What Masking Supplies To Start With | Powder Coating Tips
Echo Engineering & Production Supplies, Inc.
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When you’re just getting started in the world of powder coating, one important factor in ensuring a high-quality finish is proper masking. Masking supplies help protect areas of your parts that you don’t want coated, allowing you to achieve clean, professional results.
Whether you're working on small or large items, investing in the right masking supplies from the start is key. But what should you purchase first? To help you get started, we put together this list of essential masking supplies that can typically be used across a variety of applications.
Masking Tapes
Masking tape is one of the most versatile masking products to get first, making it a must-have for any powder coating job. Look for high-temperature masking tape that can withstand the heat of the curing oven without melting or leaving residue behind. The most commonly used masking tape by powder coaters that we recommend starting with is green poly masking tape.
Based on order history, the most commonly used sizes to go with first would be:
Masking Caps and Plugs
Next up, you’ll likely want to invest in silicone caps and plugs to protect threads, openings, and surfaces that need to remain paint free. Made from heat-resistant silicone, this is the material of choice for powder coaters due to its high-temperature resistance (600F) that is necessary for high heat curing processes.
Silicone is a durable material, which means that most silicone caps and plugs can be reused multiple times, especially when they’re maintained and cleaned.
Silicone Tapered Plugs
Silicone tapered plugs (sometimes referred to as push plugs or rubber stoppers) are perfect for masking blind-holes and threaded areas during powder coating. Their flexible, tapered design allows them to fit a wide range of sizes, providing a secure seal to keep powder from coating unwanted areas.
If you’re just getting started and unsure what sizes you need, we recommend investing in a silicone tapered plug masking kit, which includes a large selection of sizes to use and test out.
Silicone Pull Plugs
Silicone pull plugs are ideal for masking through-holes and other openings during powder coating. Their flexible design allows them to be easily inserted into holes, providing a tight seal to prevent powder from coating inside.
Masking Tip: The pull plug that will likely work best for your application will have an outside diameter (OD) that is 0.03” bigger than the inside diameter (ID) of the hole you’re masking.
If you’re just getting started and unsure what sizes you need, we recommend investing in a silicone pull plug masking kit.
Silicone Masking Caps
Silicone masking caps are designed to protect threaded areas, studs, or other small parts from powder coating. These caps fit securely over the ends of components, providing a tight seal to keep powder out of critical areas.
Made from durable, heat-resistant silicone, they can withstand the high temperatures of the curing oven without melting or leaving residue. Reusable and easy to apply, silicone masking caps are a reliable solution for ensuring clean, precise finishes on your powder-coated parts.
If you’re just getting started and unsure what sizes you need, we recommend investing in a silicone masking cap kit.
Conclusion
When starting out in powder coating, having the right masking supplies on hand is essential. Masking tape, caps, plugs, and hooks will help you maintain clean lines and precise finishes. Investing in quality masking tools and using them correctly, you’ll set yourself up for success and produce top-notch powder-coated parts every time.
Ready to get started? Echo Engineering can provide all your masking supply needs and more. We’re here to help you perfect your powder coating process!