HOME FAQs BOOKS JOBS: Help Wanted Suggestions you are here: Hotline/Forum => Letter 54191
Hard coatings for magnesium
January 27, 2010
I am an engineer with a company developing a new kind of firearm - an automatic pistol with unique capabilities. We are looking into the use of magnesium for the slide. It meets our needs fairly well, but it requires a coating to reduce surface scratches, etc. The need is more for cosmetic than wear protection, as there are coatings which will protect the sliding surfaces, but they are unsightly to non-engineers. These surfaces are normally hidden from view, so this is not a problem.
An ability to display different colors and "glosses" is highly desirable, though it is not necessary that a single coating system do them all. Our main market is a large group of people for whom the usual "deadly serious" look of a pistol is undesirable.
Cost is not a serious concern, as these are "high value" products and the area to be covered on each one is only about 30 sq. in. (exterior only).
Design Engineer - Hartford, CT USA
^- Privately contact this inquirer -^
First of two simultaneous responses -- January 28, 2010
Magoxid-Coat(R)is a hard anodic coating for magnesium. It is both wear and corrosion resistant. It can be topcoated with almost any color of a glossy resin-bonded PTFE. This topcoat will add additional corrosion resistance and lubricity.
|
Chris Jurey, President IHAA |
|
Second of two simultaneous responses -- January 28, 2010
While I know nothing more about them than what I've read in their advertising literature, it sounds like the folks at Tagnite dot com might offer what you seek. They do some variant of anodizing on magnesium that they claim offers abrasion resistance, a smooth coating, and a good paint base. Again, I've not dealt with them, but they could be worth a look.
|
Lee Gearhart |