Gunsmithing Cerakote Training????

[Dennis_in_VA]

I wanted to take the Cerakote Applicator Training at NIC and just found out that they are booked a year out for the class.

That's a long time to wait for a two day training class. I don't know what I'm going to be doing 30 days from now let alone 365+ days.

Is it worth the $1500.00 plus expenses?

I know that there are going to be some tricks of the trade shown during the course.

Give me some feedback on this subject if you have something constructive to say.

Thanks.

 

[STR]

It's required if you want to be listed on their page as an applicator. The procedure isn't brain surgery, and there's a lot of applicators that didn't take the course that are doing extremely good work with this product. I know of one in my town, and I don't mean me.

 

[komishe]

What he said^^^

I've been having pretty good success with just learning as I go. It's pretty forgiving as long as you have the patience to do proper prep work. I've had a few hiccups along the way but most my stuff has turned out as good as any around.

I've gotten a few great tips from forum members here for air pressure and gun settings and cleaning procedures( Thanks Ugsly and Ernie!)

That being said, I'm still headed up to NIC in September to learn anything I may be overlooking and get certified as an automotive applicator.
My friend who instigated the trip is going to be having his first child born around that time so I suspect he may be bailing out.

If that time frame might work for you I could give him a jingle and see if he still wants to go. It's possible you guys could swap his appointment. I'm not sure if auto will be a different department altogether. Just spitballing here.......

 

[Dennis_in_VA]

Hmmmm.... I might have to ask Tom about this.

 

[ugsly]

Hey Dennis,

As STR said, spraying cerakote isnt rocket science. I took the class in 2012 and had been applying it for a year before that. The main thing the class did was reassure me that I was applying it right & my prep was good. I hadnt done any patterns really so we spent a day on that. We had Ikaika as a NIC teacher, great guy. I will say that there is no subisute for getting in the booth and spraying to get your technique down. Mess with your gun settings and spray different parts with different settings. Take some measurments before and after to see what kind of thickness your adding to the parts.

Casey

 

[Captain Kirk]

tag

 

[Dennis_in_VA]

Yeah I know what you mean Casey, I am heavy handed with the stuff. I just ordered another test kit and the Iwata gun. Traded the spray gun in the kit for an extra bottle of Ckote.

 

[Logansar]

Hey Dennis,

As STR said, spraying cerakote isnt rocket science. I took the class in 2012 and had been applying it for a year before that. The main thing the class did was reassure me that I was applying it right & my prep was good. I hadnt done any patterns really so we spent a day on that. We had Ikaika as a NIC teacher, great guy. I will say that there is no subisute for getting in the booth and spraying to get your technique down. Mess with your gun settings and spray different parts with different settings. Take some measurments before and after to see what kind of thickness your adding to the parts.

Casey

Dennis - Cassey is Spot on. I went in February. Really a great group of people and there is nothing like one on one for two days to make sure you have everything down. I had been doing it for about 4 months prior. But they filled in all the blanks - I had zero paint gun experience prior to starting. Learning the patterns and the little stuff makes you feel better and insures you are putting down the best finish possible. If you are planning to make money with it - having the certified applicator tag helps a lot. I get 2 or 3 of the 5 calls a week that say "well you were the only certified applicator so I called you...."

I am retired and because of being the only certified applicator in the area and the way Cerakote markets their applicators I stay busy. I started doing cerakote after retiring because I building custom 1911s and ARs. I was having to send out my 1911s to be finished and it was costing me 350-375 out of the profit. I looked at all the products and believed that Cerakote was the best. Now instead of being a Custom 1911 and AR shop I am a Cerakote shop that builds Custom 1911s and ARs when I can find bench time!

I say get on the list - they have a great cancellation policy and refund if I remember right.

Feel free to PM if you have and off line questions.

Sarge

 

[Logansar]

Here is something that I would have never figured out with going to the school .... Patterns and optics! Did this last week!

Stay safe.
Sarge

 

[Dennis_in_VA]

Dennis - Cassey is Spot on. I went in February. Really a great group of people and there is nothing like one on one for two days to make sure you have everything down. I had been doing it for about 4 months prior. But they filled in all the blanks - I had zero paint gun experience prior to starting. Learning the patterns and the little stuff makes you feel better and insures you are putting down the best finish possible. If you are planning to make money with it - having the certified applicator tag helps a lot. I get 2 or 3 of the 5 calls a week that say "well you were the only certified applicator so I called you...."

I am retired and because of being the only certified applicator in the area and the way Cerakote markets their applicators I stay busy. I started doing cerakote after retiring because I building custom 1911s and ARs. I was having to send out my 1911s to be finished and it was costing me 350-375 out of the profit. I looked at all the products and believed that Cerakote was the best. Now instead of being a Custom 1911 and AR shop I am a Cerakote shop that builds Custom 1911s and ARs when I can find bench time!

I say get on the list - they have a great cancellation policy and refund if I remember right.

Feel free to PM if you have and off line questions.

Sarge

A year is a LONG time to wait........ that's the deal breaker for me.

 

[hermosabeach]

I would watch all of the video content online and then start with Cerakote and Norrells Molly Resin........

If you have your FFL and are looking to make this a business, get in line for the class... If you are just another person having fun, I would put the $1500 towards offering free or at cost refinishing for the mosin and SKS crowd...
or find a local FFL that carries mil surp / beaters in inventory and refinish at cost....


From the videos, you can find out what equipment you need-
Compressors
blast cabinets
degreasing equipment
sprayers
oven
etc

One you have done a few dozen mosins... you should be extremely confident with the process......

 

[Gunsmith Dan]

The cost of the training is returned MANY times over from the free advertising that you get from Cerakote both on the website AND when someone calls them to find a applicator. I will be coming up on 1 1/2 years since doing the Certified Training and have had to date 192 DIRECT customers from either looking me up on the Cerakote website or talking to someone at Cerakote. So even if you only made $10 per Cerakote job (which you will make a lot more) that pays for the training AND the expenses, plus certification is for life and no retraining is needed.

PLUS

Yes if you want to know everything about Cerakote it is well worth it as well as if you are competing against another Cerakote shop that is not certified the Certification gives you that extra edge with customers (not to mention a HUGE plus when bidding for government contracts).

 

[Beef_Supreme]

Just make sure they WILL set you up as a Certified Applicator Dennis. They limit the number of Certified Applicators in one area, and are these days very discerning about who they will approve. Kind of like Stihl Dealerships and Repair stations, same kind of set up. There is already a Certified Applicator in Salem, so I would make sure they WOULD set you up to be found on their applicator locator before attending.

 

[Danco411]

I have been coating for 3 years and done hundreds of guns. I consider myself to be pretty good but I'm still going to take the class. It won't be till next year due to the wait. My plans are to do it as a business part time until I retire then do it full time. You can do business without the certification but IMO to be totally legit you'll need the certification.