Epoxy Enamel !!

[10mm4ever]

My SW1911 was starting to show some serious finish wear on the grip safety, mag release and slidestop. This bothered me enough to want to send them off to have one of the newer coatings applied, such as Duracoat,etc.Well, I was at Home depot last week to get some supplies for a home project and got distracted looking at the various aerosol spraypaints to see if maybe there was something that had good resistance to heat, chipping, cracking, etc. I think I've found something that has the "right stuff", at least for small parts. It's called epoxy enamel(for appliances) and made by Rust-o-leum(Krylon also makes it). I picked up a can in gloss black and got a can of stripper/de-greaser as well. To get started, I roughed up the grip safety a bit with a small pc. of 220 grit sandpaper, but didnt touch the other parts with sandpaper. Next, I used an S.O.S. pad and some hot water to strip and de-grease the parts the best I could and then rinsed them off with scalding water. Next, I "baked" the parts in the oven for about 20 minutes at 200 to insure that they were dry. Next, after the parts cooled I sprayed them with stripper/de-greaser,rinsed them off with scalding water and again baked them, same as before. Once the parts cooled a bit I used a few tiny pcs. of scotch tape to mask the portion of the mag release and slidestop that are internal when the gun's assembled. Next I applied a light coat of the epoxy
and then used a hairdryer to make the epoxy "firm up" and smooth out a bit, then removed the scotch tape. Next, it was off to the oven for the last time. I "baked" the parts at about 180 degrees for about 90 mins or so, and then turned the oven off but left the parts in for several hours until the oven cooled. I then set the parts out for 24 hours to fully cure. Throughout the entire process I never handled the parts with my bare hands, nor did I use any paper towels or rags to wipe off the parts. I did this to insure that nothing came into contact with the parts that could affect the adhesion. I de-greased a pair of needle nose pliars to hold the slidestop and mag release when painting,etc. I also used a wire hanger for the grip safety, running the hooked part of the hanger through the hole on its backside that the manual safety pin passes through when the gun's assembled. I used the hanger when applying the epoxy, and then bent it so it could "hang" in the oven when it "baked". Whenever I baked the other small parts, I set them on a small pc. of aluminum foil. This finish, when cured is extremely hard and very slick to the touch. So far I've exposed it to Breakfree and various greases and using just my thumbnail, I cant leave a mark. I havent exposed it to bore solvent nor will I , since those parts never come into contact with solvent anyway. These arent the best pics, but it's the best I can do, and they dont do it justice. I wasnt exactly sure which forum to post this on, but since my first "experiment" was on a 1911, this seemed appropriate. Moderator, if you wish to move this to another forum I understand. I believe appliance epoxy only comes in gloss, but it's available in several colors and I know how to make it a satin finish as well(if you look closely you'll see that the beavertail is satin while the other parts are glossy). It's extremely resistant to scuffing, peeling and chipping and has good heat resistance. I suspect that this epoxy enamel is very similar to some of the better coatings available. If you should decide to try this remember, only a few VERY LIGHT coats are needed! If you go too thick, you may have to use a bit of fine sandpaper to get the part to fit again, so be cautious.Maybe we could get this "stickied" at a later date if it's a success. Sorry for making this such a long winded post, but I didnt want to leave out any details that might affect things and if I wasnt VERY impressed with the results, I wouldnt have wasted my time or yours. I'd like to see some pics if anyone else decides to try this little "project". The way I look at it is there's really no "downside" @ five bucks a can. The "upside" is that a five dollar can of this stuff could go a LONG way if it works.:beer: http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f7/masterofg3/th_000_1393.jpg (http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f7/masterofg3/000_1393.jpg)
http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f7/masterofg3/th_000_1392.jpg (http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f7/masterofg3/000_1392.jpg)
http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f7/masterofg3/th_000_1391.jpg (http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f7/masterofg3/000_1391.jpg)
http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f7/masterofg3/th_000_1476.jpg (http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f7/masterofg3/000_1476.jpg)
http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f7/masterofg3/th_000_1471.jpg (http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f7/masterofg3/000_1471.jpg)
http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f7/masterofg3/th_000_1433.jpg (http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f7/masterofg3/000_1433.jpg)
http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f7/masterofg3/th_000_1396.jpg (http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f7/masterofg3/000_1396.jpg)
http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f7/masterofg3/th_000_1395.jpg (http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f7/masterofg3/000_1395.jpg)
http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f7/masterofg3/th_000_1394.jpg (http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f7/masterofg3/000_1394.jpg)

[Slvr Surfr]

Nice job, They look like a OEM parts !:beer:

[10mm4ever]

Thanks. It's not so easy to photograph due to all of the reflection between the polished stainless and the gloss of the small parts. It looks even better closeup. After several days with breakfree laying on it, it's unfazed by it. Even though I dont have a leather holster to test its resistance to holster wear, I used the rough side of a dress belt. After rubbing it against the grip safety and slidestop for 45-60 seconds it had no effect whatsoever.

[Bill Keith]

I've always admired a guy that's handy in the kitchen. I could imagine being about 1/4 way into this project when my wife spies me with her oven in flagrante delecto with gun parts on the cookie tray! YIKES...

Nice job, hope it holds up for you!

[10mm4ever]

Moderators, could you please move this thread to the gunsmithing forum? I realized after I started this thread here, that it would have been more appropriate there. Thank you:beer:

[happyguy]

So, what's the secret to turning gloss paint into satin?

