Gun Finish Oven Question?

[powwowell]

I've read that refinishing with Gun Kote requires that the sprayed parts be baked to "cure" the finish. Duracoat says that it takes weeks for their finish to harden. Users say that Duracoat can be baked to speed up the curing process.

Most of us know that we can't use the kitcfhen stove. Shouldn't anyway. My question is, why can't a gas grill be used? Mine has a lid that can be shut and it has a thermometer in the lid.

 

[coyotehitman]

I'm betting it is harder to control the temperature of a gas grill and maintain a constant temperature. I do not know how big your parts are, but if you are doing a handgun, just pick up a used toaster oven and go to work.

 

[rcmodel]

I would be very cautious in trying to use a gas grill.

There are always going to be hot-spots in there that would get hot enough to ruin the heat treating on firearms parts.

rcmodel

 

[brighamr]

Here's an easier way:

Use a 6 foot section of stove pipe with a heat gun on each end and a magnetic thermometer in the middle. You can put it anywhere you want, fit any gun you own, and control temps by adjusting the distance of the heat guns from the ends of the stove pipe.

 

[dfariswheel]

Another option is to use Brownell's Aluma-Hyde II with is an air curing epoxy finish.

While Lauer Duracoat does take weeks to reach FULL hardness, that means the ultimate fully cured hardness, not working hardness.
The finish is usable in around 24 hours.
If you just wait 24 hours or so, the finish will be completely usable without any baking.

Under NO circumstances would I use a gas grill.
The temps are not closely controllable and can vary widely throughout the cooking area.
Either use an air-cure like the Lauer or Brownell's, or bake in a kitchen oven.

 

[havoc7usmc]

I do a LOT of dura coat and gunkote for regular guys and law enforcement. If you want a deceant job and it's only going to be a one time deal of a few small parts now and then, the toaster is ok. Now, gunkote is only as good as your metal prep. This is the most critical area for gunkote also, K-Phos is a real good binder between gunkote and the metal. Alloy frame heated to a max temp of 275, steel at 350. If it's a poly gun frame...use dura coat. unless you have perfected a good gasing method to get 100% of the release agent out of the frame. I do use gunkote on wood stocks. I recantly did duracoat a sniper rifle for the state police and 4 days later the used it for a 3 day training evolution and and had no problems with the fininsh but, 4 weeks is a good cure time for harsh duty. Have fun doing it and post pictures when your done.

Guns - out

 

[ralfus]

How clean is the inside of your gas grill? I would not go through all that prep work to get the parts painted just to close a dirty, greasy lid over a freshly painted part and sprinkle greasy soot all over the parts and bake it in, plus the temp wont be as consistent.

I want a job at Subway so I can sneak in at night and hang coated rifles in their bread oven.

 

[Sagetown]

Sounds like a lot of trouble. Would a Hair Blow Dryer work? Just wondering.....

 

[JesseL]

I think the best bet is to build one of these:



http://www272.pair.com/stevewag/heater/heater1.html

 

[Robert Hairless]

Years ago I bought a large toaster oven for the purpose. The only two parts that have needed a larger oven are long gun barrels and shotgun action tubes. Everything else I do fits. The cost was about $40.

I am one of few who don't "know that we can't use the kitcfhen stove" (you mean "oven") for baking the parts. Being an essentially stupid person, that's what I use. I looked inside my barbeque grill and saw that it was uh ... painted. Then I looked on the shelves of Home Depot and Lowes and saw that they stocked barbeque ... uh paint.

Nevertheless I am devoted to good health. So I never shoot any projectiles made of lead, never fire a cartridge that releases noxious fumes into the air, never go near vehicles that are powered by internal combustion engines, never eat processed foods or dirty, filthy organic foods either, don't eat meats or vegetables, and never breathe the air outside my home or inside my home.

Of course I now have three heads, six arms, and a tendency to binge on cranberry juice when the moon is full, but my painted finishes look really good.

Excuse me. It's my turn to bay at the moon.

 

[brigadier]

The trick to these bake-on finishes is getting all of the oils out and opening up the pores in the surface of the metal for a super bond. For that, a toaster oven or your home oven is just fine. Most ovens don't exceed 500-600f. At these temperatures, you can temper some untreated metals but for metals heat treated at temperatures of of 800f and beyond, oven temperature is going to have no effect on the metal properties, even if you quenched it immediately afterwards.

BTW.
Testors flat model spray paint is an excellent bake-on finish it's self, though the best results are gotten at 300f for 3 hours.
I have a gun that had an OD green testors model paint finish that lasted for 4 or 5 years before I decided to redo the frame which required removing the finish. The finish was still in perfect shape when I removed it.

 

[Clay]

Glad you guys posted that link ............ I picked up the HiTemp fiberglass pipe insulation and screw-in electric heating unit along with wiring, dimmer switch and the other small parts today. Should have the oven complete by the weekend. Have the small compressor and air brush paint set up ready to go and I'm going to try Norrell's Moly Resin.