I am getting ready to weld up a fence for my home and
am considering powder coating it. Unless I get ambitious
and build a giant oven (thanks to the great design pointers
I've seen here!), I'll probably have the sections done by a
local company that is equipped for large items. I've
heard prices between $5 and $10 per foot for fences and
railings, which sounds reasonable.

The problem comes during installation: after welding the
sections together, I would need to touch up the powder coat.

Is this feasible? What heat sources would be suitable?
Can you get a good match (assuming the same powder) between
the original and the touch-up? What do the "big boys" do
on jobs like this?

As an alternative, what brand and type (available in
California) of paint would be best for this kind of
outdoor use? I don't want to have to be repainting it
every few years.

Thanks,
Alan