Painting (or dye) "polymer" gun parts.

[Slackdaddy]

Thanks to you "D waffles" on MDS,, I am buying a gun I had no idea I "needed" so badly before yesterday (Beretta CX4)

The gun comes with a black plastic stock,, "Polymer" ? I was hoping to "paint" the stock ODG or FDE,,What type of plastic exactly is "polymer" ?

Saw some articles on coloring "Polymer" with dyes,, but thinking that you are not dying a stock a lighter color?

I have looked at all the "Gunkote" paints (Duracote, Cerikote, etc), they all appear to be generic gun paints for metal, plastic, etc. That rely on mechanical adhesion.
I am looking for a polymer plastic specific prep/paint. One that chemically softens the surface of the polymer for the paint to chemically bond.

Does such a prep/paint exist ??

 

[Biggfoot44]

Krylon rattle can .

I have a favorite shade of green for this , but they changed the name , I'll have to check for the new name .

 

[Slackdaddy]

Krylon rattle can .

I have a favorite shade of green for this , but they changed the name , I'll have to check for the new name .

I will look into Krylon,, I had "Assumed" it was just a mechanical bond spray paint.
I had thought that something that chemically bonded would need a "prep" sprayed on,, then you "X" amount of time to spray the paint on.

A lot to learn

 

[Biggfoot44]

Is Mechanical Bond the fancy name for regular spray paint ?

 

[Biggfoot44]

To fully expand on the topic , basically two approaches , at opposite ends of the scale :

1. Remove bbl action . etc . Paint with regular spray paint . Let dry , and reassemble . If needed , repeat and retouch , your can of spray paint will last a looong time .

I've read about people adding a spray can clear coat . If it was a complex freehand camo pattern , maybe . For single color , or basic two tone , I just use another coat of the color .

2. Go whole hog , and have your stock Duracoat'ed .

 

[Overwatcher]

I Cerakoted mine.

 

[Biggfoot44]

Don't drop it in the woods .

 

[Slackdaddy]

Is Mechanical Bond the fancy name for regular spray paint ?

A mechanical bond is the paint getting into and micro groves, scratches, etc to give it grip,, it does not "mix" with what you are spraying it on, it just adheres to the roughed up areas,, that is why you sand plastic before using spray paint.

An example of a chemical bond would be prepping plastic with a chemical that actually "softens or melts" the surface of the plastic on a microscopic level,, then the paint is applied which mixes with the now "melted" surface. after the solvents flash off, every thing solidifies. The paint is "One with the underlying material.
This type of system would be specific to each kind of plastic.

Oh,, and nothing sticks to polyethylene !!

 

[Gcs7th]

I Cerakoted mine. View attachment 378693 View attachment 378694

Subtle MD flag camo pretty cool

 

[Overwatcher]

Thanks, checkout our Facebook page. Tuckahoe Gunworks and Hydrographic.

 

[calicojack]

To fully expand on the topic , basically two approaches , at opposite ends of the scale :

1. Remove bbl action . etc . Paint with regular spray paint . Let dry , and reassemble . If needed , repeat and retouch , your can of spray paint will last a looong time .

I've read about people adding a spray can clear coat . If it was a complex freehand camo pattern , maybe . For single color , or basic two tone , I just use another coat of the color .

2. Go whole hog , and have your stock Duracoat'ed .

I like Duracote because the rattle can wears off easily, and the Duracote is, well, durable. Some guys though like the rattle can wear look.

 

[Biggfoot44]

$5 vs $200. , I can touch up .

 

[Overwatcher]

I like Duracote because the rattle can wears off easily, and the Duracote is, well, durable. Some guys though like the rattle can wear look.

I don't have any experience with Duracoat. What thickness does it go down ?

 

[calicojack]

I don't have any experience with Duracoat. What thickness does it go down ?

It's trickier to apply than regular spray paint. There is an aerosol spray device, but you mix two parts and it has to be used in a certain amount of time. It is a bit thicker than regular paint. It is is more expensive, but that is partly due to the shipping costs because it is considered a hazardous chemical or some such thing.

Actually, there is another option; Brownells has something called Alumahyde and that is more like regular spray paint. You need extra spray nozzles because they get clogged. Other than that, it is supposed to be easy to use. Not sure if it's expensive to ship or not.

BROWNELLS ALUMA-HYDE® II | Brownells

The special feature of Aluma-Hyde II (and the reason for its development) is its increased resistance to bore cleaners, solvents and other ...

www.brownells.com

 

[calicojack]

Thanks, checkout our Facebook page. Tuckahoe Gunworks and Hydrographic.

So you guys do Cerakote, which is (I think, correct me if I am worng) a baked on coating that bonds with the metal (described previous post above). It is ceramic based where as Duracote is an epoxy based coating. I like it and I have one Cerakoted AR, but, as you well know, requires a certified pro to apply it. I don't know if Duarcote or Alumahyde bond as tightly to the metal as Cerakote. I also believe there is a different Cerakote used for polymer furniture. Duracote and Alumahyde both work on metal, polymer, and wood.

 

[Overwatcher]

So you guys do Cerakote, which is (I think, correct me if I am worng) a baked on coating that bonds with the metal (described previous post above). It is ceramic based where as Duracote is an epoxy based coating. I like it and I have one Cerakoted AR, but, as you well know, requires a certified pro to apply it. I don't know if Duarcote or Alumahyde bond as tightly to the metal as Cerakote. I also believe there is a different Cerakote used for polymer furniture. Duracote and Alumahyde both work on metal, polymer, and wood.

You are correct. It's a bake on ceramic coating. Cerakote also has a do it your self kits. There is no different as far as what goes on metal or plastic or wood. Buy there are different series. H series is most commonly used and comes in alot of colors. The Elite series is recommended for high abuse areas ( pistol barrels guide rods ect). But only come in a couple colors. High Temp series , NIR series which reduces IR signature and Micro Slick. So there is a lot to choose from.

 

[calicojack]

All right then OP; you have DIY Cerakote, Duracote, Alumahyde, and enamel spray paint. I think any of these can work. You might want to ask Overwatch what he would charge since he's local and maybe your time is worth a lot to you; IDK. There are lots of examples on this forum of DIY rattle can jobs that are awesome as well as some nice pro stuff.

 

[Gcs7th]

@Slackdaddy check out @Blue Customworks here’s a thread with some of their cerakote work. They are located in Finksburg MD.

Cerakote & Laser Gallery - Blue Custom Works

www.mdshooters.com

 

[E.Shell]

Krylon "Fusion" primer or paint actually bonds with plastics/polymers.