N/A Painting a PCP tank?

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Aunsell

Aunsell

Member
May 9, 2024
38
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Hi everyone.
So I have seen little to nothing on the World Wide Web on this topic.
Why is no one painting their PCP air gun tanks?.

I see so many people are customizing their guns to make them unique for themselves, but nowhere have I seen anyone with a painted bottle.
Just wondering why?

Most people if any that I know of don’t get the tanks on their guns. Pressure tested only the large refill tanks and a lot of people are using aftermarket tanks anyways which can’t be hydrotested. If they’re not DOT certified.

Why then could we not Hydro dip and clearcoat a tank for our guns?

I have seen quite a few nitrous oxide bottles, custom painted as well as pneumatic cylinders for cars, that never accustom painted air gun tank?

I realize that completely painting a tank could cover up the original manufacturing labeling, but a quick snap of a picture could take care of that.. I could also see people being creative in painting around the label..
Thoughts
 
HogKiller said:
I'm absolutely afraid of the bomb that is close to my body, I've pulled stupid stunts all the time but.....paranoia of things explosive, even though in my younger years I made things go boom, age has mellowed me a touch.
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I would think that adding a layer of paint and a clear coat acrylic would add more to It’s structural integrity, not less.
Do you use non-DOT certified tanks?
 
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PumaCarl said:
Well, I painted that airtank on that Gauntlet. You paint it just like anything else. If you search back far enough there are/were plenty of people posting their work. Try GTA.
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Must be hidden deep lol. I’ve done quite a bunch of google searches and come up with nothing.
There’s a company here locally that does Hydro dipping.
I’m gonna get my tank Hydro dipped and then possibly re-epoxy coated.
I’ll post back when I get it all :)
 
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I've seen quite a few cylinders with paint, water dip material on them.

I've covered a few of mine in clear (translucent) Shrink wrap, if there's enough room between the cylinder and the barrel. Mostly for protection. I covered this one, "before" I got the hand guard.

1729055100571.jpeg


Mike
 
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All steel tanks are painted, most aluminum tanks are painted.

CF tanks include exterior inspections so paint is prohibited other than for marking/numbering.

My tanks are expired, I would be comfortable painting them with a made for plastics paint.

BTW, DOT laws are not applicable to you if your not in commerce. Tear that tag off your pillow too, it doesn't apply to the end user either.
 
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Firewalker said:
All steel tanks are painted, most aluminum tanks are painted.

CF tanks include exterior inspections so paint is prohibited other than for marking/numbering.

My tanks are expired, I would be comfortable painting them with a made for plastics paint.

BTW, DOT laws are not applicable to you if your not in commerce. Tear that tag off your pillow too, it doesn't apply to the end user either.
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The DOT certification is well allows you to get Hydro tested. Otherwise you can’t in the USA.
No, I don’t think most people get their gun tanks hydrotested. It’s just the large refill tanks.
 
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cosmic said:
Maybe Epoxy paint..
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My idea was to get the tank Hydro dipped, and then I could do an epoxy clearcoat over the top. Just like they do with a sticker..
I have a wood lathe that can turn really slow. I was imagining mounting it on there and having it turning slow while the epoxy is curing to keep it from running.
Of course this is all in my head and I’m going to have to test it first
 
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Aunsell said:
The DOT certification is well allows you to get Hydro tested. Otherwise you can’t in the USA.
No, I don’t think most people get their gun tanks hydrotested. It’s just the large refill tanks.
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Let me be VERY clear here, hydrotesting carbon fiber tanks is destructive testing, the testing itself slowly degrades the integrity of the carbon fiber and I would NEVER get any of my CF tanks hydrotested, EVER!

This is THE reason why the life of the CF tanks was limited to 15 years.

15!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have a 100# steel tank first stamped in 1922. Its filled with nitrogen and is still fillable 102 years later. Steel is "plastic" in that hydrotesting does not break it, it just tests it by measuring growth at pressure. Carbon Fibers are not plastic, they are static, they do not show flaws at pressure, they will only fail. Damage done, tank is scrap.

The US Navy fought to get this changed to 30 years after ultrasound became available for CF testing. This allows for non-destructive testing and longer life's of CF tanks.
 
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Aunsell said:
My idea was to get the tank Hydro dipped, and then I could do an epoxy clearcoat over the top. Just like they do with a sticker..
I have a wood lathe that can turn really slow. I was imagining mounting it on there and having it turning slow while the epoxy is curing to keep it from running.
Of course this is all in my head and I’m going to have to test it first
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This is how I do epoxy coated tumblers, turn them about 10 RPM while the epoxy cures.
 
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PumaCarl said:
When I was building a fly rod I used a barbeque rotisserie motor (6RPM ) to do the same thing, most homeowners probably have one laying around somewhere.
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PumaCarl said:
When I was building a fly rod I used a barbeque rotisserie motor (6RPM ) to do the same thing, most homeowners probably have one laying around somewhere.
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Firewalker said:
Let me be VERY clear here, hydrotesting carbon fiber tanks is destructive testing, the testing itself slowly degrades the integrity of the carbon fiber and I would NEVER get any of my CF tanks hydrotested, EVER!

This is THE reason why the life of the CF tanks was limited to 15 years.

15!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have a 100# steel tank first stamped in 1922. Its filled with nitrogen and is still fillable 102 years later. Steel is "plastic" in that hydrotesting does not break it, it just tests it by measuring growth at pressure. Carbon Fibers are not plastic, they are static, they do not show flaws at pressure, they will only fail. Damage done, tank is scrap.

The US Navy fought to get this changed to 30 years after ultrasound became available for CF testing. This allows for non-destructive testing and longer life's of CF tanks.
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So , are you saying that dive shops don’t test CF tanks if you bring them to get filled?
 
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Firewalker said:
Let me be VERY clear here, hydrotesting carbon fiber tanks is destructive testing, the testing itself slowly degrades the integrity of the carbon fiber and I would NEVER get any of my CF tanks hydrotested, EVER!

This is THE reason why the life of the CF tanks was limited to 15 years.

15!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have a 100# steel tank first stamped in 1922. Its filled with nitrogen and is still fillable 102 years later. Steel is "plastic" in that hydrotesting does not break it, it just tests it by measuring growth at pressure. Carbon Fibers are not plastic, they are static, they do not show flaws at pressure, they will only fail. Damage done, tank is scrap.

The US Navy fought to get this changed to 30 years after ultrasound became available for CF testing. This allows for non-destructive testing and longer life's of CF tanks.
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INCORRECT...

There IS a test to destruction, but a 5 (3 to 6, depending on the manufacturer) year...hydrostatic "check" is NOT, I repeat NOT a test to destruction !!

Another mention. ALL, I repeat ALL normal, inexpensive...carbon fiber...air cylinders ARE...aluminum, NOT...carbon fiber. A cylinder is formed, then the carbon fiber is overwrapped over the aluminum. LOOK IT UP...............
There isn't many airgun shooters that could afford an "ALL" carbon fiber cylinder (tank, bottle, whatever you want to call them).

I don't know where you've gotten your testing information, but I KNOW that the Aerospace industry does NOT follow your specs ! Been there !
I've witnessed cylinder (aluminum and REAL...carbon fiber) tests to recert., I've witnessed fiber strap testing for recert and to destruction, I've witnessed stainless steel cable testing for recert and to destruction.
So yeah, I've seen a little testing in my 30+ years in the Aerospace world.

Mike
 
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