I work as a painter in a bodyshop, how does cerakote hold up to lower baking temperatures/no bake. Ive seen it says to bake immediately. Will a 120 degree bake cycle be enough to get it home and then maybe put it in the oven? Thanks! Drop pics below of some home ceracote along with any tips or tricks!
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CERAKOTE QUESTION!!!
- Thread starter JAT
- Start date
Cerakote needs to flash for 10-15min at 175° to a tack-free state before it can be safely handled without messing it up...120° "might" work but i wouldnt expect good results from it...cerakote is almost deadnuts on their recommendatuons for flash and cure temps...i wouldnt suggest deviating if you want a qualiy result
This^
I do cerakote by the book, I follow their recommendations and it works for me. Can't tell you what will happen if you do things outside of their recommended curing schedule. My guess would be it's not gonna be optimal.
I’ve heard that cerakote can cure at low temps, but the time to cure is much much longer.
There's several different series of cerakote for several different types of applications. From firearms to exhaust pipes to motorcycles.
On firearms we use H-series and Elite series.
On suppressors we use C-series.
H-series can be cured at 175 for two hours. That's what we do with pretty much all non metal parts. But 250° is optimal. The only reason we don't do 250° is when we don't have want to damage or warp the part.
Elite series is pretty much always 300° for an hour.
You can check the data sheets on cerakotes website to see all there recommended cure schedules for different series (and even different colors) can vary. For the most part it's 250° for two hours or 300° for one hour.
My only advice is to stick to their recommendations, that's what I do and it works for me.
If you're not planning to do it the right way with one of their oven cured products. Just use an air cured product. The H-series and elite series are superior in my opinion to air cured coatings, but if you don't do it right you're gonna lose that advantage.
Basically I would imagine doing a air cured coating the right way is gonna be better than half assing an oven cured coating.
E is the toughest - requires catalyst
H is the most common and easiest to use on guns. - requires catalyst
C is for high heat like suppressors or exhaust manifolds or wheels - does not require a catalyst
They are all better than other options
You can us a toaster oven to backe it if you can find a way to hang it with it touching anything.
If you take it home to bake, your oven will stink for a while! And the food you cook in it might also have a funny smell and taste...
What would you use on polymer parts like stocks grips, etc
I would lightly sand blast with 120grit aluminum oxide, then use H-series cerakote at cured at 175° for two hours.
Something else you're missing is it's extremely important to bake your parts before spraying an oven cured product. Because there is oils and contaminates that will surface once it's heated. That's why it's highly recommended to degrease, sandblast, bake, let cool, spray cerakote then bake again.
