|
DuraCoat is easy enough for the home applicator now that they have released the Shake and Spray kits. It won't be a "pro" job unless you have access to blast cabinets and proper air supplies, but it works well enough. The most important thing is preparation. Fail on any of the surface prep and your results will suffer. The parts need to be disassembled, totally degreased and then prepped by scuffing or blasting. If any oils are left anywhere they will leach into the coating. Wear powder free gloves after degreasing as finger oils can contaminate the substrate as well.
I've been doing DuraCoat for a little over 10 years and I've only had one come back that was ruined from heat. DuraCoat has a high temp formula, but it isn't as durable in regards to scuffs and scratches so I would just stick to the regular formula. I've had mixed results with the SL or self lubricating formula, mainly uniformity of finish.
Prep your items, apply as directed and let it sit overnight before handling or adding a second color. It takes a few weeks for the coating to reach its maximum cure and durability. Also be very mindful of the humidity. As we come into Spring and Summer high humidity will cause issues from blushing to outright non-curing. This is an issue Lauer Weaponry confirms but there isn't a fix for. If it's really humid try running an air conditioner and desiccant filters in your air supply, or wait for a better day. A cheap hygrometer will tell you what the conditions are better than the news.
At the current pricing of the shake and spray you can afford to experiment a few times before you get too heavily invested in coatings. A pro job is always best because we have the equipment, experience, and most of us will offer at least a limited warranty on the finish, but it's not cheap and home jobs can be very rewarding.
Another product that works well from home is Brownells Alumahyde. Spay can convenience and it's pretty durable. Other than that you start getting into the thermoset or bake on finishes which are difficult to work with for first timers and the smell coming from the oven will get the married user into trouble...fast. Remember that with any "baking" product that you can't just lay it on the rack and cook it or the rack will leave lines in the finish. You need to use wire to suspend the parts from the bottom of the rack. Pros who do thermosets like CeraKote and GunKote generally have dedicated $2000+ ovens for vertical hanging.
So try it. It's not hard it just takes attention to the small details to get a good job and letting it sufficiently cure before hard use.
|
Duracoated Mini 14
Linear Mode
