Micromag Steel Ring, Possible Issue?

[BiNumber3]

So I spoke to Caustic Customs about anodizing and such for a Gen4 Micromag body, and he asked me to check the lip of the steel ring, to see if it was knurled (diamond knurling), and it is....
And he says that he won't be able to remove it.

Has anyone else found this problem before?

I thought all the steel rings in micromags were just pressed in.

Or is the knurling not an issue?

(just found an old thread, where someone else filled the body with resin? Kind of like masking it?)

[wetwrks]

check with Luke...I think he has a way to remove the ring or something.

[BiNumber3]

Will do, I've been looking into ways to mask it as well, but removal sounds a lot safer lol.

[zulubravo44]

I had an anodizer try to mask the ring, but it didn't work. The acid bath got through the mask and corroded the steel ring something fierce.

The anodizer sent it over to Forest at PTP, who is still trying to work the ring out.

There's a tooling technique that PTP can normally use to pop the ring out by making a small cut inside the powerfeed dovetail mount to push the ring out the back of the body. It just doesn't work as well once the ring is corroded into place by acid bath...

[luke]

check with Luke...I think he has a way to remove the ring or something.

I don't have any tooling to remove these.

[BiNumber3]

Hmm, so PTP's method creates a small lip of the ring accessible to something like a screw driver, and you just tap it out. Hopefully the interior diameter around the ring is a bit tighter than the rest, so once you get the ring out of that section, it should be smooth sailing.
Since masking sounds rather risky, and Luke won't be able to, I guess I could try to do it myself lol. And if it works, then it'll probably be some nice info for all the other micro owners out there:D

[captian pinky]

i would ask this guy who he used and track down the guy who did the work and ask what he used to cover the ring with.

http://www.mcarterbrown.com/forums/air-gun-designs/388-agd-picture-thread-166.html

[BiNumber3]

Thanks, just sent him a pm.
From the thread, sounds like some kind of laquer was used to cover it.

I'm wondering if I can get a similar laquer, combined with masking tape for double the protection. Still pretty risky either way it seems, will see if I can track down the laquer used and see if it's worth the cost.

Worst case scenario, I go with a powder coat for the body.

[zulubravo44]

I doubt Caustic will take it with the lacquer. The downside for the anodizer is that it spoils the acid bath for future use. The guy who did my body (and a bunch of other parts) noted that there was some weird "distressed" looking patterns showing up in the ano. He originally thought it was something else, but the spoiled acid wash ended up going onto the next few batches he washed in the same acid. He ended up having to re-do a lot of work. Needless to say, a practiced anodizer won't take it.

From what I understand from Forest @ PTP, it's not quite as simple as cutting a hole and using a screwdriver. Apparently they have a special punching tool/vice set up to accomplish this task because it runs the risk of disrupting the rest of the breach if it's done wrong. I'd shoot him an email and ask about it. Just be warned that it might take a while to get your body back.

[BiNumber3]

Hmm, yea, if I were to mask it, I'd probably laquer it, then use masking tape over it. So the laquer would be more of a fail safe, but yea, doesn't sound like a simple task either way, and still risky for both parties.

Will ask Forest and see if it'd be worth it. Thinking that powder coat at least for the body may be the best option.

[JKR]

That answers it for me...no way am I risking anno or going to that much trouble. Cerekoting it is!

[luke]

Thinking that powder coat at least for the body may be the best option.

Powdercoating really does not hold up on paintball parts, it'll end up looking like crap before long, plus it's a ***** to remove.

[boo]

Never really seen paint, cerekote, hydrograph, or powder hold up on a paintball marker. Why spend Caustic $$$ to get a micromag done when there are so many pk selects out there for around $300?

Why not get a nice custom body from Luke, Xmagterror, or the other guys here, match it with a frame, and get Caustic Customs to do that up? It would be a lot more desirable if you ever went to sell it.

[BiNumber3]

Mostly because I've customized this micro:) But yea, kind of running out of options, I guess I could polish it? Lol, or risk it and see if anyone is willing to try masking and anodizing.

[Sk8ermog]

BiNumber3:

So I just had Caustic anodize 2 of my micromag bodies with the same problem. That might be why he knew to ask you about the cross hatching/diamond knurling on the steel ring. He did a Micromag body awhile ago that he made a removal tool (out of plastic I believe) and was able to get the steel ring out of the Micromag body. When he got mine he though he could use the same tool but ended up breaking it. He thinks he could make the tool in aluminum to make it stronger but he would require the person getting the body anodized to cover the cost of the machining for the tool. I didn't have that kind of money so I told him to drop the Micromag bodies from my order and I'd look into other options.

