Gunsmithing LPH-80 air settings and Cerakoting actions questions

[komishe]

I'm not sure if I should keep posting Cerakote questions here, as it's not all that smithy but I trust the advice over here a little bit more than I do from the DIY section

LPH-80 QUESTION#1
Curious what PSI in and needle settings you guys are using for Cerakote.
Sometimes I dial down to a thinner fan to get the insides of longer quad rails or just goofing off practicing but it seems to dry almost immediately and clog the tip when I go too fine. But I pooched it pretty good this time..

I muffed it and incorrectly recorded the number of turns out the upper knob came set from the factory(which was working great for me for many rifles).
I was fiddlin' around with the settings just experimenting with some different techniques to see what would happen. When I returned the air screw to the setting I wrote down, I was flashing off like mad.
I adjusted it to what looked good on some heavy paper and proceeded to lay down a 'kote that was a bit thick.

I talked to a fellow at NIC today who told me to run air pressure at the gun from 20-25#(The book that came with my Cerakote says 20, so that's what I've been running at)
and get the kote to about a 2" fan. He wasn't sure about the setting for the upper knob so I'm waiting for a call back from their painter.
I've never watched myself in action but I hold the gun approximately 6" away give or take depending on how complicated the surface is. Being closer/moving quick has yielded more favorable results for me.
A 2" fan for my distance runs about 2 turns out on the trigger screw if I remember correctly.
I can't recall what I settled on for the upper knob but I *think* it's around 2 turns as well??

Have I gone full retard?

I think I'm pretty close. I just want to make sure I'm not way way off with my settings.
Time to dig out the old practice parts again

QUESTION #2
What techniques are you using to Cerakote the inside and bolts of bolt actions?

All the semi auto/pump actions I've done came out much smoother cycling(all beaters and the AR uppers are left alone inside). When I got brave enough to do my CZ455 using my LPH-80 I got a bit a flashing up by the ejection port resulting in a bolt thats a bit of a sticky bastard. I did not coat the bolt itself because I didn't want to alter the bolt face in any way.
It wasn't so sticky that I wanted to do it over but ~5k rounds later, I still get a slight reminder of how bad I suck if I really feel for the sticky spot.

I have a feeling that an airbrush is a tool better suited for this task.

Looks like I won't be hearing back from NIC today.

Thanks in advance for any answers or links to questions that may have been beat to death,
Komishe

 

[ugsly]

I have found with my setup, regulating the air at the gun

@ 15PSI (triggered) Needle Knob - 1-1.25 turns out & Fan knob - 1 turn I use this for slides/barreled actions & such
@ 9PSI (triggered) Needle Knob - 1 turn out & Fan knob - Closed I use this for tight spots

I found with my setup If I ran 20-25 PSI I fought dry spray. Its what seems to work for me. When I took the class, they had the regulator setup where the airline came into the booth and then had at least 20' of line to their gun. Keep trying different things, once you spray enough of it you will get a feel for what is right and what isnt.

 

[nzgrip]

Ok i think you're doing it wrong. The top screw is your Fan adjustment screw, this is the one you use to adjust the size of the spray pattern. The screw below that it the Fluid control adjustment, this controls the amount of paint that can flow past the needle.
For best air control you should run a mini regulator at the handle of the gun, set the air control screw on the bottom of the handle all the way out and use the reg to set the air pressure at around 25psi. wind the Fluid control screw all the way out then pull the trigger all the way back, now wind the Fluid control screw in until you feel it touch the trigger. Adjust the Fan control screw in or out until you get around a 2 - 3" pattern at 3 - 5" from the object. From there you may want to adjust the fluid control in to reduce the amount of paint but you shouldn't need to play with the Fan control adjustment.

Just remember that the Fluid control screw (Trigger screw as you described it ) is not for controlling the size of the spray pattern thats the top screw.

 

[avidflyer]

flying today, I'll grab my notes when I get back. I love that gun and you can get great results with it

 

[komishe]

Full retard indeed.....

ugsly,

Thanks a bundle! I was going sign up for the training course last winter but they were booked clear through June. I knew there was no way I could make it this month so I've just been learning by myself in the garage. Less pressure into the gun is something I had not thought of ever playing with.

You Sir, are a boss!

NZ,
Somewhere between my frustration and my ADD addled brain, I got mixed up. I knew the trigger screw lol controlled fluid flow, I think my settings in my brain were a few extra turn out because it seemed to be adjusting my fan size.
Thank you for making things crystal clear again.
As ugsly said, playing with the fan adjustment and fluid control can be quite helpful in tight spots for me but only if I can remember where to reset them hahahaha

I'm pretty embarrassed now re-reading this post.
There goes my street cred

 

[komishe]

flying today, I'll grab my notes when I get back. I love that gun and you can get great results with it

How big is the ticket for texting while flying a plane? Don't crash!

I love mine too. I've done some really nice work with it. But in the immortalized words of my friends dad "Aaahh, ya fucked with it 'till ya broke it" (must be spoken in a comically heavy Irish accent for full effect)