Anyone use their peel and spray templates? How did they work and can you post pics of your worK?

Best regards,

Bomber

My friend in Louisville, Kentucky uses Duracoat, along with a few other products.  He stated that he does not like their templates: too much work.

If you can live without a template, you can do what I do.  I have used the following technique with Brownell's Aluma-Hyde II, KG coatings, Duracoat, and regular spray paint (NOT on my ARs though!).

I like striping, like tiger stripe or 'urban' stripe.  I pick a base color, the lightest color you plan on using.  I cover the entire piece: let it dry, cure, whatever it does.  I then take masking tape for PAINTING, because painting masking tape (7 or 14 day tape) removes easily, and does not leave residue.  I tear the tape in stripes; this gives a ragged edge look.  I put the tape where I want; then, apply my next lightest coat color.  If I am doing three or more colors, I leave each layer of tape in place.  Once done, I remove tape, finely WET sand with 400 grit, or finer, using WET sandpaper: 3-M makes excellent wet/dry paper and is sold at my local NAPA and Auto Zone parts stores.  By finely sanding, edges between the coats are leveled, and finely sanding, when done right, will not go through to the piece.  I ONLY sand where I feel edges, with which I cannot live.  You can also apply a clear topcoat if you want.  I never applied a topcoat.

Though this doesn’t answer your question, I hope that this helps for a future project.

It does help as it confirms my thoughts on the correct process. I am considering doing one of my  AR's in an Urban Digital pattern.

Thanks for the input....Bomber

beckettofnevada just ordered a bunch from lauer and i don't remember if he ordered a template or not.  I suggested winging it and I'd suggest the same for you.

ya i didnt get templates i dont like the big stripes and line looks. I usualy do my base pattern in the color that blends the best then i free hand some faint strips and blobs with my other colors. What ever floats your boat, good luck im sure it will turn out good.

Not sure what your wanting to do as far as your paterns, but my suggestion is if you are doing stripes and blotches... to use masking take.  Stick it to a board and use a hobby knife to cut out your designs.  However, if you are going with a digital camo, get the precut templates.  It will save you a lot of time.

Last time I checked with them they also offer a stencil making kit.  As far as use wise.  You'll only get a good 3 applications out of the stencil material they provide.  Unless you're a neat freak and have absolutely no dust around.

If I can get the digital camera to work, I'll show you some digital camo using graph paper.  I like to just randomly cut out shapes and use a low residue double side tape to hold it on.  and follow a similiar spray paint pattern as the above post (layering). This leaves the edges a little loose, so further lends to blending of the edges.

I used them on my L1A1.
They work really good, just make sure you give your base coat time to thoroughly dry and cure before putting them on or they can pull some of the base off.
Here's a pic of mine.
This was a trial run and I may eventually end up re-finishing it in the same colors.
Just think I could have done a better job but it was the first time I had tried it.

Nice job. I plan to do mine is a digital pattern that is a slightly darker version of the ACU pattern. I've ordered one shade darker of the 3 colors in the ACU pattern and their digital stick ons. I'm also planning to do my 6004 drop leg the same. I don't however have the balls to do my H&K Tactical .


Can't wait to try it out.

Bomber

I pretty much only use the templates on the digital, also. On multiple colors I heat the parts after each color for 20 min. at 110 degrees and pull them out to cool. As soon as they cool, you can mask for next color. I use the blue painter's tape also which usually doesn't leave much, if any, adhesive residue. The templates will tend to leave more residue. If it does, it can be removed with mineral spirits without harm the finish. Just the way I do it. YMMV Looks like you got excellent info from posters above! Have fun!!!!!
Cheers,
Dave

Dave,

How do you heat to 110? My oven will not go lower than 200.

Bomber

Quoted: If I can get the digital camera to work, I'll show you some digital camo using graph paper.  I like to just randomly cut out shapes and use a low residue double side tape to hold it on.  and follow a similiar spray paint pattern as the above post (layering). This leaves the edges a little loose, so further lends to blending of the edges.

Been there, done that, got the ammo can....

