year for doing motorcycle frames and parts. Owners like to take their projects apart then and have them ready to go for the summer.
Statewide Custom Powder Coating has been involved with many automotive restoration projects, such as a 1957 Chevy truck chassis. They are able to powder coat any metal substrate in any color or texture a customer wants. Colors can also be customized to match a customer’s specific project.
If your next restoration project – automotive or otherwise – involves a piece of metal, take it to Statewide Custom Powder Coating and you’ll be very pleased with the final results. You can visit their website at www.statewidecoating.com.