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Advice on air brush for gun coating at home

Posted By: Mike Honcho

Advice on air brush for gun coating at home - 06/14/17 05:49 AM

This isn't going to be a business, I like doing my own work and tinkering with stuff. I don't want to drop a lot of money either. Anyone have any recommendations? Would something like this from eBay work for mags, pistol slide, scope rings/rail, or gun stock.

http://m.ebay.com/itm/Starter-Airbrush-Kit-Single-Action-Siphon-Gun-Air-Compressor-Crafts-Hobby-Art-/331883406402?hash=item4d45cae442%3Ag%3A620AAOSw3YNXausi&_trkparms=pageci%253A33f808b7-50c2-11e7-8b3a-74dbd18046dd%257Cparentrq%253Aa512718215c0aa12b3c59977fffffda5%257Ciid%253A23

Thank you
Posted By: Tactical Cowboy

Re: Advice on air brush for gun coating at home - 06/14/17 09:29 PM

I've used a harbor freight HVLP automotive sprayer with great luck.
Posted By: Mike Honcho

Re: Advice on air brush for gun coating at home - 06/15/17 02:17 AM

Thanks tac, what kind of compressor did you run?
Posted By: BIGDOG1956

Re: Advice on air brush for gun coating at home - 06/15/17 10:04 AM

Brownels has a oven bake coating in a spray can that's real good.
Duracoat also has a spray can product.
I would suggest that you try the harbor freight touch up for a smaller compressor.
A airbrush is ony good for small areas a chip fo example.
I have paintng for 40 years.
Posted By: Tactical Cowboy

Re: Advice on air brush for gun coating at home - 06/15/17 01:07 PM

Originally Posted By: jorge
Thanks tac, what kind of compressor did you run?


Just a regular shop compressor
Posted By: JTPinTX

Re: Advice on air brush for gun coating at home - 06/15/17 02:15 PM

When I first started doing Cerakote I used a Paasche airbrush. It worked pretty good but was prone to clogging a bit. Cerakote flash dries pretty quick and is bad about building up in the gun/brush. Most of my work is done using stencils so a real fine spray pattern is not needed anyways. Later I went to the cheap HLVP gun that Cerakote (NIC Industries) used to sell on their site. It was just about $40, and it has been a great gun for me. I have used it a bunch Cerakoting Yeti cups and such, and really have got my moneys worth out of it. I think this one is the one they ended up replacing the cheaper one I have with. At $55 it still looks to be a pretty good deal to me.

https://www.cerakoteguncoatings.com/finishes/SE-273/paasche-hg08-hvlp-spray-gun/

A shop air compressor is fine, with a few caveats. You need a good way of regulating pressure, and you really, really need to get moisture/oil in the line under control. My compressor has the main tank, and I drain moisture pretty often. Then I run the air through a copper coil, kind of like a "worm" on a still, to cool the air and condense moisture out of it. Then it goes to a second tank, and my moisture separator is on the outlet of that. I realize that is kind of extreme. But when you are doing a lot of work for other folks it matters. You can probably get away with just a good moisture separator on the outlet of your compressor. But more is always better and leads to less frustrations.
Posted By: JTPinTX

Re: Advice on air brush for gun coating at home - 06/15/17 02:22 PM

I should elaborate on the air thing a bit. I used a small pancake compressor in the beginning and it did work for a pretty good while. The main problem though is I was using it not just to spray but to run my blast cabinet as well. A blast cabinet uses a lot of air and will pull a compressor down really quick. It was working that compressor really hard. Hot air can hold more moisture, and when it condenses then you have problems. Running a blast cabinet in conjunction with your spraying makes your moisture problems worse.

I don't know what kind of products you will be spraying. I don't have experience with Durakote or any of those. But I have sprayed lots and lots of Cerakote, both thermal and air cure.
Posted By: Mike Honcho

Re: Advice on air brush for gun coating at home - 06/19/17 05:22 PM

So I scored a compressor this weekend. It seems like it will handle the job.

Here are the specs:
Campbell hausfeld Horizontal
Tank- 13 gal
6.9 scfm @ 40 psi
5.5 scfm @ 90 psi

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Campbell-Hausfeld-13-Gal-125-Max-PSI-PortableElectric-Air-Compressor-DC130000/301079716?cm_mmc=Shopping%7CTHD%7Cgoogle%7C&mid=sGGzTBmKX%7Cdm_mtid_8903tb925190_pcrid_111416414825_pkw__pmt__product_301079716_slid_&gclid=CIzNhOK0ytQCFQSUaQodT6oHOQ

So aside from a inline water separator, and a hvlp detail gun. Is there anything else I should factor in?
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