My wife wanted to buy a powder coated Yeti off Etsy for $65 dollars. I suggested we make our own with a harbor freight powder coating system ($52).

Step 1: Supplies

Powder coating works by electrostatically charging paint particles so they stick to metal objects. I created a base out of an electrical box extension, cover plate, and a piece of wood wrapped in foil. This is what you attach your GROUND wire to.

Step 2: How It Works

The footswitch controls when the tip of the spray nozzle is energized.

Powder coating uses very low air pressure (between 10-20 psi). I read online that a sweet spot is when you blow your hand the skin barley moves in.

Powder coating is extremely forgiving and easy to clean up. A simple cardboard box makes a great spray booth.

Step 3: Apply the Paint

This is my first time ever powder coating and the results were amazing. I found the angle of the sprayer made a huge difference (spray with the top of the hopper parallel to the ground).

The basic process is:

Ground your object with the alligator clip.
Step on the foot pedal to energize the tip.
Point the nozzle of the sprayer about 8-10 inches from the object being coated.
Squeeze the trigger to apply smooth even coats.
When it's completely covered move over to the oven.

Step 4: Bake at 400 Degrees for 15-20 Minutes.

You shouldn’t use your kitchen oven to cook the paint. We got an old toaster oven and turned it on it’s size so the stainless steel cups would fit.

Step 5: Source for Cheap Paint

I called a local powder coating shop and asked to buy a few ounces of hot pink. They ended up giving me this whole bag they had leftover from another job.