Quoted: Dave, How do you heat to 110? My oven will not go lower than 200. Bomber

Bomber,
I have a "Super High-Tech Heating Non-OSHA Environment " which just consists of an old refrigerator with a $8.00 Walmart hot plate in it.  I installed an in duct blower fan in top, and it keeps 110 degrees with no problem. I've used this continuosly for the past year and hot plate just died last week. $8.00 more and back in service!
HTH
Dave

yep im way to lazy to cut out all of those litte squares. ill stick to winging it.

Quoted: Quoted: Dave, How do you heat to 110? My oven will not go lower than 200. Bomber Bomber, I have a "Super High-Tech Heating Non-OSHA Environment " which just consists of an old refrigerator with a $8.00 Walmart hot plate in it.  I installed an in duct blower fan in top, and it keeps 110 degrees with no problem. I've used this continuosly for the past year and hot plate just died last week. $8.00 more and back in service! HTH Dave

Very cool! I've been looking around the shop for something I could use. My thoughts were a portable heater, a thermometer and a fan on a dimmer switch so we had basically the same idea. If I was going to do this more than a couple of times I would invest in materials to make a box lined with sheetrock.

I received my Duracoat order today. The give you a ton of stencils (Urban Flage). Now all I need is for the parts for my new build to come in. I'm probably nuts but I'm going to build an AR with top of the line components and paint it before I even shoot it.

Bomber

Something else that you might try if you want something different is go to one the school teacher's supply stores and pick up some paper leaves, or you can just cut some out.  Then paint with a base coat, through some leaves on it after the base coat dries and paint with another color.  You can do this again with a 3rd color if you like.  Might want to give it a quick try on an old scrap piece of wood first though to see if it's something that floats your boat before painting your toy.

Just a thought,
Robert

I went to the school supply store and got the foil stars, but not for templates, just for bling...

I use an old metal cabinet with a coleman gas camping grill for an oven...

Joe,

Your work is awesome! That's the look I'm shooting for. My goal is to come up with a finish that looks similar (albeit less detail) to the ACU pattern. I chose 3 colors that are similar but a shade darker than the ACU colors. I didn't want my rifle to be too light in color but want it to be recognizeable as the ACU pattern.

For the dark color which will be the primary color, I chose Combat Green

For the medium and secondary color, I chose green grey

For the light accent color I chose coyote brown

What are your thoughts on the color choices and use as primary, secondary and accent? Would you change anything?

The templates seem very nice and they give you a lot of them. How easy is it get them to conform to the many surfaces and details of an AR (eg Magpul stock)?

Do you recommend oven curing or should I air cure?

I've done a lot of solid color finishing with Norrel's Molycoat and I like it a lot. It's easy to apply and is pretty tough. How would you compare Duracoat to Molycoat?

A big thanks.....you're an artist!

Bomber

Bomber,
I recently painted a rifle using DuraCoat in the new ACU cammo pattern. I sent Lauer, the company that distributes DuraCoat a sample of an ACU uniform. They matched up the colors and I painted the rifle. I used their MirrorFlage pattern as my template. By modifying the template I developed a pattern that was very similar to the ACUs. The only problem with the colors is the sand color is a little lighter than it should be. Note DuraCoat did save these colors in their data base and you should have no problem getting them.
Good luck and happy painting
shootsenmeister

nova.umuc.edu/~ct398a04/ar15/

www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=3&f=118&t=249303

If you would like more pictures or Info, just let me know

Very very nice. I commented in the thread you provided a link to. The question I have is how did you get the templates to cover the irregular shapes on an AR15?

Bomber

Bomber
Thank you for your kind words. The peel and spray templates will be your best friend for your project. The easiest way I found is to cut the templates to fit / to get the desired affect as much as possible. I cut most of the templates in half. I used the templates and the outer edges just as much as I used the area inside the templates. (Did that make sense?) Each outer area square has a potential pattern contained within. Their were a few areas but not many where I cut squares out using masking tape.
Good luck
Should you have anymore questions just ask
the Shootsenmeister