Here's the square tube with...
Here's the square tube with half of it powder-coated black (left) and the uncoated portion (right). Powdercoating will ensure a longer lifespan thanks to corrosion and scratch protection. It also gives parts a clean look that's easy to clean and maintain.
Place the covered product in an oven that has been preheated to 400 degrees-an electric oven is required; do not use a gas oven. Most pieces take approximately 10 minutes of baking, with larger parts requiring upwards of 20 minutes. Check the oven every 5 minutes to see if the powder has flowed out, which is when the powder turns to a gel or gloss form. Remove the part from the oven once it is fully cured. Let the part cool down, and put it back into service.
The entire process took us approximately 45 minutes, which included reading the instructions and starting with a fairly clean product. Dedi-cating a day to coating can yield dozens of coated parts. Those parts will endure a long service life as well as add great looks to other-wise boring components.
Safety First
We don't want to scare anyone, but there are some warnings that need to be brought to your attention. It cannot be stressed enough-only use an oven that is not slated for food preparation. The type of oven is important as well, as it cannot be a gas-heated unit.
Another safety tip is to perform this task in a ventilated room or garage. Our baking process ended with some smoke billowing from the oven, so we opened the garage door for fresh air. Do not perform this process in an explosive atmosphere, such as around flammable liquids, gases, or dust.