Gunsmithing Best Air Curred metal finish

[Kaisersose]

Got a new barreled action and I need to coat it with a finish to cover up the stainless barrel.

I did some research online.

Is Brownell's Aluma-Hyde the only air cured finish?

Thanks

 

[wnroscoe]

Re: Best Air Curred metal finish

Gun Kote and Cerakote have air cure products but, as with the thermal cure products, metal prep is the key to your success.

 

[Keith Johns]

Re: Best Air Curred metal finish

Do you have access to a Sand Blaster that will shoot 120grit Aluminum Oxide?

 

[Hellbender]

Re: Best Air Curred metal finish

I've used the Alumahyde and in my opinion, Camouflage Fusion Krylon works better and is more resistant to cleaners, and Wal-Mart sells it.

Alumahyde has some nicer colors.

Whatever you use, proper prep is more important than the paint.

HTH

 

[radmcg]

Re: Best Air Curred metal finish

Have you thought of making an oven. All of this is for educational purposes only and I am in now way recommending you do this. This is just what I did. Buy 2 8"-12" diameter terra cotta chimney flu tiles. They are 8"-12" square and about 2 feet long. Coat the inside with aluminum foil (very important it will not get to temp without it. Buy a terra cotta plate like plant pots sit on as a cap. Make sure it is big enough to cap the chimney you are making. You can get all of this at lowes. Go to Wally world and buy a hot plate. Open it up and bend the rheostat sop tab out so you can crank it up past the stop. The kind the carry now is square the tiles will sit right down on top of hot plate. If you want you can build a rack to hold the tiles erect. I just set them on the hot plate. Its a little unstable but it hasn't fallen yet. I wouldn't leave it unattended though. Stack the tiles end on and sitthem on the hot plate. Wrap the seam between the tiles in aluminum foil on the outside, to seal them. Put the terra cotta plate on top and hang a stove thermometer inside and play with the rheostat until you get the desired temp. I think gunKote is 300-350 degrees. I use a dremmel tool and a carbide bit to drill a hole in 2 opposite sides of the top of the top tile about 2 inches from the top. I run a steel rod through the hole to hang the rifle on. Bake until golden brown ( Sorry that was Aklton Brown). As roscoe said the baking is the easy part get the %^$@ thing degreased and prepped is the bugger, heat or air cured. I thought about going to Dura coat but I have had such good luck with GunKote I just keep using my home made oven. BTW the chimney flu tiles cost maybe 10-15 dollars and as long as you don't break them they will last forever. I burn up a hot plate every 2-3 rifles but they are 7.00 at Wally world. No I don't have to much time on my hands I just dont sleep well and this beats the hell out of worrying about work.
HTH
Rad

 

[radmcg]

Re: Best Air Curred metal finish

BTW I have used alumahyde works great on stocks and other stuff you can't cook but not great for metal adhesion.
M2CW
Rad

 

[sobrbiker883]

Re: Best Air Curred metal finish

AlumnahydeII has worked great for me if the metal's clean and preheated to about 110* and then cured in the AZ heat for a week.

Latest rifle I did in AlumnahydeII doesn't seem as tough, but I shot it without preheating the metal (was maybe 90*).