Painting Transformer Bells?

I have a VTA kit on pre order and want to paint the transformer end bells. I want to paint the laminated section with satin black and have the end bells powder coated a glossy color. The instructions say to swap bolts on the transformers so they don't get paint on them but didn't say if you can remove the bells. I figured you could replace the bolts after the bells were removed to protect the transformer.

Is there any reason the bells can't be removed to get them powder coated?

Thanks, Ed

98indypacer wrote:I have a VTA kit on pre order and want to paint the transformer end bells. I want to paint the laminated section with satin black and have the end bells powder coated a glossy color.  The instructions say to swap bolts on the transformers so they don't get paint on them but didn't say if you can remove the bells. I figured you could replace the bolts after the bells were removed to protect the transformer.

Is there any reason the bells can't be removed to get them powder coated?

Thanks, Ed

No reason at all. The bells are held on by the bolts and have the wires threaded through holes on the bottom.

Bob Latino wrote:The only potential problem with taking the transformer bells off is on the power transformer. You have different colored wires coming out of TWO holes. Make sure that those wires come out of the same holes that they came out of before you took off the bottom transformer bell. Another caution > do NOT twist any wires until they have been pushed through the correct hole. After the wires are through the correct hole > then they can be twisted.

Bob

Thank you for the tips, Bob!

I did just that.

Had all the bells powder coated, and painted laminations satin. Just be careful with your naked transformers, and cover the windings and wires when painting. While the bells are being powder coated lock the naked transformers away so they dont have an accident. I used some temporary screws and nuts when painting. That being said, you can likely keep the bottom on the power transformer as it is under the chassis. I also had the powder coater mask the back of the bells and only coat the exterior. If you do the chassis, make sure to keep your screw holes on the underside masked too, so you can make a solid ground connection to chassis.

Rec wrote:I did just that.

Had all the bells powder coated, and painted laminations satin. Just be careful with your naked transformers, and cover the windings and wires when painting. While the bells are being powder coated lock the naked transformers away so they dont have an accident. I used some temporary screws and nuts when painting.  That being said, you can likely keep the bottom on the power transformer as it is under the chassis. I also had the powder coater mask the back of the bells and only coat the exterior. If you do the chassis, make sure to keep your screw holes on the underside masked too, so you can make a solid ground connection to chassis.

Thank you for the tips on protecting the underside of the chassis to ensure a good ground without having to remove the powder coat. I was think about powder coating the top panel on the new design chassis and was concerned that the powder coat might make the screw holes smaller. Have any pictures of your build you can share?

I had them coated by a professional, he laughed at my masking tape. I showed him where I wanted the masking. The screws all fit.

Looks great! Thank you for sharing!!

The ST-70 was my first attempt at powder coating - I'm happy with how they came out.  I left the bottom bell on the power transformer as it's hidden when the amp is assembled. Never thought of painting the transformer laminations - should have done that in hindsight.



Other build pics and photos of the powder coating process are at: https://pmanning.smugmug.com/Electronics/VTATube4hifi-ST-70-Amplifier

For the M-125 transformers I went with red


Photos of the M-125 transformers are at: https://pmanning.smugmug.com/Electronics/M-125s  (I haven't finished the M-125s yet as I want to powder coat the chassis, too, and haven't gotten to do so.  And also need to refinish one of the transformers that my feline lab assistant knocked off a high shelf and dented up.  He's in the last pictures in the gallery, showing zero guilt over the carnage he's wrought.     One of these years I'll get back to it...)

-Pat

Pat, thank you for sharing your builds. I like the red bells on your M125!