(Sorry in advance I don't have pics, I'll try to get them up Sunday)

So I decided to do the duracoat thing to a Kimber TLE II frame, set of AR carbine handguards, Tawianese M14 mag, and small parts for the 1911. But first I had to get some stuff.

Compressor (Had)
Blast Cabinet & 80 grit glassbead abrasive - $150 at Tractor Supply, which to my suprise we have in CT.
4oz Swedish K Duracoat, hardener, & Basic Spray Gun - $54 shipped from LCW
3M - 7000 series respirator w/ organic vapor cartridges $30
Dust masks $5
Set of stainless steel measuring spoons $3
Methyl Etheyl Keytone and Acetone $10
Wire Hanger - Free (trapped in the closet)

Started off by blasting the parts. Easy enough. Finishes came off quick from everything and left a smooth yet slightly textured surface. I was kinda worried about using the GB because Tractor supply was out of aluminum oxide but I think it wil work out fine. For a good explaination of blasting medias find Kramer Supply's website. Excellent info.

When done glassblasting the parts, I hit them with shop air to get all the dust off. After that, I put gloves on and wiped everything down with acetone to get all possible oils off parts. Then I placed alll parts on a plastic sheet before setting up paints.

Prior to setting up the paints, I threw down an old bedsheet on my workbench as a backstop for the paint  and opened the window above bench for ventilation.

Read the directions LCW gives you. It makes everything easy. The paints went together easily. I was worried about messing up the mix, but it wasnt a problem using the measuring spoons. 2 tablespoons paint and one quarter teaspoon of hardener go into paintcup and get shaken. (Prior to mixing paints in cup, shake the base paint container for 4 minutes). This amount of mixed paint and hardener lasted for all parts, and there was still a magazine-sized dose left in the cup.  

Now for the painting. I set my airbrush pressure to 40psi. I also hung the unwrapped hanger from the ceiling rafters. With everything on the bench covered with the cloth. Make sure not to forget your respirator.

I started with the M14 mag and floorplate. It was one of the ones I got from Ammoman, so if i screwed it up I wouldn't feel so bad. Well I stopped worrying about that soon enough becuase it went on without a flaw. Now I didn't think I would do a good job, but using even strokes and moving the part around to see how the paint reflected on different light angles, I was able to respray the thin spots. Next I did the floorplate, small 1911 parts (safety + barrel bushing), AR handguards (the easiest), and finally the 1911 frame.  

I cleaned all my equipment  with the MEK, and it did a great job. MEK is one of the ingredients in duracoat, FYI. I dunno if it is what they market thier duracoat reducer as.

I finished all the painting up at 7pm and can't wait to see the results tomorrow, becuase you have to let it sit overnight, and the full finish cures in 3 weeks. That, and I'm at work right now.

In review, if you want to make the investment, the process is easy enough to do.

The Swedish K duracoat didn't exactly come out as the brownish color on thier website. It comes out more of a green with brown tint. But that doesn't bother me.

What, no pics?

Tag for pix!

I was kinda worried about using the GB

Thanks for the detailed narrative, PF.  It makes for a good read.

Can't wait to see the photos - don't forget!

Now I can see why there's a 50% upcharge for the duracoat "tiger-stripe" AR-15 furniture set.

I'd also be interested in your experience with long-term durability of the finish.

R/ Jim

Quoted: I was kinda worried about using the GB

+1

3 weeks to cure!!!!

Can you speed the cure up by baking???

What brand and model compressor do you have?

I am going to buy one soon for airbrushing.

Quoted: 3 weeks to cure!!!! Can you speed the cure up by baking???

Baking DuraCoat only speeds up handling time.  It won't make the curing/hardening happen any faster.  If you are doing multiple colors, baking in-between allows you to handle and mask the parts without waiting a day.

You can assemble a gun after a day.  After a week it's ready to be handled.  After 21 days, you can use solvents on it.

This thread is useless without pics.

Well here are the pics!







One coat applied, waited 2 days. Second Coat applied, baked at 200 degrees for half an hour.

Did the frame, barrel bushing, grip safety, and safety.

Tag

Nice job.  The kimbe looks sweet.

Is that Aug Green?

Quoted: Nice job.  The kimbe looks sweet. Is that Aug Green?

No, Swedish K. From the website, it looks as if it would be more brown, but it came out an awesome shade of green.

Quoted: What brand and model compressor do you have? I am going to buy one soon for airbrushing.

The basic airbrush kit from LCW and a 5hp Craftsman compressor.

Quoted: No, Swedish K. From the website, it looks as if it would be more brown, but it came out an awesome shade of green.

In all the pics of duracoated weapons I've seen on the net, the actual colors appear always to be quite different from the sample pics on Lauer's homepage

Glad to see your gun looks so nice, even if not quite the shade you expected.

Quoted: In all the pics of duracoated weapons I've seen on the net, the actual colors appear always to be quite different from the sample pics on Lauer's homepage

People don't adjust the white balance or use a grayscale to post pictures here. The differences in individual monitors is another factor that kills any possibility of seeing an accurate color.

Quoted: Quoted: No, Swedish K. From the website, it looks as if it would be more brown, but it came out an awesome shade of green. In all the pics of duracoated weapons I've seen on the net, the actual colors appear always to be quite different from the sample pics on Lauer's homepage

I've tried about 10 different colors of Duracoat and they always dry lighter then the samples shown on the website or in the printed catalog.  

Shameless Bump

Kimber looks great. Thanks for the report.