[guate_shooter]

OK

I finally got my new (used) XD 9SC, she originally had a uggly hard chrome finish on the slide, I'm fortunate to have a bead blasting machine at work so I clean all the meatl parts off in no time. I decided to do quite a few parts, they were bead blasted with aluminum oxide beads.

I tried applying cerakote OD finish on them, with an professional air brush kit, the smaller parts came out allright, but when it came time to the slide for some reasson, the cerakote gives me like a sandpaper finish on it, which is fine with me, Im not sure if its supposed to be like that or not, but it is not sticking to it at all, I let it cool off, and as soon as I pass my finger over it the damm cerakote comes off, I have tried baking it both at 250 degrees for 2 hours and 300 degrees for 1 hour and the same result at the end.

Anybody has ever tried doing the cerakote before at home?

Is it soppused to be a smooth finish, or tuff sandpaper?

Need help, getting agravated, the only good thing I acomplished so far is putting the PRP trigger kit since it was completely apart, that was easier than i Thought.

 

[ichy_trigger]

I have not used that particular finish but normaly when a finish fails to adhere, its due to poor metal prep. Some finishes warn against bead blasting and prefer sand blasting. Also I like to wear rubber gloves and use acetone to degrease everythign prior to apllying my finish.

 

[Myk9noseknows]

Yeah, sounds like poor surface prep. You can't have anything but a clean surface, and that means no bare skin touching the metal, and if you do use rubber gloves, get powder free.

You need to use a "gritty" media for sand blasting, not bead blasting. You need a rough finish for the product to have something to adhere to. Souinds like you have either a dirty surface, or you're beaded it down to smooth like glass.

Rough surface, use guns scrubbber or MEK to clean the surface, and don't let anythign come in contact with it. Spray then bake

 

[guate_shooter]

Its aluminum Oxide Beads which is what the manufacture recomends, I even tried sanding it by hand that way its really rough and same result.

I actually used a spray on degreaser which is an acetone based , then put it in the over for 30 minutes, then spray, put back in the oven for 3 hours, let it cool off, and same freaking result.

I emailed NIC Industries which is the makers of Cerakote, but havent had any answer from them yet, I tried aplying it 3 times already and starting to get agravated, I had no problems doing plastic, and other metal parts on the gun, but for some reasson when it comes to the slide it just doesnt adhere to it.

I;m hoping there is some problem with the product itself and thats the reasson why its not working I dont see what else could be wrong.

I even switched from airbrush to a gravity feed detail gun like what you would use to paint a car but in a mini version and still the same thing.

Bad thing about it is that now I have the damm frame and parts of the gun already in OD, and even if I would blast the slide again it comes out to like a brush aluminum look, so it doesnt match, and I dont think it would be protected against rust.

 

[Myk9noseknows]

Aluminum Oxide should be flat discs, not beads.

Your degreaser might be leaving a film on the slide creating the adhesion issues.

 

[ranburr]

Parkerize it and then use the Cera-Kote.

ranburr

 

[sourpatch45]

Parkerize it and then use the Cera-Kote.

ranburr

ive never done it but park does leave a nice surface to grip onto for a finish

 

[RagingInfidel]

I doubt blasting of any kind will remove a chrome coating, so I bet your coating isn't sticking because the chrome is still there, just dull looking, it can be removed by reversing the electrolysis process that added it in the first place, might cost more than you want to spend.

 

[g29cc]

I agree on the chrome removal, you can use muratic acid to strip the hard chrome. Just becareful how long you leave it in the solution. You dont necessarily need electrolysis means to strip it. But it makes life easier. You should be able to leave the chrome on though and roughen it up enough to have it adhere. Are you using 100-120 grit AL oxide ? If its too fine then you might be having issues. Also the final prep stage sounds right. Are you mixing the hardener and paint properly ? Correct ML settings ? It sounds like its probably the chrome giving you a problem, since your not having an issue with anything else though.

Email if you have any more problems and I can help you out best I can.

Todd