With much investigating from gun forums about weapons coatings, I decided to use DuraCoat. The color I chose was HK 91 Black. I believe it is the closes to Senator black. I started off with basic hot water and Dawn bath to remove most of the crude. Then a quick Simple Green bath with scrub. Next off to the ultra sonic cleaner with Dawn.
Some parts had several cycles and sanding to smooth out imperfection. I used BrakeKleen to remove any oil / grease residue. I order a kit from Laur Custom Weaponry. The research paid off from others on there technique. Last follow the MFG instructions . After a little trial and error using light coats all was well. Very please with the results. For how durable it will be , only time will tell? One last thing I did purchase was Duracoats Adhesion promoter for the side plates. There is a very long cure time. So do not be in a hurry the assemble parts.
The victim/donor parts were a mess.
https://www.lauerweaponry.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=category.display&category_ID=1089 (https://www.lauerweaponry.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=category.display&category_ID=1089)
I didn't take a before pic of this 9/0 . But I think it turned out well for one that was neglected.
Last the frame that stared it all, a lonely 112h BlueFin that started this project. For it will probably never see any aluminum sideplates nor the red frame to the left (purchase from R Pauly). Besides the old red plates really clashed. The black duracoat plates look awesome to me.
Here's a close up on raw aluminum bars.
It looks terrific and that is some high-tech paint can. Let us know how it does on the boat rash test.
-steve
Very interesting and well done!
Always looking for an alternative to re-chroming as its so expensive and the prep work takes forever! I'm wondering if the adhesion promoter is similar to an acid etch primer.
Curios as to what it says on the label?
Please let us know how it stands up, .. best, Lou
Lou here is the label. Not much. For the degreaser I'm pretty sure it's some brand of brake clean, as others on the gun forums suggest. I used both. After cured time was in, I did the fingernail test. No marks from either.
Nice. Is it a single use can of 2-part paint?
That looks really good. I will have to read up on this stuff. There a local guy that has been doing reel parts with this coating. His main business is guns.
Does it have to be baked on?
It is a two part can it has a button on the the bottom that distributes them together. Shake well. If I remember right the mfg says to use the paint once activated within a few days to 2 weeks. I coated every thing past summer. So going on a old age memory.
No Keith it doesn't need baked on, just 24hrs to handle and 30 day cure time. MFG instructions. Although I think it said you could bake with this kit. It dries really fast with light coats as recommended. I did handle some parts after 2 to 3 hrs to place on a different drying rack.With no finger prints in the paint. Your results may vary, depending on temps and humidity. They do have bake on product along several others . Lots of colors to choose from. I picked the can kit because of the simplicity. Follow the link to the product in the post above.
If you attempt this buy extra nozzles for the kit and swap out regularly. While keeping the used ones in mineral sprints. This is to make cleaning them out easy with a can of air for reuse. I got a lot of tips from gun forum reading. The spraying is just like any spray can paint, light coats and good lighting.
The 9/0 and the 113h will go thru the torture test on a friends charter. Some of his is clients can be brutal, as some of you know.
That is awesome my man!
Thinking outside the box yields results.
I'm sure that will last as long as a factory finish.
I wish I had the time.
Love those spacer bars.... I had to look twice cause they have that graphite look.
Nothing wrong experimenting with parts that can easily be replaced. I have more raw bars if you have the itch to do more
Ted
Looks good twotone, nice work. I'm interested in painting a few parts myself - please keep us posted on how they stand up to a bit of abuse on your friends charter.
Mike
Thanks for the informative post, Looks like a better way to go than Krylon! How many average size reels do you think you could do with one kit? What you did looks very good. Custom. :)
Thanks for the post. I've been thinking about ways to re-use parts with damaged finishes, and have been wanting to try Plasti-Dip, which is probably far less durable.
Will do Lou , Mike and everyone else on how the this stuff holds up.
Lou could you see the chemical make up from the label? Hope that helps you. I have some left . Just less than a 2 ounces. Its yours if your want it.
Gary I'm gonna guess 2 maybe 3 6/0 reels . Only because of there size or large surface area. Meaning the larger parts you waste less paint.
The smaller parts have less surface area , for the lack of a better description the spray fan coming out of the can is only spraying a small area. Most of the paint on small parts in spray fan /stream in going everywhere but on the parts. Spray light coats or risks runs.
I had a lot of the really small parts , as in the pics above.
The raw 113h bars were Teds prototypes in the raw. Ted I may purchase a few more.