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Gunsmithing Best paint for fiberglass stocks?

sawman556

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Mar 16, 2012
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Bucks County, PA USA
I just picked up a new MCS T5A w/ mini-chassis. It's painted dead flat black but I wanted to do a camo pattern on it. I talked to Manners yesterday and they told me not to use H-series Cerakote on it and bake at 180 as was my plan. What would be the best paint and way to go about this? C-series? Duracoat? Other?
 
Re: Best paint for fiberglass stocks?

I like Krylon. Might not hold up as well as others but when I need to touch it up and realize I don't have enough I go to the 24hr wally world and pick some more up. HTH
 
Re: Best paint for fiberglass stocks?

Sherwin Williams Polane T+ is perty good stuff.

I like it because there's no oven curing required. Certain stocks don't like being cooked. Its a catalyzed paint so its very tough once cured.

The challenge you'll be faced with is the quantities. 1 gallon cans are the smallest size you can get it in.

ceracoat is good too and you can buy in 4oz tester sizes. Just know that the oven cure must be heated to a min of 150F. (I think, might be a little more than that)

Just make sure the stock will tolerate it. Some won't.

Good luck.

C.
 
Re: Best paint for fiberglass stocks?

Thanks for the reply Chad. Yea I don't need a gallon jugs just for this. Do you have any experience with C-series Cerakote or Durakote? My coating experience stops with oven cured Cerakote and KG Gunkote. I do have some flat black 2 part automotive paint but I need some colors and that shit is expensive. Thanks for the help.
 
Re: Best paint for fiberglass stocks?

Very simple, just get a few 4 OZ. bottles of Duracoat.
Easy to apply, dries quick. Leave it in the sun for a few days
and it'll fully cure.
Here in Ireland Polane T is almost the same price as Duracoat
in the states......
edi
 
Re: Best paint for fiberglass stocks?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: sawman556</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Thanks for the reply Chad. Yea I don't need a gallon jugs just for this. Do you have any experience with C-series Cerakote or Durakote? My coating experience stops with oven cured Cerakote and KG Gunkote. I do have some flat black 2 part automotive paint but I need some colors and that shit is expensive. Thanks for the help. </div></div>


We've been C-koting for awhile now. Full down draft booth, ovens, etc.

It's good stuff. I like it quite a bit. You can use the air dry version as well. Just have to let it sit a good while before messing with it. It's reportedly just as durable as the oven cure, just takes longer between coats.

If I were doing a stock with C kote, I'd prolly use the air cure version just to be safe.

NIC industries has their poop in a group. I've had nothing but great service and tech support from them. Can't go wrong imo.

C.
 
Re: Best paint for fiberglass stocks?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: C. Dixon</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: sawman556</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Thanks for the reply Chad. Yea I don't need a gallon jugs just for this. Do you have any experience with C-series Cerakote or Durakote? My coating experience stops with oven cured Cerakote and KG Gunkote. I do have some flat black 2 part automotive paint but I need some colors and that shit is expensive. Thanks for the help. </div></div>


We've been C-koting for awhile now. Full down draft booth, ovens, etc.

It's good stuff. I like it quite a bit. You can use the air dry version as well. Just have to let it sit a good while before messing with it. It's reportedly just as durable as the oven cure, just takes longer between coats.

If I were doing a stock with C kote, I'd prolly use the air cure version just to be safe.

NIC industries has their poop in a group. I've had nothing but great service and tech support from them. Can't go wrong imo.

C. </div></div>

Yea I reckon I'll go with the C-series. I've been using the H-series for almost a year now and have had great results. Do you blast your stocks or do any sanding before you paint?
 
Re: Best paint for fiberglass stocks?

I've had great luck with Duracoat. Someone once told me that Duracoat and Polane T is about the same stuff.

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Re: Best paint for fiberglass stocks?

The stocks are fully prepped prior. Gotta fill little holes, etc.

No blasting. Just makes more holes. Gel coat is like a sponge on most stocks.
 
Re: Best paint for fiberglass stocks?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: C. Dixon</div><div class="ubbcode-body">The stocks are fully prepped prior. Gotta fill little holes, etc.

No blasting. Just makes more holes. Gel coat is like a sponge on most stocks.

</div></div>

What grit sandpaper do you finish out with?
 
Re: Best paint for fiberglass stocks?

In places where there's no body work to tend with I just wash the snot out of the stock first with scalding hot water and dawn dish soap. I scrub it with green scotchbrite as I'm doing this. I'll cut the glaze on the gel coat as this allows the paint solvents to bite.

For areas where we get heavy on the body work I'll finish sand to 120. I use a self leveling primer (this stuff is like the shit they use for spraying drywall texture) to prep those surfaces. Then go back and cut it with 220 and again with scotchbrite.

When the body work is done and were ready to shoot we'll wetsand the stock with PPG Acryliclean wax/grease remover using scotchbrite again right before tacking it off and squirtin it.

Gelcoats are funny. They'll hold some of the wax/silicone left over from casting the stock. (release agents) You gotta scrub them a bit to get that stuff out.

Spray and your done.

When using Polane you have about a 8 hour window to get the next color on. If you exceed this you gotta cut the surface again so that the solvents bite into the unlaying color. Otherwise your adhesion is anyone's guess.
 
Re: Best paint for fiberglass stocks?

Coming from the body shop world the PPG DX330 Chad mentioned works great DX394 works extremely well but one of the best ways to prep plastic fiberglass or anything with the potential of mold release delam is a good scrubbing with Comit and water. Sounds goofy but even when I worked for Roush that's how we preped problem parts.
 
Re: Best paint for fiberglass stocks?

I have done both the air dry Cerakote and Duracoat on stocks. I like the Duracoat better. It goes on thicker and leaves a more spattered finish. Kinda like latex paint. I also like to spatter finish these stocks with a darker color on the base Duracoat. For metal, however, Cerakote is the better mousetrap IMO.