Hydro Dipped rife

[asmo]

A couple of folks have asked for pictures of why my hydro-dipped rifle looks like after a few thousand rounds through it -- here they are.

The dipping was done by a local company that specializes in this kind of work. They were incredibly nice and really great people, but I am not going to post their name here as I don't want people to think that the problem was with the company or their process.

Once the rifle was dipped I coated the whole thing with a couple of coats of Duracoat clear, and gave even more coats to areas that I thought would really wear (hand guard, selector, grip, trigger guard, etc..)

http://caliban.dreamscope.com/chance/picts/Hydrodip/IMG_4474.jpg
http://caliban.dreamscope.com/chance/picts/Hydrodip/IMG_4476.jpg
http://caliban.dreamscope.com/chance/picts/Hydrodip/IMG_4479.jpg
http://caliban.dreamscope.com/chance/picts/Hydrodip/IMG_4480.jpg
http://caliban.dreamscope.com/chance/picts/Hydrodip/IMG_4482.jpg
http://caliban.dreamscope.com/chance/picts/Hydrodip/IMG_4484.jpg
http://caliban.dreamscope.com/chance/picts/Hydrodip/IMG_4486.jpg
http://caliban.dreamscope.com/chance/picts/Hydrodip/IMG_4496.jpg

There are more pictures - but I think you can get the idea. Bottom line is don't hydrodip anything you are actually going to use. Yes it looks pretty, but it doesn't really hold up.

[Zundfolge]

Yes it looks pretty, but it doesn't really hold up.

I would argue that while it's not pretty after the wear, the camouflage effect of the dip is still doing its job breaking up the black outline of the rifle.

[mtnrider]

Wow! I have some hydro dipped parts that have a fair amount of use and they still look great. That looks like it is flaking all the way down to the original finish. Like the base coat didn't adhere good?

I'm no expert but comparing to other examples I have seen I am going to say that was not prepped properly. The flacking is key. I have seen some "wear" but that is just flaking right off.

[10mm-man]

Can I post a pic of one of my camouflaged rifles, with a few thousand rounds through it also?? lol..... J/K

[asmo]

I would argue that while it's not pretty after the wear, the camouflage effect of the dip is still doing its job breaking up the black outline of the rifle.

Agreed. And for the most part the paint is holding up. Just in high-wear areas don't expect the pattern to stay. Also, once the wear area starts it kinda continues.

[asmo]

Wow! I have some hydro dipped parts that have a fair amount of use and they still look great. That looks like it is flaking all the way down to the original finish. Like the base coat didn't adhere good?

I'm no expert but comparing to other examples I have seen I am going to say that was not prepped properly. The flacking is key. I have seen some "wear" but that is just flaking right off.

The company prepped it with a self-etching primer that they use for aluminum and plastic along with some special sauce that they use. Flaking hasn't been a problem - the paint doesn't really 'flake' off, it just kinda wears out. Its hard to explain but it doesn't come off in chips per-se. For the most part the paint has adhered, but notice what happens for anything that flexes or moves - the dip bunches up, seams, or cracks - that's where the wear starts to happen (along with the parts I man handle constantly).

[asmo]

Can I post a pic of one of my camouflaged rifles, with a few thousand rounds through it also?? lol..... J/K

Just as soon as you can get one in an ATACS-AU pattern sign me up.

[Nemesis]

i think it looks better now...lol


something attractive about a used and 'abused' rifle

[hatidua]

I like it. If the company you used could duplicate that pattern, I doubt I'd be the only person sending them a rifle to have done. It surely beats all the FDE cerakote jobs that are simply a tan rifle with no character.

[10mm-man]

Just as soon as you can get one in an ATACS-AU pattern sign me up.


Really? That's an easy pattern to replicate! Do you want the actual ATACS-AU or our version of it? I'll deliver you one in about 3weeks, come drop off the deposit. lol

[Great-Kazoo]

Wow! I have some hydro dipped parts that have a fair amount of use and they still look great. That looks like it is flaking all the way down to the original finish. Like the base coat didn't adhere good?

I'm no expert but comparing to other examples I have seen I am going to say that was not prepped properly. The flacking is key. I have seen some "wear" but that is just flaking right off.


OR the clear coats were also a factor. Painting anything over an applied coating may cause other issues, one of them cracking. The majority of hydro items when left alone have little or no wear at all.

[Guylee]

I think it looks cool as hell. A lot of guys I know Krylon their rifles and get that affect, but I think that looks better...

[Sawin]

Hey can you post a full body shot? (err... full rifle shot). [Coffee]

[Robb]

My take on this is: It's an AR for Christ sakes, they're meant to be used. It's not a Belgium made presentation grade over&under that sits in a glass case.
Wear looks fine to me.