I have reclaimed all of my blasting, painting, etc equipment from various friends shops and am looking to start cerakoting some of my stuff. Have most things tackled but, I am having a couple issues, and any help would be appreciated.
Initial surface prep/old finish removal, GTG here. Skat blast cabinet using approximately 145 mesh glass media, it is turning out a nice matte style metal base. This unfortunately leads to the first problem.
Final surface cleaning, NIC recommends to do a final wipedown with acetone for degrease / clean. My problem is I continue to have lint / stringies on the parts. I have tried several types of supposedly lint free cloths, residue free tack cloths and just dunking the parts in acetone, the Cerokote lays so thin that little stuff that I can ignore while painting or powdercoating shows up like a zit on a prom queens ass. Can anyone suggest an approach for eliminating this?
The next problem is this paint guns, I have tried siphon touch up guns (lays on too thick), air brushes (starts to cure in gun before can get finish fully applied), so I called NIC on this, they recommend an 8 oz HVLP touch up gun running a 0.8mm nozzle, but the rep said not to buy an expensive gun, as the Cerokote will trash it. So, does anyone know a good, cheap ( I know its an oxymoron) HVLP touch up gun with a 0.8mm nozzle, that I won’t get queasy pitching in 3-4 months?
Other than that I am GTG, I have my little oven in my garage and access to three others increasing in size, upto being able to fit a jeep frame in:eek:
Les is a great guy who painted aircraft, vehicles, etc. professionally before he started painting firearms. He is an excellent shooter with an extensive background having attend some of the best schools and firearm instructors in the country. Thus, a strong appreciation for the quality that his customers demand.
I checked out that website and I have to admit that I really like some of those camo patterns, particularly the marpat but even the tiger stripes and snakeskins are amazing.
I don’t condone using HVLP guns to paint firearms. I have done several ARs with small Badger airbrushes and it works the best. I have no experience with Cerakote but I do with Duracoat and the small airbrush is best for nooks and crannies. I always spray in them first and then once that’s done come back away and lay on a broader heavier coating.
As far as lint and dust, blast the hell out of the surface with an air blower attachment on your airhose. Make sure you have a water trap on your compressor.
I think 145 glass beads is too fine and the wrong media. I know that DC and the others recommend 90 grit Aluminum Oxide.
If you used 90 grit Aluminum Oxide, you’ll have the correct texture for an AR or most other parkerized/anodized guns and then when you spray, it’s not a problem when you don’t have a perfectly even coat- it will be just right.
Using that NIC recommends, for guinea pig is an 870 and the airbrush is great for the nooks, but for the large flat areas it did not work so hot. WIll be attacking it again soon, so will see what works the best.
I should have said that the small airbrush I use isn’t one of those shitty single stage Testor’s sprayers. It’s a double action Badger. You push down for air and pull back for flow.
You can easily stay back far enough that a pretty far pull on the flow lever will give you a very good coverage pattern and you won’t find that the brush feels too small…
Ah, I was using a single stage unit. Looks like I will be able to get the 870 blasted and prepped again tomorrow. Will post pics and then will beat on it a bit.
If it is too smooth will get a more aggressive media to use, my problem is I do not want to go too aggressive and end up etching the metal down.