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Posted: 4/14/2016 12:26:43 PM EDT
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Hey guys,
I have a Nodak Spud Blem A1 lower. As it was a Blem and I was impatient and unwilling to wait, it was in black. I should have gotten it "distressed" for the extra $20 but too late now... So I need to refinish it to match my XM177E2 upper. I was looking at duracoating it but the grey colt is too dark(newer colt grey) and it just doesn't look/feel right. I know people reccommend US Anodizing, so I am considering that. But I also want to have the lower engraved to look like a Colt XM177E2 which I was planning on reaching out to Ident Marking for. Should I have the engraving done first, or refinish first, or does it not matter? |
| If it were mine, I would just use Norells after engraving, but if you're stuck on re-anodizing you are going to turn your $150 lower into a $500 stripped lower after the stripping / prep, engraving and re-anodizing. Give Mike at NDS a call and ask his opinion on if distressing the black could get you light enough to pass for dark gray. You can send your lower and upper to him so he could match them. Just a thought |
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Quoted:
With the right technique, you can get a black anodized lower to look like a darker gray. I have done it to a couple lowers Here is an A2 lower I did a few months ago. <a href="http://s100.photobucket.com/user/jamesrea_2006/media/Weapons%202014/Retro%20ARs/M16A2/006_zps5gnknwvb.jpg.html" target="_blank">http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m8/jamesrea_2006/Weapons%202014/Retro%20ARs/M16A2/006_zps5gnknwvb.jpg</a> <a href="http://s100.photobucket.com/user/jamesrea_2006/media/Weapons%202014/Retro%20ARs/M16A2/004_zpsyjx94d4c.jpg.html" target="_blank">http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m8/jamesrea_2006/Weapons%202014/Retro%20ARs/M16A2/004_zpsyjx94d4c.jpg</a> Very nice. How did you do that? |
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Quoted:
Very nice. How did you do that? Quoted:
Quoted:
With the right technique, you can get a black anodized lower to look like a darker gray. I have done it to a couple lowers Here is an A2 lower I did a few months ago. <a href="http://s100.photobucket.com/user/jamesrea_2006/media/Weapons%202014/Retro%20ARs/M16A2/006_zps5gnknwvb.jpg.html" target="_blank">http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m8/jamesrea_2006/Weapons%202014/Retro%20ARs/M16A2/006_zps5gnknwvb.jpg</a> <a href="http://s100.photobucket.com/user/jamesrea_2006/media/Weapons%202014/Retro%20ARs/M16A2/004_zpsyjx94d4c.jpg.html" target="_blank">http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m8/jamesrea_2006/Weapons%202014/Retro%20ARs/M16A2/004_zpsyjx94d4c.jpg</a> Very nice. How did you do that? The right technique*, obviously. (*sandblasting and re-anodizing) 
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Quoted:
If it were mine, I would just use Norells after engraving, but if you're stuck on re-anodizing you are going to turn your $150 lower into a $500 stripped lower after the stripping / prep, engraving and re-anodizing. Give Mike at NDS a call and ask his opinion on if distressing the black could get you light enough to pass for dark gray. You can send your lower and upper to him so he could match them. Just a thought Best advise, if you really want grey order a nds blem a1. Or buy some norells., a small cheap oven and cheap spray gun. Reanodizing is a waste imo. $150 to refinish anything is $$$. Even a registered lower. |
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Quoted:
Best advise, if you really want grey order a nds blem a1. Or buy some norells., a small cheap oven and cheap spray gun. Reanodizing is a waste imo. $150 to refinish anything is $$$. Even a registered lower. Quoted:
Quoted:
If it were mine, I would just use Norells after engraving, but if you're stuck on re-anodizing you are going to turn your $150 lower into a $500 stripped lower after the stripping / prep, engraving and re-anodizing. Give Mike at NDS a call and ask his opinion on if distressing the black could get you light enough to pass for dark gray. You can send your lower and upper to him so he could match them. Just a thought Best advise, if you really want grey order a nds blem a1. Or buy some norells., a small cheap oven and cheap spray gun. Reanodizing is a waste imo. $150 to refinish anything is $$$. Even a registered lower. This. Plus one thirty dollar bottle of norrells Is enough to finish 4 or 5 receiver sets |
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Quoted:
Very nice. How did you do that? Quoted:
Quoted:
With the right technique, you can get a black anodized lower to look like a darker gray. I have done it to a couple lowers Here is an A2 lower I did a few months ago. <a href="http://s100.photobucket.com/user/jamesrea_2006/media/Weapons%202014/Retro%20ARs/M16A2/006_zps5gnknwvb.jpg.html" target="_blank">http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m8/jamesrea_2006/Weapons%202014/Retro%20ARs/M16A2/006_zps5gnknwvb.jpg</a> <a href="http://s100.photobucket.com/user/jamesrea_2006/media/Weapons%202014/Retro%20ARs/M16A2/004_zpsyjx94d4c.jpg.html" target="_blank">http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m8/jamesrea_2006/Weapons%202014/Retro%20ARs/M16A2/004_zpsyjx94d4c.jpg</a> Very nice. How did you do that? I used some super fine steel wool to start with. I took it down to a smooth finish and then applied a thin coat of gun oil and work it with the steel wool a little more to get the shade I was looking for. The I came back with a Scotchbrite pad. Then, I wiped off the oil residue. Techniques can vary pending on the desired result. |
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