Why must paint be Sprayed on a gun?

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Ignition Override

New member
Does a brush apply it too thickly or unevenly? Being retired, time is not an issue.

Quite frankly, this is not intended to be a beauty queen, repeat, not, just to improve the black paint on an Egyptian Maadi AK's outer receiver, forward gas tube area and barrel, which are faded and scratched. That's all.

Let me emphasize that it does not need to qualify for the Louvre or Dresden's Zwinger (art) Museum.
 
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JohnKSa

Administrator
I recommend that you get a piece of scrap sheet metal and try painting it using both methods. If you're happy with the results you get with the brush, then do it on the gun. Keep in mind that the next owner may have different standards.
 
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Ricklin

New member
Spray it

No question, spray it. If you must Preval makes a sprayer that consists of a glass jar and a can of propellant. They work well if you don't have compressed air.
An airbrush setup is the ticket for guns.
 
U

Unclenick

Staff
I would say it depends on the surrounding original finish. With a smooth finish, spraying and blending or, generally best, refinishing the whole thing is the only way to get a result that isn't picked up by the eye as some degree of finish irregularity. But with a scratch on a textured or pebbled finish, you can sometimes get better blending using the old photographer's touch-up method of dotting the paint onto the scratch with the tip of a very fine, sharp brush.
 
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std7mag

New member
Usually paint using a brush is a little thicker in consistancy that spray.
Helps the paint hold onto the brush. So when applying you will get thick spots.
Spraying requires the paint to be thinner so it atomizes. While spraying is actually shooting very fine droplets at the material, being thinner allows it to flow and settle to a smoother more uniform finish.

One thing i've had great success with in touching up is to mix paint as for spraying, and use a small piece of sponge to dab it in. Being thin like for spraying allow the paint to flow and settle.
 
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F. Guffey

New member
And then there is the primer coat, that is something like conditioning the metal to accept the paint. After that I would ask about a leveling agent. I found a company in northers/central Ohio that makes the best paint, I believe it has to do with their leveler.

F. Guffey
 
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4V50 Gary

Staff
Anyone who built a model airplane, ship, car, tank, knows that brushing paint on is much more uneven than spraying. It simply looks better sprayed than brushed.
 
D

Dfariswheel

New member
You can buy a cheap air brush in any hobby shop or by mail from companies like Harbor Freight.

You can buy cans of propellant, run it with an air compressor, or run it off a spare tire.
the compressor or tire you need a pressure gauge so you don't blow up the air brush.
Put the can of propellant in a pan of hot water to keep the pressure good.

I found that Rust-oleum in flat black doesn't work well because as you handle the metal the flat finish wears to a satin blotchy look where it's been handled.
Gloss black is too shiny and satin black is still a little too shiny, so I mixed flat black with a little satin black or gloss black to get just the level I wanted.
This looks flat black but has just enough gloss or satin to prevent the blotching.

I'd bake it in an oven at 300 degrees for one hour with everything off the gun that might be damaged by heat.
You can also use Auto engine block paints which are very durable and heat proof.

I'd wait until my wife was out for the day to do the painting and baking. Then I'd open the doors and windows to try to air it out because the baking paint makes a strong, bad smell.

She'd come home and immediately ask what that smell was.
Since lying gets you in even deeper I'd tell her the truth.
Her response was...
"You did WHAT with MY stove"??????

This sounded remarkably like a dull chain saw blade hitting a rusty tree spike.
 
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4V50 Gary

Staff
Dfariswheel brings up a good point. Never bake your stuff in the oven at home. Buy a dedicated toaster oven and use that.
 
L

LineStretcher

New member
Ignition Override said:
Does a brush apply it too thickly or unevenly? Being retired, time is not an issue.

Quite frankly, this is not intended to be a beauty queen, repeat, not, just to improve the black paint on an Egyptian Maadi AK's outer receiver, forward gas tube area and barrel, which are faded and scratched. That's all.

Let me emphasize that it does not need to qualify for the Louvre or Dresden's Zwinger (art) Museum.
Click to expand...
There is no technical reason that you can't brush on your paint. If it wears off, paint it again.
 
L

LineStretcher

New member
Baking on paint was common with older paints but with today's paint's there is no need. In fact, the only thing you do is skin the paint over so it can't fully gas off and cure. Leave it alone for 48 hours and it will be as hard as it will ever get.
 
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4V50 Gary

Staff
Some paints need baking: Cerakote, GunCoat and a few others. Follow the manufacturer's instruction (and don't bake it in the wife's oven).
 
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Dfariswheel

New member
Some modern paints not only don't need baking, some CAN'T be baked.

As example a couple of years ago I need a fast finish on a piece of equipment so I bought Rust-oleum Professional Spray Paint and tried to bake it.
It actually melted and made a mess.

The old oil-based Rust-oleum that you can buy in the small cans at hardware and Walmart stores can be baked.

This is not only a fast way to apply a durable finish, the baking seems to make it harder and more durable then air drying.
You can brush or spray on a coat, give it 30 minutes or do for some of the volatilize to out-gas and then bake it for one hour at 300 degrees for gun parts.

Always remove all springs before coating and baking.
 
4

44 AMP

Staff
Anyone who built a model airplane, ship, car, tank, knows that brushing paint on is much more uneven than spraying. It simply looks better sprayed than brushed.
Click to expand...

I do model aircraft and armor, and some other things, and this is usually correct, HOWEVER, spraying usually looks better because of the paint "prep". Few people properly thin their paint when using a brush. Most of the time, I don't, for small areas, for larger areas, its needed or you get brush strokes in the paint.

Spraying usually means thinning the paint, and applying light coats, multiple times, sometimes. Lots of paints that people use "straight from the bottle" with a brush need thinning, or they will simply not spray worth a damn. And THAT is WORSE than a poor brush job! Run, drips, spatters, blobs, and more, spraying takes getting the paint consistency AND the proper air pressure for it properly balanced with each other.

Can you brush paint a gun, and get a decent finish? (or as decent as any paint :eek: allows?) Yes. Possible, BUT painting straight from the bottle with any old brush isn't likely to do it.
 
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langenc

New member
I have NOT seen said rifle..

It might be like a friends car that he painted a fender on.. Another buddy asked what size broom he painted it with??

There is a difference. I to am retired and have lots of time for all kinds of projects, lately reading early 1900 Africian safari books. Ill try refinishing a fiberglas (McMillan ) rifle stock next winter (after New Years).
 
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gwpercle

New member
Use some flat black paint in a spray can ... the kind used for an automobile engine or the kind used for bar-b-que pits ...heat resistant stuff .

The reason for spraying is it just gives such a nicer smoother and even finish.
In high school we painted a buddies car with brushes and a can of enamel....
That was so horrible.. just don't go there ! Spray can is the way !

I have had good results with both Hi-Temperature 1200 Degree Stove & Fireplace Paint and even Rust-Oleum Specialty High - Heat Paint (2000 degrees)

Clean the metal well and apply two or three very light coats...not one heavy coat , you don't want runs in your finish. Mask off anything not to be painted .Spray paint is thin so watch the runs .

Not a bad finish on a utilitarian gun and easy to touch up.
Gary
 
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