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Posted: 6/28/2012 4:10:43 PM EDT
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Guys,
I have been lurking on here for a while and am doing my first retro build. I am getting a NDS XM16E1 lower and I have an original M16A1 upper. I am wanting to match the old upper to the new lower. Can anyone recommend a spray or bake on finish that will match in color? Thank you. Shawn |
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I recommend Moly Resin. Here's the link: http://www.johnnorrellarms.com/
John Thomas |
| Nice to have a matching rifle but the real ones seldom matched. They were just assembled as fast as they possibly could put one together and test it. Then shipped out. Parts were gathered from what was on hand and I don't believe being color matched was a priority. |
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Quoted:
Thanks guys. Can I get away with using a cheap airbrush kit or do I need something better? These are tips directly from Mr Norrell. Buy the cheap 10 dollar Harbour freight airbrush that blows air across the material, not the one with a feed tube that draws it out and sprays through a orifice. Less clogs due to the solids. Throw away when you are done. BLAST ALL SUFACES (no glass beads) for the best results. Keep the resin agitated, spray thin coats while keeping the piece warm with a hair dryer in between or on larger objects. Always apply to a pre heated surface. Use MEK to thin or clean up, it works the best. Buy a oven thermometer and check your ovens actual temperature for the bake off. Higher temps will make the coating a bit rougher and flatter. Hope this helps. Brent |
| While I'm sure those tips give the best results, I've had no problems with skipping blasting, degreasing parts with acetone, heating in a toaster oven, spraying quickly, baking and then applying a light coat of oil if I'm happy with the results. Also I've never thrown away an airbrush. I empty the remaining resin back into the bottle, clean the jar with acetone and spraying some more through the brush for about 5 seconds. Seems to work well enough. I use either a 15$ brush I got from hobby lobby or a testors brand brush that came in a kit with propellant. Both have been fine. |
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Am I the only one here who's tried the one Brownell's has that comes in a rattle can? I haven't tried it on aluminum yet, but I did use it on a BBL, FSB, and FH.
Degrease with brake cleaner, sandblast with playsand (or finer sand if you want), degrease again, heat in oven, spray, cook! Came out real nice. 
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It is plenty tough. I have 4 retro builds and 5 AK builds with it and never a problem. I do like to parkerize first then spray on my AK builds. That way, every nook is finished because there are some areas it is tough to get the spray. Also, after baking, the finish loves oil and will soak it in for a while.
An AK I recently built and finished with Norrells. http://willysmjeeps.com/v2/modules/gallery/albums/GregS/AK_build_001.jpg |
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Quoted:
It is plenty tough. I have 4 retro builds and 5 AK builds with it and never a problem. I do like to parkerize first then spray on my AK builds. That way, every nook is finished because there are some areas it is tough to get the spray. Also, after baking, the finish loves oil and will soak it in for a while. An AK I recently built and finished with Norrells. http://willysmjeeps.com/v2/modules/gallery/albums/GregS/AK_build_001.jpg Very nice but why spray if it's parked? |
| The original AKs are sprayed over park. The spray finish I get for the AK is more of a semi gloss black, a sheen you can't get with just park. For AKs I custom mix the semi gloss black and the flat black Norrells for a slightly less than semi gloss sheen. It matches the original pretty close. |
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