Regards,
Happyguy:)

[10mm4ever]

Originally posted by happyguy
So, what's the secret to turning gloss paint into satin?

Regards,
Happyguy:) Well, I rationalized that satin is midway between a gloss finish and flat. Long story short, I sprayed the grip safety with several light coats of Rust-o-leum "Professional" flat black after the initial bake with the epoxy. I then baked it again the same as before and when it was done it had a satin finish. The ingredients in the "Professional" paint are very similar to the appliance epoxy in as much as it has alkyd resins as well, which is epoxy. This process caused the top coat to bake itself into the underlying coat of epoxy forming a very strong molecular "bond". This stuff is extremely tough! You wont have to worry about giving an oil wipedown to whatever parts have been coated ever again.

[Butcher]

i think the big name gunsmithing companies are gonna put a hit out on you for exposing their secrets lol

good job, looks incredibly nice!

[auto45]

Nice job.

Do you think it's necessary to bake the paint after you apply it?

I wonder if it makes a difference for adhesion.

Regardless, might be a great option to the $300 paint jobs on pistols now.

[10mm4ever]

Originally posted by auto45
Nice job.

Do you think it's necessary to bake the paint after you apply it?

I wonder if it makes a difference for adhesion.

Regardless, might be a great option to the $300 paint jobs on pistols now. Not exactly sure if it's "necessary" per se, nor is it suggested by the manufacturer. However, it worked extremely well. I'm going to "test the limits" of this stuff on some spare 1911 parts sometime this week. I want to know how much heat it can take, and if it's bothered by solvents. I know it's not bothered by any of the lubes I've tried. As slick as it is to the touch, I cant help but think about applying a thin coat to the trigger/triggerbow(and possibly some other small parts).

[glockatlanta]

10mm4ever--

Boy am I glad you posted the results of your experiment. I picked up a can of the appliance epoxy today with the same thought in mind. I have an old M-94 Winchester project that has already eaten up too much $$ for what's going to be a "working" gun. I bead-blasted the frame and was going to have it blued. Then I was reminded by my gunsmith that the steel in modern M94's has a high-silicon content and doesn't blue well (turns plum color). Plan "B" was one of the Brownell's bake-on spay coatings, but I obviously can't get the M-94 barrled action in the oven. Then I found out about DuraCoat, which is an epoxy and doesn't need to be baked on. However, it's pretty expensive. Anyway, I had the same "I wonder if..." thought you did while browzing Home Deopt today, and ended up buying a can of the appliance epoxy.

One question: I'm interested in a matte finish--what did your part look like after you sprayed the "flat" black on it, but before baking? It seems like the "flat" color would just stick on top of the glossy appliance paint and not mix in...expecially if the appliance paint has dried. Any suggestions on how to get a matte finish without baking would be greatly appreciated.

Mike

[10mm4ever]

Originally posted by glockatlanta
10mm4ever--

Boy am I glad you posted the results of your experiment. I picked up a can of the appliance epoxy today with the same thought in mind. I have an old M-94 Winchester project that has already eaten up too much $$ for what's going to be a "working" gun. I bead-blasted the frame and was going to have it blued. Then I was reminded by my gunsmith that the steel in modern M94's has a high-silicon content and doesn't blue well (turns plum color). Plan "B" was one of the Brownell's bake-on spay coatings, but I obviously can't get the M-94 barrled action in the oven. Then I found out about DuraCoat, which is an epoxy and doesn't need to be baked on. However, it's pretty expensive. Anyway, I had the same "I wonder if..." thought you did while browzing Home Deopt today, and ended up buying a can of the appliance epoxy.

One question: I'm interested in a matte finish--what did your part look like after you sprayed the "flat" black on it, but before baking? It seems like the "flat" color would just stick on top of the glossy appliance paint and not mix in...expecially if the appliance paint has dried. Any suggestions on how to get a matte finish without baking would be greatly appreciated.

Mike You are correct, it looked flat before baking. It didnt get that "satin" look until it was baked a second time. Unfortunately, the appliance epoxy only comes in gloss and I suspect it has something to do with the high epoxy content, and the fact that a super smooth,more non-porous finish wont mar or scuff as easily. If you have any metal parts that you can "practice" on first, that might be your safest bet. Without an oven or heat source it's very hard for me to say how it would turn out for you. If you live in a warm climate, you could hang the parts out in the sun. I'd be sure to make certain that the underlying coat of epoxy has time to take a good set prior to applying a coat of High performance enamel. You can give it a headstart by using a blowdryer, just be sure to keep it moving. Heat and air are your best friends here, dont be afraid to get creative. Hope this helped and keep me posted on your progress.:beer:

[GlockRacer]

I just painted a magwell and frame bottom that I blended to each other on monday, and I did not bake it in the oven. The epoxy is still a little soft, and doesn't seem to be as scratch resistant as your project turned out. I'm going to get some of the professional series that you mentioned in your post and top coat it, then bake it all together (i want the satin look, as that is what my frame is factory). I'm hoping it helps toughen the finish up. Overall, it looks very glossy right now and is very smooth to the touch!

[happyguy]

I don't know what all the epoxy enamel will stand up to, but it won't stand up to acetone. :supergrin:

Regards,
Happyguy:)

[10mm4ever]

I rubbed some Mobil1 15w-50 on the parts I coated a few days ago, it seems to have softened it a bit. There's also some stuff that Midway sells called Cerama-kote(comes in an aerosol can) that's supposed to be very good. The jury's still out with this epoxy enamel though. :beer: