About to start a big Cerakote project. Paint experts needed!

R

Rock Knocker

Active member
Me and two buddies are going to be cerakoting our ARs and maybe some other stuff.

I've used the bake on cerakote before with good results but I only did one flat color. This is going to be camo.

Some of my biggest concerns is trying to use stick on stencils on the base coat before curing. Also layering different colors of cerakote before the cure. What should I watch out for? I'm no paint expert.

I would like to use stick on stencils but I also have a cheesegrater handguard... I know it will be tedious work but is there anything I should know that will make it easier? Where is a good place to get little stickers made for painters?

I'm going for a unique pattern. I will post a picture if I can find one that will help show what I'm looking for.

Basically I am looking for some vine and leaf type stencils.
 
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I am not sure about little stickers my wife has a machine that cuts vinyl decals I have used them to stencil a gun. She can make any design basically if your interested let me know
 
I might suggest that you get online and search and get some vine and leaf stickers from craft type of places.
you could use a stencil, but i find that most of the time it's just not as sharp as i would like, and there could be some overspray..
I have tried the cutting them out of painters tape, but that is a time consuming thing and in the end you can spend your time on light thin coats rather than cutting out stencils and stuff.

I found that you have to think about it in reverse when doing multi colors. I did the base coat that i liked and then you have to color the area you want to put a leaf the right color, and then let it dry and put the leaf over it, and then do the next layer of color.
Afterwards then pull all the tape/stickers off.
I also found that if you don't love it, and i mean really love it, start over.. You will be happy longer this way.

I also suggest that you get a wrapping paper tube or something and practice with cheap paint on that until you are happy. I also used small fine detail paint brushes to add fine details and clean up edges.

Good luck and take your time.

Look forward to seeing the results.
 
Thanks. I've camo'd a gun before with a rattle can and I used plastic aquarium plants and I know what you mean about getting sharp edges, it's a pain but I ended up happy.

I've watched guys doing a lot of layering with stencils for the digital or traditional camo with (I think) vinyl stickers. I wanted to use the same method with vine and leaf stickers but leave the pattern open enough to have some less detailed airbrushing noticable.

Some of my only worries is working with Cerakote over the long timeframe it will take for different coats to dry and apply the stencils, I may be lucky to get this done in one day. I will also have to handle the firearm and place stencils on uncured coats of Cerakote.

Thanks for the offer Kscurhunter, let me look around and see what I can find, I may need a little help.
 
I can't say if it is the correct way or not but I have sprayed the base layer then cured it for 10-15 minutes then applied a stick on stencil and sprayed again, then repeated. I then cured for 20-30 minutes and remove the stencils and go back in and back spray small details. I then cure for the full time. It has worked well for me. if you don't end up liking it blast it down and start over. Good luck
 
Blue masking tape is the best. No residue left by it. Buy the 3" thick roll, lay it out on wax paper and cut your design out with a razor knife. Good luck. Pics when your done.
 
I found the stencils I am going to use, an ivy leaf and another decorative type leaf. I will have to use the stencils to cut out the shapes from the blue masking tape.

I am also trying to have some extra images on the side of the reciever. Sence using this gun coyote hunting is my winter paradise I saw a multi layered stecil of a flamingo with shades on, I had to have it.

I am also going to call around hydrodipping shops about having a custom 2"x2" image printed out and put on my reciever, but I don't know if that can be done.

This is mostly for fun and it will be quite a project now that I have to cut all the camo stencils out. I am waiting on some sample swatches from cerakote so I know exactly what colors to order.

These pictures aren't to scale. The ivy leaves will be around an inch square and the decorative ones almost 2.5 inches. The flamingo will be around 2.5 inches wide and four inches tall not including the legs.


Last but not least...........
 
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I do lots of Cerakote.

First off, you will need stencils made out of a specific type of vinyl. I think it is Avery 100-235-S. It is a specific type made especially for the temps Cerakote bakes at. Check Ebay for "vinyl stencils for cerakote," and plenty of things will come up.

You will spray your base layer, flash cure it at 185 or so for 20 minutes, put stencil layer on and spray, flash cure again, next layer, etc. Really pretty easy and straightforward, just time consuming. I think vinyl stencils will be easier to get down into the cracks that the high heat masking tape, but not sure how easy it will be.

EDIT TO ADD: that high bake Avery vinyl is made specifically not to shrink at the temps Cerakote is baked at, and also the glue does not become goopy and leave residue. Of course, you can use the hig-temp masking tape that Cerakote sells as well, and cut your own stencils but that may be pretty time consuming. There are also places like Tango Down that will design and cut custom stencil pages for you.
 
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Great, thanks a lot JTPinTX. I will get ahold of Tango Down and see if I can just send them the stencils and they cut them out.

It's very help full to know that curing between coats works well.
 
I am glad I use duracoat...that would make each one of my pieces take a year.

Sorry, my advice was duracoat based. Dont bake masking tape.
 
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