Gunsmithing painting flutes?

[johnstonblake]

is there a good way to paint only the flutes on a stainless barrel?

 

[baldie]

Re: painting flutes?

Mask the entire barrel. Then get a small ball bearing which is just marginally bigger than the flutes, and rub it up and down the flutes....hard. This will cut the masking tape very cleanly, and the tape can then be removed from just the flutes, leaving them exposed for paint. I normally do it twice, but shotblast the flutes on the first mask, remove the lot, and then remask for paint. Works a treat, but takes some time.

 

[johnstonblake]

Re: painting flutes?

thats sounds like it would work really well, i wonder if it would still work with spiral flutes?

 

[x ring accuracy]

Re: painting flutes?

Yes, same proceedure as straight flutes

 

[gamma]

Re: painting flutes?

Ive only done this a few times. Dont mask anything, just spray the flutes and dont worry about the overspray. Come along then and using something solid and flat like a file or a piece of wood wrapped with a piece of fine emery start polishing the barrel. Your left then with a nicely polished barrel with perfectly sharp painted flutes.