Why does Duracoat say to not degrease again after media blasting?

[engineer40]

I've Duracoated 3 projects now and have followed the instructions.

Duracoat states to not degrease again after you media blast. To just wipe the metal down with a clean cloth instead.

Do you guys have any idea why they state that? Or how it would alter the end project result?

Every time I do a Duracoat project I always feel like I should be degreasing, then blasting, then degreasing again to make sure ALL residue is off.

My projects turn out nice. I'm just curious of the long term durability of the coating compared to if I'm only "wiping off the metal with a clean cloth" after blasting.

Thanks!

 

[Str8shooterTX]

When I still used duracoat I always degreased after blasting without issue. Change to cerakote and you will have better end result durability.

 

[Canadian Bushman]

Im not certain but i think its a guideline in order to avoid contamination of the coating. If you were to use a petroleum based cleaner or something that does not leave the metal before the paint is applied it could contaminate the paint or affect its adhesion.

Cerakote also recommends the very same thing, except they advise to blow all parts off with air. On occasion ive used acetone to clean a surface before cerakoting and had no problems, but i still blow it off to remove any lint or small particles that may of been left by the cloth.

If you dont have an air dryer or water seperator you can have issues as well. Even changing your sand frequently is advised as not to allow grease or oil to build up in the reserves, this has caused problems for me as well.

 

[engineer40]

When I still used duracoat I always degreased after blasting without issue. Change to cerakote and you will have better end result durability.

Im not certain but i think its a guideline in order to avoid contamination of the coating. If you were to use a petroleum based cleaner or something that does not leave the metal before the paint is applied it could contaminate the paint or affect its adhesion.

Cerakote also recommends the very same thing, except they advise to blow all parts off with air. On occasion ive used acetone to clean a surface before cerakoting and had no problems, but i still blow it off to remove any lint or small particles that may of been left by the cloth.

If you dont have an air dryer or water seperator you can have issues as well. Even changing your sand frequently is advised as not to allow grease or oil to build up in the reserves, this has caused problems for me as well.

Thanks guys. Yeah I definitely realize that Cerakote is a superior product. I had never used any kind of air gun/air brush before. I really had no idea what I was doing and wanted to start with something cheaper and something I didn't need to bake on. But honestly, I didn't realize how far 4oz's of this stuff lasts. I have 5 colors so I may be stuck with Duracoat for a while. I might need to buy some more guns since I think this stuff only lasts 18 months.

I do have 1 standard water filter in line and also a water/oil separator filter when I'm spraying.

Thanks again! I am going to start degreasing, then blasting, then degreasing again, and then air spraying right before I spray with the Duracoat. Good to know there shouldn't be any adverse affects.

 

[Hired Gun]

Put your degreasing fluid on a piece of glass mirror and see what it leaves behind.

 

[Str8shooterTX]

Im not certain but i think its a guideline in order to avoid contamination of the coating. If you were to use a petroleum based cleaner or something that does not leave the metal before the paint is applied it could contaminate the paint or affect its adhesion.

Cerakote also recommends the very same thing, except they advise to blow all parts off with air. On occasion ive used acetone to clean a surface before cerakoting and had no problems, but i still blow it off to remove any lint or small particles that may of been left by the cloth.

If you dont have an air dryer or water seperator you can have issues as well. Even changing your sand frequently is advised as not to allow grease or oil to build up in the reserves, this has caused problems for me as well.

Actually Cerakote recommends degreasing after blast media also.

 

[Canadian Bushman]

Only when doing metals that weep oil. Like barrel joints or ar dust covers. If they are dry and clean before blasting its recomended to blow off any trapped media or dust and then paint.

Their manual is available online.

If you wanna degrease, by all means go ahead, but i would use acetone.

 

[Str8shooterTX]

Only when doing metals that weep oil. Like barrel joints or ar dust covers. If they are dry and clean before blasting its recomended to blow off any trapped media or dust and then paint.

Their manual is available online.

If you wanna degrease, by all means go ahead, but i would use acetone.

Agreed as I use acetone mostly also with some brake cleaner. But most things I shoot have nooks that hold oil so I just feel better safe than sorry.

 

[Canadian Bushman]

Agreed as I use acetone mostly also with some brake cleaner. But most things I shoot have nooks that hold oil so I just feel better safe than sorry.

Its pretty amazing how much oil some parts can hold. Frustrating, but amazing too.

 

[engineer40]

Agreed as I use acetone mostly also with some brake cleaner. But most things I shoot have nooks that hold oil so I just feel better safe than sorry.

I use a lot of the Non-Chlorinated No Residue brake cleaner. For a while I was just using stuff I could find that stated No Residue. Not sure where I heard it's best to use the stuff that says Non-Chlorinated also.

Another trick I do when coating firearms is using my construction lights pointed at the parts overnight. It keeps them around 100-120 degrees and keeps the humidity way down. I don't heat my pole barn all of the time so this really helps. 2 sets of lights is 4x 500W bulbs. I get the 99 cent bulbs from Harbor Freight. I noticed most of these 500W bulbs will burn out quick if turning them off and on too often. If I just leave them on while they are baking my metal parts, they last a long time. I'm usually getting 6-10 overnight bakings before they burn out.

I keep the temps in check with an infrared thermometer. I'm fairly positive that I could get the metal parts above 200 degrees if I put the lights close enough. But I haven't seen a need to heat them that much yet.