Right before he was about to finish my other parts I asked him one last time if there was any option to "mask" off the steel ring. He said he was willing to do it but didn't like how there would be a space on the bottom of the body that would not be anodized because his filler had to coat some of the outside part of the body. Needless to say I could care less if there is a little area under the frame that is still raw. So I gave him the go ahead and the 2 bodies came out amazing. Here they are:


http://m6.i.pbase.com/g9/15/525015/2/162757326.jT4XjQKs.jpg
http://m2.i.pbase.com/g9/15/525015/2/162757332.3lg0PNgg.jpg

Here is the side feed Micromag:


http://m0.i.pbase.com/g9/15/525015/2/162774160.vfYpl5nI.jpg
http://m1.i.pbase.com/g9/15/525015/2/162774161.s4ODosmF.jpg

Now I did pay a fair price for his services but I feel that it was totally worth it for the quality of service he provides and the option to finally get my Micromags anodized.

If you want to go with a cheaper/easier method then I'd suggest talking to this guy on MCB:

Cerakote Service:
http://www.mcarterbrown.com/forums/dealers-forum/278624-cerakote-marker-refinishing-service.html

I just had him do a body and chrome frame. Turned out good but I made the mistake of telling him to go with a satin black instead of gloss black. He now offers gloss black so I'm sending the parts back to get this project done:

From this:


http://m0.i.pbase.com/g9/15/525015/2/162551780.gHtm2VSQ.jpg

To this:


http://m0.i.pbase.com/g9/15/525015/2/162812140.JwsVR5cZ.jpg

I'm excited with how well the Cerakote works and I look forward to getting my valve, body and frame all Cerakoted (if thats a word). It is a lot cheaper and it has a few extra options then anodizing. You can use the Cerakote method to coat steal, plastic and other media that anodizing can't touch. I'm really turning into a fan of it. Way better then powdercoating or hydrodipping. The best part is that the turn around time for this process is only a few days. I got my body and frame done and back within 2 weeks where it took a few months to wrap everything up with anodizing.

Thats my 2cents. ;)

[BiNumber3]

Nice, yea, Caustic said it was a no go with the ring, I'm guess it was more of a pain that it was worth lol, so you were the first and last:D I looked at the cerakote, I'd rather something that can last for years (and I haven't seen much on the longevity of cerakote, I think it also seems to hold up better with steel, since the steel itself is a hard material and can withstand punishment, where as aluminum is quite soft, and the anno helps provide a layer of slightly harder protection) People posted pics of their cerakoted aluminum flashlights, a lot of wear within a year of use:/

I think I have an idea, and if it pans out, might be a good option: I intend to basically scrap the ring (drill a hole underneath to allow easier removal, which will end up damaging the ring) and just get a new ring put in (I'll ask a certain person if he wants this info to be more public knowledge before I say where I get my new rings, though PTP might also have extra)

The area where the ring sits in the micro is a bit smaller in diameter than the rest of the valve area, so once the ring is popped out of there, should slide all the way out easily without damaging the valve area. There is a small area from which one can use a hammer to tap out the ring, from the powerfeed area, but since the ring is diamond knurled, would still take quite a bit

[Sk8ermog]

Thats good to know that Caustic isn't touching Micromags after the 2 he did for me. I was going to have him do another one for me but now I might just stick with Cerakote.

I don't know much about the longevity of cerakote as a whole but this video helped sway me a bit.


https://youtu.be/YlUwOR4Tq10

All I know is the process is cheap(ish) and everything I've read shows that it will last awhile. Even anodizing can fade with a lot of use. ;)

[BiNumber3]

True, though a full marker n then some from cheaper places like Gruntbull, run around 135ish, 1 color, dust finish (they don't do polished anymore:/) where as Cerakote is like 75?
Most of the tests I've seen for Cerakote are on steel or similarly hard items. Main reason I'd want Ano is that it hardens the surface of the aluminum, on top of the aesthetic properties, which cerakote doesn't do:(
Granted, Cerakote is probably the next best option. I'll definitely keep it in mind, but also VooDoo won't do 1 piece for a cheaper price, all his pricing is for a full marker. (I'd want to cerakote the body, but ano everything else that can be)

[Sk8ermog]

Totally get it. I would pick anodizing over anything else any chance I get. Thats why I pushed Caustic to do it for me. I'm just sorry I pushed him over the edge and killed it for other people ;)

Oh and VooDoo gave me an individual pricing option. He quoted me a price for my chrome frame and then a price for ule body. It was maybe a little more then a combo package but it was because he had to remove the chrome from the frame. That was the biggest issue I had with my project. No one wanted to touch the chrome.

[JKR]

I am not sure a flashlight in a pocket, rumbling around with keys, change and other stuff is a good testament to the longevity of Cerekote on a paintgun. I have had some pocket flashlights that were annodized that didn't hold up well to the pocket environment either.

I have had a Classic Minimag body Cerekoted by Voodoo about four years ago. It has held up well.