SN toter
03-15-2011, 10:26 PM
My brother is an automotive guy and has his own customs shop (no website yet). He builds custom motorcycles and paints Harleys and British cars. The guy is, in a word, amazing at his craft. I’ve had him do some paintball related work for me in the past with parts I needed polished. Did wonders on a Piranha SB and multiple Automag SS bodies for me. Recently, he has invested in a small anodizing studio and he asked me if I had any parts he could practice on. I gathered up a bunch of parts and an old as dirt and beat to heck Automag. The mag was blasted gray with all worn out ano parts and a composite frame. It did have nice wood grips though (more on those shortly).
So I gave him a box-o-parts and our conversation went something like this…
Dale – So what color do you want it?
Me – Olive-ish green to match my J2L?
Dale – One color?
Me – Yeah, I don’t want you getting in over your head on your first paintball ano adventure.
Dale – Boring, try again.
Me – Uh….see if you can anodize it to match the grips and frame?
Dale – <looks at the green/black/brown wood grips and composite frame>. Yeah okay, I have an idea.
So here is what I got! I can only really describe it as an oil-slick camo wash. It’s a combination of black, gunmetal, brown, and olive. We wanted kind of a rustic, aged look and I think he pulled it off. It’s a really slick wash of muted color tones that match the grips and grip frame really nicely.
I really can’t wait to see what else he puts out. I know he’s got his old IR3 that he has some ideas for and he plans to do that with more stand-out, vibrant colors. He said something about a splashed acid sponge with it. I’m excited that he’s expanding into the paintball world and I plan on having him do a lot more of my markers in the future.
Yeah, he did a foregrip as the test piece for this pattern in the first pic. Maybe if I can find a vert asa laying around I'll have him match it.
The funny thing with this is is how it interacts with light. I took the first two photos this morning before the sun was up but it was still light. Depending on the angle of the marker and the lighting, you can see more of less of the green, it's wild. then the second two were taken under florescent light. The sight rail in the 2nd pic looks like the holes on top are silver lined, but that's just the light reflection.
The quality of the ano itself is really good. It's type two anodizing and there is zero pitting or blemishes on any of the parts. He can do a high polish finish, dust finish, or, like my mag, something of a matte finish.
http://www.mcarterbrown.com/gallery/data/1279/DSC_0001.jpg
Sight Rail:
http://www.mcarterbrown.com/gallery/data/1279/DSC_0002.jpg
Stock and barrel details:
http://www.mcarterbrown.com/gallery/data/1279/mag16.jpg
Rail:
http://www.mcarterbrown.com/gallery/data/1279/mag24.jpg
So I gave him a box-o-parts and our conversation went something like this…
Dale – So what color do you want it?
Me – Olive-ish green to match my J2L?
Dale – One color?
Me – Yeah, I don’t want you getting in over your head on your first paintball ano adventure.
Dale – Boring, try again.
Me – Uh….see if you can anodize it to match the grips and frame?
Dale – <looks at the green/black/brown wood grips and composite frame>. Yeah okay, I have an idea.
So here is what I got! I can only really describe it as an oil-slick camo wash. It’s a combination of black, gunmetal, brown, and olive. We wanted kind of a rustic, aged look and I think he pulled it off. It’s a really slick wash of muted color tones that match the grips and grip frame really nicely.
I really can’t wait to see what else he puts out. I know he’s got his old IR3 that he has some ideas for and he plans to do that with more stand-out, vibrant colors. He said something about a splashed acid sponge with it. I’m excited that he’s expanding into the paintball world and I plan on having him do a lot more of my markers in the future.
Yeah, he did a foregrip as the test piece for this pattern in the first pic. Maybe if I can find a vert asa laying around I'll have him match it.
The funny thing with this is is how it interacts with light. I took the first two photos this morning before the sun was up but it was still light. Depending on the angle of the marker and the lighting, you can see more of less of the green, it's wild. then the second two were taken under florescent light. The sight rail in the 2nd pic looks like the holes on top are silver lined, but that's just the light reflection.
The quality of the ano itself is really good. It's type two anodizing and there is zero pitting or blemishes on any of the parts. He can do a high polish finish, dust finish, or, like my mag, something of a matte finish.
http://www.mcarterbrown.com/gallery/data/1279/DSC_0001.jpg
Sight Rail:
http://www.mcarterbrown.com/gallery/data/1279/DSC_0002.jpg
Stock and barrel details:
http://www.mcarterbrown.com/gallery/data/1279/mag16.jpg
Rail:
http://www.mcarterbrown.com/gallery/data/1279/mag24.jpg