Originally Posted by
Chombi
Never had anything powder coated before, but I've heard that it's good not to let the coating into any threads or threaded holes, as you will have a hard time threading anything on to the frame (bottom brackets, rear derailleur mounts, water bottle mounting bolts, fender and rack stays on rear dropouts,.....etc..).
Yes, that's correct. Add things like canti studs and fork crown to the list of things to mask off. It's a hassle to remove the powder coat from those areas if they're not masked off, but it's not an insurmountable problem. Chasing with a tap or die should clean up threads pretty easily. I've used a utility knife, emory board, and sandpaper for non-threaded spots.
I had a frame & fork blasted and powder coated locally for $50 this past spring. They did a decent enough job, especially considering the price tag. I've got a few other projects (bikes and other stuff) to send their way.