Had a rifle recently built by Diablo Custom, an outfit no longer in business due to shoddy customer service, spotty communication and a sloth-like sense of urgency once the money had been collected. I figured I was one of the lucky ones because I got my completed rifle back after 2 months (promised 2 weeks), but it took a few strongly worded PM's on my part to get it out the door. I'm sure most of you have read the recent thread regarding Diablo.

The rifle shoots very well, but I just noticed the cerakote on the barrel is starting to come off. In spots you can actually scrap it off with a fingernail just as easily as a scratcher lottery ticket. The biggest spot is about the size of a nickel. What's up. Faulty prep? Maybe not cerakote? And my day was going so well...

Does not sound like the real stuff? If he is outta business you don't really have any recourse. Send it to a reputable shop to be blasted off and re coated or live with it the way it is?

Even if he were still in business, I wouldn't send it back. Live with it the way it is? Egads! That's unthinkable. I've already sent an email to Eddie Fosnaugh, he has a stellar reputation on the Campfire.

I would say it was a "going out of business" paint job..


Old saying amoungst craftsmen-

You want it bad- you get it bad.
The worse you want it-the worse you get it.


I guess after your last email to him, the guy at Diablo felt you wanted it pretty bad..

Point Taken. But I was the epitome of civility up until the rifle was finished. Nary a bug, bother, bemoan or bitch was uttered until I was told it was done. And I told him a number of times to take his time, I was in no hurry. I didn't become frustrated until it languished in his hands for a couple of weeks packaged and ready to ship. I was told he hadn't had time to take it into town. But he had time to go into town and cash my checks.

Fosnaugh does great work have had him do a bunch for me

Fosnaugh is great!

Most likely faulty preparation. Bummer but easily fixable. Eddie is a great choice!

I like Eddie F. too..Deserves the business.

And BTW, while he has the metalwork broken down for finishing ,you might ask him to inspect the assemblies for anything out of the ordinary.
There may be other quality issues with that build other than a cheap paint job.

Would not hurt to get another viewpoint.

Karl Kampfeld has done all of mine. He does simply OUTSTANDING work!

Yes Karl does outstanding work. He built 2 rifles for me which are outstanding in all respects.

Ironic that if it were "Jesus Customs" red flags would be flying (rightfully so). Name it Devil Customs and not one caution is raised.

Eddie Fosnaugh does the best coating jobs I've ever seen....

He's done numerous coatings for me...

Was the shop properly certified and compliant for C-kote application?
and is your treatment the Elite(oven), H series(oven), or High temp air cure?
https://www.cerakoteguncoatings.com...3pvqW1gIVWB5oCh2vjQeQEAAYASABEgIqefD_BwE

NIC Industries Division Manager Brandon Grady:

“Cerakote is intended as a professional product and not for the DIY market,” he said.
“Cerakote has two main channels of distribution; firearm manufacturers and Certified Applicators.
Certified Applicators range from very small local gunsmiths to very large regional coating facilities.
A Certified Cerakote Applicator is a company that has met our qualifications and has been factory
trained at one of our four global training facilities in the United States, Germany, Japan and Australia.”

**
I much prefer some form of super-hard PVD, PACVD (nitrides,carbides,oxides,dlc, etc) ion-plasma bonded
industrial machine tool coating rather than a ceramic particle infused lacquer epoxy-polymer apple pie
oven baked job....

Im sure the big attraction with C-kote is much like Revlon cosmetics(range of fashion colors and price)
and the fact it can be more easily applied than the more advanced films.

haha, was thinking along similar lines. With all the gunsmiths out there, why choose a guy who names his business "devil customs"?

Since Satan is the liar of all liars, sounds like Diablo was an omen.

Good I wasn't the only one thinking that as well, naming the company after the devil is a bit weird at best.

Hope the OP gets it fixed properly.

I've got one powdercoated rifle and it's like it was dipped in plastic. There ain't any scratching that coating.

It looks like the barrel wasn't bead blasted prior to the application. Where the finish is coming off, the steel is still brightly polished.

Send it to Fosnaugh Customs......his cerakote work is some of THE BEST in the business!!

I took some lacquer thinner to the coating and it rubbed right off. So it was just sprayed on & air dried.

Ouch

I prefer Satin hard chrome and Black Chrome...really tough stuff for hard hunting rigs that take abuse in trucks and boats.

The old adage "a bargain isn't always a bargain" seems to hold true.

