Question about Tim's announcement

[WookieeGunner]

So Tim just announced that he is stopping the "Powder Coating with Machining afterwards". Does someone mind explaining what this means to me. I assume this means the partial powder coating option?

[fragrax]

I take it to mean that powder coating options from now on will be mostly limited to "Solid color".
E.G:
http://i1107.photobucket.com/albums/h398/fragrax/misc/Immagine.jpg~original

Am I understanding correctly?

[FenderBender]

That's correct.

[WookieeGunner]

Ok, that is what I was figuring too, just wanted to confirm.

[RobotCamel]

In Tim's post in the Official Store News section titled "The future of powder coating", he says that they will no long offer "powder coating that requires machining afterwards". I don't know much about the process of machining or powder coating, and I'm new to this site and making lightsabers in general. So, pardon my ignorance, but what does that include exactly? Does that include getting recessed switch holes drilled in a powder coated hilt? Or is it referring to the powder coat designs that have bare metal in addition to powder coating? I don't know if that's an afterwards machining thing, or if it's just masked out before if get powder coated?

The big reason I ask, is that I am looking to do a saber that would use hilt style 3 with matte black power coating and the bare metal grooves(SH32). As well as have a 12 or 16mm AV switch hold drilled in. So, if I can't get that style powder coating any more, is there a way I could do a solid powder coat and then scrape off the powder coating afterwards to get the bare metal grooves?

Also, I posted this question here because I didn't want to reply to that post and waste Tim's time - I'm hoping someone else might be able to answer.

Thanks!

[Silver Serpent]

You'll be able to sand off the PC if you're patient and careful. There are a few solvents that remove it as well, but it would be difficult to keep straight lines while applying it.

I don't believe this will affect your ability to get holes drilled in PC'd parts.

[Forgetful Jedi Knight]

Threads merged - FJK

[RobotCamel]

Thanks for the response Silver Serprent. Sorry for missing the existing thread Forgetful Jedi Knight.

[DarthRevanIsImmortal]

I think I'm going to hold off ordering my parts until the powder coating options are back again.. was looking forward to getting them though.

[Lilac]

This is really bad news...
I don't understand why they aren't just adjusting prices to to control demand.

[Silver Serpent]

Probably because Tim doesn't have enough hours in the day to do all of the custom powder coating that we request. TCSS isn't a big company. Pretty much any custom work you have done, was done by his hands.

[Strydur]

SS is exactly right. I could raise the price on the custom powder coating to offset the time involved but the issue is not getting paid for the time as much as just not having the time.

[Bark]

Joke post: Set it to $100,000. If you actually get an order at that price, you can always skip sleep to get that money.

[shon31]

This is very unfortunate news as I really like some of the post coated options. Any chance we can clone some more Tim's...

No well how about a couple of tutorials for removing the powder coating for us newbs.

Still think the cloning thing has merit though.

I mean it keeps with the Star Wars theme and everything.