Cerakote-rs, what say you?

[LVLAaron]

Did you go to the in person classes to learn? I'm pretty good at figuring stuff out and handy with an airbrush. Is figuring this out on my own something I can do?

 

[Edd]

The best thing about Cerakote is “anyone can apply it”.

The worst thing about it is “anyone can apply it”.

I have looked at a lot of Cerakoted guns. I’ve not seen anything that would compare to the ones I saw in the Cerakote booth at the SHOT show.

 

[rjtfroggy]

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You Tube can be your friend.

 

[jelenko]

If you're anything like me, just plan on learning on the first couple tries.
Just practice until you get a good feel for it.

 

[tobnpr]

There's nothing complicated about Cerakote- it's all in the prep. The "training" IMO is so that you can get listed as an approved applicator (or whatever they call it) by Cerakote and get listed on their website.

Plenty of other applications besides firearms, maybe those shops find it advatageous to have adverts on Cerakote's website...

I use an airbrush (Iwata) as well for most items. Great for detail/stencil/camo work. HVLP for larger items like stocks. If you're skilled with an airbrush, you're basically home-free.

Degreasing is critical, or you'll end up blasting parts clean and re-doing them. I use a Brownell's blueing tank, lid fitted with a solvent-proof gasket, with acetone for this. After blasting, I remove the dust/residue by spraying down with brake cleaner. I often take a shortcut by eliminating the gas-out (heating to be sure there's no residual contaminants after degreasing) to save time when I'm on a tight deadline, saves a couple of hours in the process. I'll always do the gas-out on milsurps, or any other firearms where cosmolene or oils might still be present after soaking for hours in the acetone bath- e.g. if trapped inside a receiver/tenon joint the heat will drive it to the surface and eff up the part.

The videos on their site are very helpful and detail every step. You'll figure out your own tweaks on racking, plugging/protecting, it ain't rocket science.

You'll find coverage and thicknesses can vary- a lot. I can make a single pass with Graphite Black and get full coverage, no holidays, and proper thickness (about a thou). Lighter colors (like some of the tans) go on almost semi-transparent and require multiple passes. As with any painting- a run or buildup and you're starting over. Any boo-boos before baking, I spray the parts down with brake cleaner (I go through a LOT of that stuff!) and re-spray.

I made my own 6' tall oven from a commercial kitchen enclosed sheet-pan cabinet, insulated with PID heater controller. Another 6' cabinet converted to a back-draft spray cabinet. Cerakote is nasty stuff- my spray cabinet has a 10' long flex exhaust duct, it just stick it out the door when I'm spraying and exhaust the fumes outside.

Dive in, brother- the water's fine!

 

[WSnyder]

I did it myself but I've painted stuff for decades so I'm already familiar with mixing paints and using paint guns. It's not hard. The hardest part is to learn to spray thin but not too thin If you go too thick it'll chip easier and if you diamond drag engrave and it's too thick it'll chip out. I use an Iwata LPH80 gun for the typical jobs like stocks, actions and barrels. Air brush for smaller fine stuff.

On barrels I choose to tape off all threads and shoulders. Clean masking is a good skill to develop. You can use your tape obsession to good use here

 

[Sniperhandle]

Cerakote is pretty easy, I bought the Paasche sprayer from Cerakote, But I never use it anymore, I use the small harbor freight HVLP gun, And when it's done throw it in the trash and get another one, They were $35 the last time I bought one. It works equally as well as the Paasche one. Get yourself a nice bead blast cabinet and use Alum oxide. Spray real well with brake kleen to remove dust and residue before spraying. My old boss gave me his home built oven and it works great.

 

[V35]

I have not been certified. My family had a Ford/Lincoln Dealership for over 70 years, I grew up in it, and had tons of painting experience. Cerakote is not exactly the same, but the principals still apply. Good prep is number one and proper technique when spraying is equally important. I have seen some absolute garbage from well known applicators, and some stellar work by others. I learned it real quick, and have no problems. I will tell you that you don’t want to learn on the metallic colors if you want an immediate smooth finish to judge your own work. The solids like Graphite Black, FDE, Sniper Green are great to get good at first.

And- that work at shot show was in fact really nice. I don’t do artistic and multi layer things, but the finish on my parts compared to what I saw at Shot was comparable. I say get set up and learn!

 

[LVLAaron]

Thanks y'all. Lots to do before I really get into this, but wanted to see if it's something I should start paying attention to. But I've always wanted to do it, and the new shop will have space for me to have a proper spray booth.

 

[Sniperhandle]

I have not been certified. My family had a Ford/Lincoln Dealership for over 70 years, I grew up in it, and had tons of painting experience. Cerakote is not exactly the same, but the principals still apply. Good prep is number one and proper technique when spraying is equally important. I have seen some absolute garbage from well known applicators, and some stellar work by others. I learned it real quick, and have no problems. I will tell you that you don’t want to learn on the metallic colors if you want an immediate smooth finish to judge your own work. The solids like Graphite Black, FDE, Sniper Green are great to get good at first.

And- that work at shot show was in fact really nice. I don’t do artistic and multi layer things, but the finish on my parts compared to what I saw at Shot was comparable. I say get set up and learn!

Sniper Green is the best looking OD Green type color there is in my opinion, Much better than their OD green. It reminds me of the old Ammo cans.

 

[Judd]

It’s the only thing I’m not currently doing in house…I hate not having the control and I’ve been kicking around the same thing. I think one advantage (besides being listed on the site, which is how I met my current guy) is the discount in equipment, paint and shipping.

I don’t really have room but I could make room deal.

Good luck!

 

[Sniperhandle]

Don't put your bead blaster in the shop, You'll get fine dust on your machines even with a good dust collector. Build a small room behind your shop for the air compressor and your bead blaster.

 

[DaveTooley]

I use a two step degrease process using acetone in a couple of these.
When the first rinse gets really dirty I move the final rinse to the front of the line.

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[BuffaloBill]

I plumbed the outlet of my blast cabinet’s dust collector to the outside. I haven’t had much dust trouble but have had found dead birds inside the collector that entered the 3” pvc exhaust pipe.