That's too bad to hear this, I had thought Ryan was doing good. But you never know, Some times stuff gets missed but unfortunately that's something that cant be over looked. I'm a nobody that does this stuff for myself only, so I can only blame myself for my mistakes.

I had him rechamber an Encore barrel for me. It took longer than expected - but they always do. I've only put 20 rds down the barrel but it shoots well and the chamber work was/is clean. It was a SS barrel so no finish work was involved. I didn't have a problem with his metal work.

Send it to Eddie Fosnaugh and let him take care of it.

Then there's no way that's Cerrakote.


Casey

Ya think? And the rifle shoots oh so well. Why would he take the time to build a good shooting rifle, yet gyp me on the cerekote I paid $250 for?

Unless somehow it was heat-cure cerakote that was never cured in the oven, there is no way that a wide down with lacquer thinner will remove cerakote.

Hope my project coating doesn't come off as yours did if it is ever finished. Long story. But first of November will be a year. Actually drafted a certified letter to him that I am going to send out in the morning. It has been long enough on my project and am tired of getting the run around and being lied to. 2 months ago the barrel supposedly came in and he was to work on it that weekend. Calls and emails since then haven't been returned. 30 days from receipt of the letter I want my rifle project finished or the parts back in my hand with a refund check or money order. This build was a present for my wife who has been waiting patiently but with the season starting next month I am beyond mad. Already working out next step when the 30 days pass...

Hi guys, i was just turned onto this thread after not being on here for awhile.
Doeslayer, i sent you a pm regaurding your cerakote. I appoligize for the issues.
Swgashooter, please send me an email or pm as i am not getting any messages from you. I will do the same. Hopefully we can get in touch.

Im going to publicly say all of this so everyone knows whats going on and clear up all the confusion. First and foremost. I want to apologize to everyone on the campfire for things not going the way i had planned and taking some peoples projects alot longer then i imagined.

All of this wasnt my intentions but i am doing my best to get everyone there finished products as fast as i can. Life has hit me full force and it has been very diffcult getting it under control. Now im not looking for pitty or anything else, i understand that people are upset, i would be as well.

I made the hard decision to quit building guns for the public and take another job. That being said i will be finishing up the builds that have been paid for. I will only be working on the weekends which slows progress down considerably. Off of the top of my head i can only think of 3 builds left to finish up for campfire members. Just know i am not stealing anything from anyone, im not trying to screw anybody over. Im not running from my problems or ignoring anybody intentionally. I am doing my best to get things done and taken care of.

Lastly, i will be gone for the next 2 weeks. If you need to get ahold of me text is the best and quickest way.
435-340-0664

What is causing the coating to rub off, my gun has sixty rounds off the bench and it is rubbing off the action and barrel

Ambient-cure Cerakote.

http://www.brownells.com/gunsmith-t...-air-dry-ceramic-coatings-prod41824.aspx

"Apply with your airbrush or HVLP touch-up gun for a smooth finish. Air Dry requires no baking and is tack free in 40 minutes,
completely dry in 24 hours, and fully cured in 5 days."


NIC industries Inc. application guide for ambient cure Cerakote:
https://www.cerakoteguncoatings.com...ation%20Guide%20-C-110%20and%20C-222.pdf

All WORDS

I honestly dont know whats going on. As many have said, wrong application possibly. I do use h series bake on cerakote. Maybe the wrong cooking temp.
For those having problems with coating i did please contact me so we can resolve thjs problem in one way or another.

If the barrel is shiny underneath its all eventually coming off. Bead-blasting will not even work, Cerakote states that it must be sand blasted with aluminum oxide or garnet sand to micro etch the surface for proper adhesion. They were being lazy, sorry you got screwed.

A shiny barrel bay keep the finish from sticking, but the fact that it was able to be wiped off with lacquer thinner means it wasn't cured properly to begin with.

Polane T on stocks cured will handle a few wipes with acetone, zolatone even tougher. H series and C series cerakote blow them both out of the water for chemical resistance. Something didn't cure if it is wiping off.

Ya think ?

I didn't read close enough. If it comes off with llacquer thinner it is definitely not Cerakote! I apply Cerakote and Even air dry will not wipe off with llauqer thinner. That is probably rustoleum! There is no way that is Cerakote! I've tried some serious controlled chemicals in an effort to strip Cerakote goof ups and I have not found anything, short of a sandblasting, that will take the stuff off.