Hey everyone!!

Happy New Year!!

I'm restoring a 1981 Bianchi and will be sending the frame off to be powder coated once I find a local sandblaster or media blaster service. Note I won't be sending my fork as it's a chrome fork in great shape! My questions to the community is what what should I avoid blasting and powder coating on the frame? I'm assuming that I don't want the inside of the head tube, seat tube and bottom bracket coated? What about threaded parts like fender and rack eyelets, bottle cage attachments and derailleur hanger?

For those who are interested, once blasted, my current plan is to get a single colour (white) powder coated followed by a clear powder coated layer to add some shine and protection. I will spray the inside of the frame once I get it back with a JP Weigles Frame Saver. Any other tips that I should know before going forward with the plan.

Thanks!

I think all good powder coaters will also do the blasting as part of the quote for the powder coat....at least that has been my experience locally when contemplating powder coating ymmv

My powder coated sand blasts the entire frame. I’m not sure if he uses silica sand or glass bead - I’ll have ask him. I know he plugs the head tube and bottom bracket area when he applies the powder coat. I think he just powder coats the bottle cage screws, and the fender and rack mounts on the rear triangle. I think he masked the ends of my cantilever posts. After the powder coating bakes, he takes a metric tap to clean the powder coating out of the threaded parts mentioned above. Powder coating is quite thick so not running a tap through these M5 threaded areas would mean that your water bottle and rack/fender bolts would give you much difficulty threading.

If they haven't done bikes before - run away. I was assured they could handle the job even after I expressed my concerns, and I had to have every thread chased and every opening honed as they didn't mask well enough. Luckily, my LBS took pity on me and didn't charge to get my frame cleaned up.

+1
Coating bike frames requires a bit of specialized knowledge and talent. In addition to the concerns noted above, most industrial coaters have no concern for keeping lug shorelines crisp.
BTW chrome parts can be safely blasted with industrial baking soda or walnut shells.
Here's a recent (extensive) thread on the subject.

Take it to a reputable shop that does a lot of bikes, like Seattle Powder Coat. They will media blast it, too.

You don't want just any old guy spraying a ton of powdered gunk on a nice bike's lugwork.

I agree and yet I am having trouble finding a local person who has experience with both. If anyone out there reading this knows someone in the Vancouver, BC, Canada area then please let me know!

Thanks a lot!! I'll check em out!

A lot of coaters are allergic to masking.
It's just a difference in approach.