Duracoating Rubber and Polymers

[Cobra 76 two 2,677]

I know Duracoat works ok on plastics, at least pictures I've seen posted when newly done look good....any tips on surface prep that make all the difference?

 

But does it stay on there and withstand any abuse or light scratching from regular handling and going in and out of the safe...etc.

 

I have my doubts it will work at all on things like rubber recoil pads and rubberized grips like the new Hogue AK grip. Or will it?

 

Getting ready to attempt a pretty kickass duracoat job and want to make damn sure not to piant anything that's gonna end up looking bad with real use. Guns are supposed to be more than wall pretty hangers....

 

TIA

 

[Paulyski 2,227]

Hard polymer; "okay". Not ideal, but okay. I just say this because polymer, if left bare, won't lose color spots if impacted or scratched. But with light use, it'll hold.

 

Rubber; not the greatest idea. Hard durable coatings will crack as rubber flexes. For instance, ever seen when someone spray-painted their tires?

[DrThunder88 912]

I'm with Paulyski. Even though the rubber may just be a coating on the fiberglass frame, there's a general rule in wood finishing about not applying hard finishes over soft ones for the same reasons.

[tsc91 9]

Maybe you could duracoat a spot on the inside sidewall of a tire, and drive on it for a month.

I'd be interested to see the results.

[Fallschirmjager667 729]

i use valspar plastic paint from a home improvement store, it actually bonds to plastics and polymers

[Cobra 76 two 2,677]

Yeah I figured that about the rubber. Never painted tires before though, that sounds trippy....lol. Reminds me of Earl Shibe....

 

More interested really on any tips for surface prep on polymers before using duracoat specifically. Just clean good with alcohol or something? Or lightly blast or sand first? I'll more than likely bead blast the metal parts. Or should I use crushed walnuts?

 

[DrThunder88 912]

For some reason I thought bead blasting left metal surfaces too smooth for good DuraCoat adhesion, but that might just be for putting a Parkerized substrate on the steel before coating.

 

As for blasting the polymer, I don't know much about blasting but if it leaves a uniform, rough surface and can be done without damaging or embedding particles in the material itself, it probably won't hurt. I cleaned the surface of my Saiga furniture with denatured alcohol before applying Krylon Fusion paint and it seems to be holding up.

 

Edit: Of course after posting this I found some fairly informative videos.

Edited December 17, 2010 by DrThunder88

[Cobra 76 two 2,677]

Good stuff. Thanks.

 

[rockmup 12]

I blast everything and then wash it in hot soapy water. Not all polymer/plastics are the same. To keep from getting the red ass I spray it all with durafil and then hit it real light with some 1000G

They make or made a flex additive for Duracoate but I never had any luck with it. So I dont coat any rubberized parts anymore.

 

FAL furniture in particular is real pain in the ass

 

 

EDIT; I heat cure it too @ 200* just make sure you hang it on/from a wood dowel and NOT from any kind of metal

Edited December 18, 2010 by rockmup

[macaholic 5]

Hey guy's What are the mixing ratios with Duracoat? How many parts paint to hardner/reducer? What type of spray gun do you all use, and what are the pressure settings? I want to go for the dull flat non-reflective look of Park, and I saw a Saiga-12 finished in Dura coat that looked like that. Man did that look good!

Edited December 23, 2010 by macaholic