Gunsmithing Cerakote Sensitivity Questions

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buds444

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May 30, 2011
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#1
I am looking at coating a friend's AR-15 in pink, and have a few question on how all the experts determine whether they can bake parts or not.

Basically, are there any plastics or general pieces of firearms that cannot handle the modified baking lengths of Cerakote? 150-180 degrees for 2 hours. Parts that you come across regularly and just know to treat specially?

My understanding is that a car in a desert climate can easily reach 150 degrees. However I am unsure whether there are parts that fail when being baked with cerakote.

Also what parts do people treat as gently as possible? AKA springs, connectors, and those sort of pieces. Are there sensitive connection parts that require some sensitive handling, or do you just bake them as normal as long as it's not a polymer or plastic part?

Any insight will be very much appreciated, and thanks for your time.

- Brandon
 
#3
Re: Cerakote Sensitivity Questions

Cerakote typically cures at 250 for 2 hours or 300 for one hour. It's true the inside of a vehicle has been measured by me in excess of 155 and that is here in Oregon in a silver vehicle. I suspect in Arizona and further south it will go much higher in a dark colored car. When I was trained at Cerakote your very question is asked frequently. They have found that the polymer in Glock and other polymer guns would resist 250 degree for 2 hours. officially if the parts being coated are heat sensitive, 150 to 180 degrees for two hours will adequately cure plastic, polymer, wood & composite parts. They said to call the manufacturer of the gun in question or use air dry on the plastic components. They even told me that some applicators were baking optics at 250 and supposedly getting away with it. I would not try that on a customers optic.
 
#4
Re: Cerakote Sensitivity Questions

Yes you can cure the oven cured H type Cerakote on platic such as is found on Glocks or stocks at 150 degrees Far. This came straight from NIC when I called to ask. Good luck with your project.
 
#5
Re: Cerakote Sensitivity Questions

How about fail stories from those who have baked something that could not stand up to the plastic temps that NIC recommends. 150-180 for 2 hours.

X Ring. Find me C series pink.
 
#6
Re: Cerakote Sensitivity Questions

I fear I sounded a little argumentative with my pink c series request.

I have never heard of NIC having a c series pink coating. They have some h series but nothing as far as I know in c series.

X Ring. If you know of a pink they have in air cure, i'm all ears.

Otherwise my curiosity and question stands. This question also is just to gain some additional knowledge from those that may have screwed up or have known when it is required to handle certain parts in certain way.

Only respect meant from me.

- Brandon
 
#7
Re: Cerakote Sensitivity Questions

Brandon,

Most high quality polymer AR parts, such as MagPul, Vltor, LMT, Tango Down, etc are fine to bake at 200 degrees or under for two hours. Some cheaper stuff wont handle above 140 degrees for any lenght of time, which means C-Series for those parts.
Dont coat or bake springs as a general rule. Dont coat trigger engagement surfaces, dont coat inside the barrel, chamber or the gas tube (unless its C-Series - on the gas tube) dont coat the bolt or bolt carrier.

Hope this helps some.

-E
 
#8
Re: Cerakote Sensitivity Questions

What about synthetic stocks?

I'm new to the C-kote game. Just got my stuff last week and we've done a couple barreled actions already.

Will a McMillan/Manners/etc tolerate the lower temp/longer cure time procedure?

I know my bedding will.
 
#9
Re: Cerakote Sensitivity Questions

Chad

I'd be careful about cooking a fiberglass stock. There is almost always some post cure movement when exposed to higher temperatures. I've had stocks close up and pinch the action when exposed to high temperatures. Some bake time before bedding is an option. This can also expose any air pockets in the stock skin. See the domino effect building here.
 
#10
Re: Cerakote Sensitivity Questions

Chad,

I have had huge issues with HS Prescision stocks (Fiberglass composit) as they routinely crack when baked, even at just over 150.

Bell & Carleson's have been better, have had issues with some McMillans and have only done a few of the manners, but they came out ok.

I bake all fiberglass and composit at the lowest temp 155 dgrees for two hours.

