I've restored several bikes before, but never one where I'd have to powder coat the spokes.

Should I powder coat the spokes and the rim and hub individually and then assemble the whole wheel? I'm worried about cracking the coating.

From your experience, what is the best way to do it?

Also if the existing spokes are in generally good condition, should I just give them a once over with the sand blaster and recoat? Or should I get new ones?

Thanks for all of your help. I'll hopefully get around to posting some progress (or lack thereof) shots soon.

email (option): berryman.brian@gmail.com

I did rims and spokes separately. For the spokes I made a jig of two 1 meter strips :



Rims were double-coated in RAL 6014, but the spokes have be single-coated, otherwise you get problems with lacing then in the hubs, DAMHIK...
I used new galvanized spokes, that were lightly grit blasted; stainless could be used but I have no experience with powder-coating them.

email (option): viaconsu [at] planet'dot'nl

The last time i tried this i had problems getting the powdered spokes through the hub holes, i think modern powder coating is a lot thicker than the old stove enameling. You end up drilling the powder out of the hub flange holes, this then rusts.
I have in the past had the whole wheel spokes rim and hub powdered as one, i leave all spoke nipples loose. After they are powdered i change the nipples to new nickel plated nipples and true the wheel. This looks ace on a pre war bike but no good for a all colour WD wheel. Problems powdering the whole wheel is that if you have to true the wheel after you have a job breaking the powder bond between the rim and the nipple.
If you are going to powder the parts separately make sure you have the clearance between the hub flange holes and the nipple holes in the rim.

Tim W

email (option): t.j.walker@btinternet.com

why bother, the army never did this,just enamel paint,i mount mine in workmate,spin wheel and spray the lot,even a bit of the tyre!

I always build the wheel, or have it done professionally, all trued and everything. Then the very last thing to do is have it stove enamelled or powder coated. Never use tyre levers putting the tyre on just fairy liquid, just a smidges, and pray you never get a puncture ever!

I also had this situation. I checked that the spokes were secure and the wheels ran true. I sent them to a Powder Coating Shop in Hethel Norfolk. They blasted the complete wheels along with lots of other stuff which had 3-5 coats of paint added, all in states of flaking and powder coated the lot. Great job. Took all the rust and old coats of paint off. Left it like new. The company need to take all the old paint off so that when they put the parts in the oven to bake the old paint does not melt and congeal with the new powder. I have since changed the colour and have used Synthetic paint, again the powder coated surface just needed a rub with scouring pad and the new paint applied and all has turned out well. N.B. Do not have fuel tank, oil tank or other parts that have had solder added to fix a damaged surface. This will melt in the baking process and leave you with big problems. Hope this helps. Just my experiences.

email (option): araine

Thanks for the advice, guys.

The wheels are in good shape and run true (as far as I can tell). I may give it a go and try sandblasting the whole thing at once and send it on to powder coating.

email (option): berryman.brian@gmail.com