Just wondering if anyone has had something like ultrafire 501bs powdercoated before. I have the opportunity to get a batch of flashlights done for free and I have a bunch of 501s with shitty finish that I’m thinking of playing with. I’m a little concerned with how the fine knurling is going to look after the powder and wondering if it would be better to machine the finish off with a metal lathe first to get a nice smooth surface.
Hes got over 200 colors to choose from so any suggestions so far the only thing I’m set on is one traffic cone orange!
I have a customer now & again that wants powder coat... I do my best to talk them out of it as I personally just don't like the finished product. BUT... some insist and I have a guy that does a good job. He puts the coating on as thin as possible and even with nice deep knurling it still softens the finish too much for me to like it. Pour some pancake syrup on a plate.... lay a fork in it and then pick the fork up and watch the syrup.... that's the exact thing that happens when they cook the powder. It flows and pretty much self levels. So, it simply fills the knurling.
If I don't anodize, my second favorite coating is Cerakote. It seals up the metal, leaves 99% of the details and can be flat or semi-gloss. I prefer the semi-gloss. I do my own Cerakote. There are two kinds... air cure and bake cure... I bake my lights. I find the bake to just be tougher than the air cure.
For Powder coat, I would remove the knurling. I find that a nice rounded bottom groove for a texture gives what ...I.... think the best decoration under powder coat. If you can do a trial run I sure suggest it before the actual light... powder coat as you know is almost "Forever" ... I have sandblasted some off but it's really hard to do without destroying the base material. ... Worth mentioning... a checker texture like you typically see on a gun works fairly well IF your guy will put the powder on as thin as possible. 
It leaves room for the syrup to land.
Hope this helps. Dan.