The issue is the epoxy they use to laminate the fiber sheets usually wont handle above 140 degrees and above 180 will de-laminate. (very bad experiance to open your ovens and see that)

I also completely concur with Dave's comments, you can get tighening and dimensional changes, especially with the McMillan sporter stocks.

On the Rem LE sniper rifles we do, most of which have the HS stocks I use the C-Series on those stocks. Not as durrable, but you wont be replacing stocks either...

Regards

-Ernie
 
#11
Re: Cerakote Sensitivity Questions

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: C. Dixon</div><div class="ubbcode-body">What about synthetic stocks?

I'm new to the C-kote game. Just got my stuff last week and we've done a couple barreled actions already.

Will a McMillan/Manners/etc tolerate the lower temp/longer cure time procedure?

I know my bedding will.

</div></div>

I have not done any Manners, but all the McMillans I have done have come out of the oven with no issues. 150 degrees for 2 hours, no problems so far.
 
#12
Re: Cerakote Sensitivity Questions

The only reason I use Cerakote on stocks is that the automotive enamel finishes can only be bought in gallon cans, while Cerakote can be bought in quart jars, but is much more expensive. About $100.00 a quart for cerakote. The Polane is about $100.00 a gallon.
 
#13
Re: Cerakote Sensitivity Questions

Why would you not consider just purchasing duracoat, which is polane t. You can get it for much cheaper than a gallon of polane t, and in about a million different colors. The more I hear people talk, the more i consider just using duracoat specifically for stocks. I have used it on entire weapons before and it does indeed work well. Just cerakote was a bit more durable on metal. On a stock however, the playing field changes.
 
#16
Re: Cerakote Sensitivity Questions

That's where i order from. Calling them in my experience has been on par with calling NIC industries. Very helpful. Knowledgeable. And overall just looking to lend a hand.
 
#19
Re: Cerakote Sensitivity Questions

My personal experience with trying to track down Sherwin Williams polane t in my area was a bit maddening.

I called the several local shops looking to check the pricing and sizes available, and they were essentially clueless. Saw it in the system but never kept in stock. Finally I was contacted by a sherwin williams in SLC, which seemed not to have it in stock, but brought it in for customers. They weren't willing to drop below gallon sizes, but they did have a few colors to choose from.

My experience, limited as it is, has been that paying a little bit of premium to Lauer to procure some of their duracoat takes away alot of the headache of obtaining polane t. Also the color options duracoat offers takes the cake in terms of coatings which i have experience with. There are a ton of options.

Also, registering as a dealer with Lauer, provide your FFL or Business license and you can receive a dealer discount to help you to profit a bit more on jobs.

Finally, the company I work for uses polane t, and their mixture ratios are way off from what i get from duracoat. I'm not sure if Lauer is taking polane t and messing with mixture ratios prior to sending to the customer, but it is indeed different. If anybody has some ideas let me know. I'm not familiar with the chemical process that are involved with mixing ratios.

All in all, I've had great experience with using Duracoat, and procuring duracoat in a variety of colors from Lauer.

- Brandon
 
#20
Re: Cerakote Sensitivity Questions

You will be good to go with the temps. Typically the harder the plastic the hotter that it can withstand. If in doubt go to a lower temp.
One thing that I discovered a while back, for whatever reason Cerakote's bright pink does not like higher temps, 150-200 F worked the best for maintaining the color. Higher temps bleached out some of the pink for some reason.
 
#22
Re: Cerakote Sensitivity Questions

Prison pink Kahr. I had a bad experience with a pink project. NIC advised that the exotic colors have to go on thicker, as close to 1 mil as possible. For that reason I'd do the bcg in a non "exotic" color. As for the synthetic stuff, I've baked a surefire fore end light with the rubber pressure switch and had great results. The cerakote has been holding up great on the rubber, no
100MEDIAIMAG0504.jpg
cracking.
 
#24
Re: Cerakote Sensitivity Questions

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: kujo929</div><div class="ubbcode-body">can you cerakote or duracoat the bolt carrier group of an AR15? Or will it wear off. </div></div>
They can be done. It will wear a little, but not too much. A little higher of a sheen with the cerakote helps with the wear resistance.
 
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