Best Finish For Chip Beds?

[defensiblespace]

I'm having a welder finish up with making a new chip bed for my truck in the next couple days. I was hoping to get it powder coated, but then I realized that it might be too large since powder coats need to finish in an oven. So I am wondering, what is the best finish to preserve and protect that chip bed for the long haul. I want something that looks nice, doesn't have to be redone frequently and protects against rust and the elements.

 

[TC262]

I lined my bed floor with hdpe plastic. A 4x8 sheet from menards is around $55. Seems to be holding up great and the chips slide out nicely. It will probably hold moisture between the floor and plastic sheets and rot out quicker but I was having trouble with chips sticking in the box.

 

[imagineero]

I paint mine yearly with hammertone finish which is an industrial style paint for tooling/machinery. I just roll it on with a house roller and do two coats, it takes about an hour on my 13 cube bin. Leave it as long as you can to harden up after painting, a week is ideal. Costs me less than $80 to do the whole bin including the rollers.

If you haven't done so yet, adding 45 degree chamfer plates to your bin greatly extends the life of the bin, prevents chip piling up, and costs very little. Have a metal shop guillotine some 1/8 sheet about 8" wide. I've had my bin 10+ years and will probably need to re-skin the front in another 2 or 3 years. Do the mid rails with a smaller size of you have mid rails. You will never climb in there to knock the chip off and it will rust otherwise.

 

[capetrees]

Line-X

 

[defensiblespace]

After doing some research, I think I'm going with Line X. Thanks capetrees.

 

[defensiblespace]

I'm also getting the chamfered sides as imagineero suggested.

 

[OLD OAK]

I have heard line x does not allow things to slide out verry well.

 

[defensiblespace]

Apparently they make a smooth surface option. I am going to check it out before I commit.

 

[treebilly]

I'm glad I read this. It reminded me to talk to the line-x guy. I'm hoping to get a new chip body and want to protect the investment.

 

[Single_Shooter]

I have the sticking chip issue as well. An old timer here told me they used to spray their bed with diesel fuel to get the chips to slide out better. Another guy told me he uses something they call mud-off...apparently it keeps mud from sticking to their mud trucks so he tried it and says it works pretty good and isn't too expensive.

I like the chamfered sides idea - need to try that to keep it from packing into the bottom corners. MIne just gets a small pile stuck at the front of the box so we clean it out with shovels once in a while.

 

[Ferguson system]

I'd use owatrol oil as a primer to prevent rust and 2 layers of enamel paint mixed with a dash of owatrol oil. Use a brush or roll it on.