I am planning on Cerakoting a couple guns but I was wondering if it is possible to prep without sand blasting? Can I just use a coarse Scoth-Brite pad or something of that sort? I don't have a blaster and don't want to have to spend a ton of money on a blaster and hvlp gun for the two or three guns I plan to do. I am sure that I would probably use them again in a few years but don't know when it would be. Has anyone ever tried something like a Scotch-Brite or similar? Or has anyone tried one of the $20 Harbor Freight type blasters with good results? Any advice is greatly appreciated.
Gunsmithing cerakote prep ?'s
- Thread starter blaserman33
- Start date
Re: cerakote prep ?'s
I've never tried it without blasting, but I've seen what happens when people don't. It looks good as hell for a few months and then starts to chip and flake off.
Find a painter or powdercoater locally, they'll probably be happy to blast the parts for you for less than $20. It'll probably take all of 5 minutes per gun to blast them back to white metal.
As far as a sprayer, no need to spend big $ on a nice HVLP gun. Go to a hobby store and pick yourself up a Badger 250 airbrush. It'll set you back less than $30 and sprays great.
I've never tried it without blasting, but I've seen what happens when people don't. It looks good as hell for a few months and then starts to chip and flake off.
Find a painter or powdercoater locally, they'll probably be happy to blast the parts for you for less than $20. It'll probably take all of 5 minutes per gun to blast them back to white metal.
As far as a sprayer, no need to spend big $ on a nice HVLP gun. Go to a hobby store and pick yourself up a Badger 250 airbrush. It'll set you back less than $30 and sprays great.
Re: cerakote prep ?'s
^^^^+1 on blasting. Metal prep is everything. If you can find someone to blast your parts with 120 grit alu. ox. that would be your best option.
^^^^+1 on blasting. Metal prep is everything. If you can find someone to blast your parts with 120 grit alu. ox. that would be your best option.
Re: cerakote prep ?'s
No on sandpaper or scotch brite. Forget the body shop sand. Most likely it is the wrong grit and contaminated anyway. Glass beads are out too. You can use an outdoor inexpensive siphon blaster but you must use 100-120 grit aluminum oxide or garnet abrasive to get the proper profile for the Cerakote to hold onto. Aluminum oxide costs a little over $1 a pound last time I bought it. A $20 tool sale or harbor frieght gravity feed gun will work. What are you using for an oven? Don't forget 5 gallons of acetone to soak your parts in and for cleanup. It runs $16-$22 a gallon. You will need a box of latex gloves to protect you from the acetone and a respirator for when you spray. A dust mask won't cut it.
If you can't prep it right save your money on Cerakote.
No on sandpaper or scotch brite. Forget the body shop sand. Most likely it is the wrong grit and contaminated anyway. Glass beads are out too. You can use an outdoor inexpensive siphon blaster but you must use 100-120 grit aluminum oxide or garnet abrasive to get the proper profile for the Cerakote to hold onto. Aluminum oxide costs a little over $1 a pound last time I bought it. A $20 tool sale or harbor frieght gravity feed gun will work. What are you using for an oven? Don't forget 5 gallons of acetone to soak your parts in and for cleanup. It runs $16-$22 a gallon. You will need a box of latex gloves to protect you from the acetone and a respirator for when you spray. A dust mask won't cut it.
If you can't prep it right save your money on Cerakote.
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