Anyone have a source for DOW 9 coating?

Basically you're fucked, I've tried finding companies for over year that could do DOW coatings and either they don't have the DOW 9 coating or they won't do it. Did you already strip the original DOW coating? If not I would suggest to sand it lightly, clear paint it and paint it with the color you would like it to have. I have done the same thing to my HRC rear wheel hub and this way (with the clear paint first) the color paint won't react to the DOW coating or the material it self.

So when I google Dow 9 and this place pops up first, they told you to f' off? I can imagine some of these places are set up for large quantity production.

http://www.saporitofinishing.com/processes/magnesium-aluminum#dow9

Here's a good guide for the different types of Magnesium treatments: http://techplate.com/magnesium_processes.htm

It's interesting to note that the Dow9 (type IV) is dark brown to black in color. All the coatings or processes provide no better than "Fair" corrosion resistance. But all seem to be intended to protect the Mag until it can be painted or protected otherwise. Seems to be a primer of sorts...

Note that Dow 19 is a chromic-acid BRUSH ON and does the same thing as the Dow9 pretty much. Maybe you could dip the hub in Dow 19 and get good results...

Are you trying to match the factory coating or just trying to treat the Mag so you can paint it?

EDIT: anyway, if you can go with Dow 1, 7 or 19, then call Plating for Electronics in Waltham. 781-893-2368 and talk to Pete Gigliotti. They're closed on Fridays though...

I would think Rob Boucher could help you out. He seems to do some dry film coating, unsure what it is exactly but maybe he would have some leads. I know he cures it himself in an oven from what I read in his posts. I've tried to PM him but was unable. Have you looked into what MSC offers, maybe an off the shelf product that can be dome in house ? Might not be exact though, just thinking out loud. Will have to look into this for my projects as well as for shop use here at work.

Was this source tried ? Seems close to Newmann :
http://www.metcoat.com/dry-solid-film-lubricants.htm

Good luck !

Bumping this post, curious as to the outcome. I may look into this as well for both personal projects and shop use at work.

OK as I was in the shop working and giving this some though I just remembered a local supplier for
Telfon type coatings. Maybe they would have something like what the OP is looking for.
They did some coating for us on bronze bakery dies we made up a decade ago, they are still out there,
ask for Carlo :

http://releasecoatings.ca/english/

If you need any help with it let me know Sarge.

Might be worth trying this company in the UK: http://tpcs-magnesium-refurbs.co.uk/

The guy who runs it used to work for Dymag, a British company who manufacture magnesium wheels. When they refurbish mag wheels they paint strip, crack check and re chromate before painting so might be a ble to help with what you need. I guess you are going for the unpainted works look which would be a bare chromate finish of some kind.

As you probably know magnesium is very susceptible to corrosion and you really need to restore the chromate finish, I would personally try to avoid just having them painted as they will corrode under the paint. I have a pair of magnesium street bike wheels that have been painted without the chromate finish being restored, even though they havent been outside of my garage corrosion has started to bubble through the paint. They are heading to TPCS for the proper treatment in the new year!

All GREAT info above !

Just throwing this out there it hasn't been mentioned already :

http://www.kgcoatings.com/coating-protective-products.php

Contact Fountain Plating in West Springfield , MA. they do MOST of the old Dow coatings!!!!!

POC David Michaud
492 Prospect Ave, West Springfield, MA 01089
(413) 781-4651