Spray finish for magazines

DBotkin · January 21, 2009, 02:42 PM

I've got some aluminum magazines that were spray painted at some point. The underlying finish was scuffed prior to painting, so just removing the tan spray paint isn't going to look very good. Is there a spray finish that will stick well enough to work on magazines without blasting them down to bare metal, or not? I can blast 'em if I need to, but would prefer to avoid it if Gun-Kote or Aluma-Hyde II or something will work.

roklok · January 21, 2009, 05:25 PM

I have found that Aluma-hyde is a very good product, but if you paint over existing paint, the adhesion will only be as good as the previous paints adhesion. If the other paint is flaking off, Aluma hyde on top will flake off. I would try to remove most of the other paint with fine sandpaper.

DBotkin · January 22, 2009, 12:07 AM

I'll be taking the spray paint completely off with stripper & an acetone cleanup. That will leave just the original C Products finish - that's what I don't know if the new, good paint will stick to.

Old Guard Dog · January 22, 2009, 08:13 PM

DuraCoat makes a product to fill in scratches and pits. It is called DuraFil. It is sprayed on and sanded level. Blasting is not required, but will help clean the surface and give a good tooth. You may be able to duplicate this without the cost with another product. I have not personally used this stuff, but I have seen it used on a DVD.

**Unclenick** · January 22, 2009, 08:40 PM

You need to be careful stripping aluminum. Some of the strippers react with aluminum, so do a test by dipping an aluminum foil strip half way in and letting it sit for half an hour and see how its condition compares to the undipped half when you withdraw it? If you have trouble finding a stripper that doesn't hurt the mags, Google up a jewelry making supplier and get some pure methylene chloride and soak it in that.

If you want to protect the magazines better, you can get the aluminum hard anodized. That finish looks gray, but is porous and the platers will dye it black and apply a silicone sealer. You could also paint it with Aluma-hyde, instead, but you need to be sure to ask the plater not to seal it if you intend to do that.

There are also kits and descriptions out there for doing your own anodizing, but I won't recommend it due to the sulfuric acid involved. It's a good bit of bother and the acid seems to have trouble leaving your clothes alone. The last time I messed with it, even in dilute form, I found these little holes appeared in the cuffs of my jeans after a few washings, and they kept growing. There must have been a splash I didn't notice. It's no friendlier to skin and takes a bit of safety preparation to work with.

DBotkin · January 23, 2009, 12:09 AM

Unclenick, thanks. I use Citristrip gel, which removes any kind of enamel, lacquer or oil finish but leaves the aluminum untouched. It's an amazingly good stripper, which doesn't stink up the house so I can use it indoors with no problem. Takes about 15-20 minutes to COMPLETELY remove the spray paint. It does not, however, strip the factory finish. I see from C Products' web site it's supposed to be a Teflon coating, so I'm betting nothing is going to stick very well.

I won't be going to any great length or expense on these - certainly not anodizing them! I could buy new mag bodies for under $10 each from the manufacturer. I can also just strip the spray paint and use 'em a little bit ugly. I just want to end up with dark gray or black mags, with a finish that won't strip off like the spray paint does. My big question is whether Aluma Hyde/Durakote/Gun-Kote and the others need bare metal to adhere properly, or not. I'll probably get a can from Brownell's, try it out on the stripped one, and if it doesn't stick well enough try sand blasting it and see how that works.

January 21, 2009, 02:42 PM	#1
DBotkin Senior Member Join Date: December 14, 2006 Location: Omaha, NE Posts: 302	Spray finish for magazines I've got some aluminum magazines that were spray painted at some point. The underlying finish was scuffed prior to painting, so just removing the tan spray paint isn't going to look very good. Is there a spray finish that will stick well enough to work on magazines without blasting them down to bare metal, or not? I can blast 'em if I need to, but would prefer to avoid it if Gun-Kote or Aluma-Hyde II or something will work.

January 22, 2009, 08:13 PM	#4
Old Guard Dog Senior Member Join Date: December 23, 2008 Location: SE PA Posts: 101	Fix scratches DuraCoat makes a product to fill in scratches and pits. It is called DuraFil. It is sprayed on and sanded level. Blasting is not required, but will help clean the surface and give a good tooth. You may be able to duplicate this without the cost with another product. I have not personally used this stuff, but I have seen it used on a DVD.

January 22, 2009, 08:40 PM	#5
Unclenick Staff Join Date: March 4, 2005 Location: Ohio Posts: 21,063	You need to be careful stripping aluminum. Some of the strippers react with aluminum, so do a test by dipping an aluminum foil strip half way in and letting it sit for half an hour and see how its condition compares to the undipped half when you withdraw it? If you have trouble finding a stripper that doesn't hurt the mags, Google up a jewelry making supplier and get some pure methylene chloride and soak it in that. If you want to protect the magazines better, you can get the aluminum hard anodized. That finish looks gray, but is porous and the platers will dye it black and apply a silicone sealer. You could also paint it with Aluma-hyde, instead, but you need to be sure to ask the plater not to seal it if you intend to do that. There are also kits and descriptions out there for doing your own anodizing, but I won't recommend it due to the sulfuric acid involved. It's a good bit of bother and the acid seems to have trouble leaving your clothes alone. The last time I messed with it, even in dilute form, I found these little holes appeared in the cuffs of my jeans after a few washings, and they kept growing. There must have been a splash I didn't notice. It's no friendlier to skin and takes a bit of safety preparation to work with. __________________ Gunsite Orange Hat Family Member CMP Certified GSM Master Instructor NRA Certified Rifle Instructor NRA Benefactor Member and Golden Eagle Last edited by Unclenick; January 22, 2009 at 08:50 PM.

January 21, 2009, 05:25 PM	#2
roklok Senior Member Join Date: October 20, 2008 Location: Fort Yukon, Alaska Posts: 735	I have found that Aluma-hyde is a very good product, but if you paint over existing paint, the adhesion will only be as good as the previous paints adhesion. If the other paint is flaking off, Aluma hyde on top will flake off. I would try to remove most of the other paint with fine sandpaper.

January 22, 2009, 12:07 AM	#3
DBotkin Senior Member Join Date: December 14, 2006 Location: Omaha, NE Posts: 302	I'll be taking the spray paint completely off with stripper & an acetone cleanup. That will leave just the original C Products finish - that's what I don't know if the new, good paint will stick to.

January 23, 2009, 12:09 AM	#6
DBotkin Senior Member Join Date: December 14, 2006 Location: Omaha, NE Posts: 302	Unclenick, thanks. I use Citristrip gel, which removes any kind of enamel, lacquer or oil finish but leaves the aluminum untouched. It's an amazingly good stripper, which doesn't stink up the house so I can use it indoors with no problem. Takes about 15-20 minutes to COMPLETELY remove the spray paint. It does not, however, strip the factory finish. I see from C Products' web site it's supposed to be a Teflon coating, so I'm betting nothing is going to stick very well. I won't be going to any great length or expense on these - certainly not anodizing them! I could buy new mag bodies for under $10 each from the manufacturer. I can also just strip the spray paint and use 'em a little bit ugly. I just want to end up with dark gray or black mags, with a finish that won't strip off like the spray paint does. My big question is whether Aluma Hyde/Durakote/Gun-Kote and the others need bare metal to adhere properly, or not. I'll probably get a can from Brownell's, try it out on the stripped one, and if it doesn't stick well enough try sand blasting it and see how that works.