How to use a stencil 2.0 | Branson Cerakote

[@wattiator]

Your video is great and answered a lot for me.... Do you happen to have any videos of removing the stencil after you paint? How long do you wait to remove the stencil?

[@BransonCerakote]

I don't know if we do or not. The way we do it is to spray the final color, air cure, tack for about 20 minutes at 180. Pull one piece at a time out, and peel the stencils. They come off easier when the part is hot. Another tip is, we use wooden cuticle sticks to get the stencil started, then just grab them and pull. Once you have all the pieces out and peeled, put the polymer back in for 2 hours at 180. After that time goes by, remove the polymer, and run the oven up to 250. Put the metal in and bake it for 2 hours.

[@trigger5.563]

So much to learn. I will work for knowledge lol. Something woke up in me tonight and all of the sudden I'm inspired by your videos and knowledge. I want to start by learning , but at least I know I can order stencils from you . I did body shop repair school in my early twenties. Had a great master tech as my teacher he worked for Cadillac and not sure why but tonight something about painting came back and not so much for cars anymore but I now love guns 😍

[@BransonCerakote]

Glad we could help. If you have any questions, reach out to us.

[@NicholasPPJR]

Just now getting into Cerakote. Nice Vid. Thanks for sharing your experiece

[@BransonCerakote]

Glad to help!

[@Rabbit0317]

Great video as always, they are super helpful explanations for learning. I do have a question about doing tri-colored patterns. How do you apply your stencils and layers for multicam or other patterns? Do you need to tape off the other areas that you don't want colored? Thanks for the help in advance.

[@BransonCerakote]

If it's more than one color, but it's a pattern, you just do it like normal. You just have to make sure you don't over cure the layers in between. If the stencil itself has more than two colors, you have to figure out which order you need to go in, and do some masking with high heat tape. We have a video up with my oldest daughters Deadpool gun that shows a three color stencil.We also have a multicam pistol video up.

[@damianschroeder2461]

What is the trick to applying a stencil to a surface that has ridges and very uneven. For example an AR15 receiver with the maxwell ridges and the bolt catch ridges and the safety ridges on the receiver. Sometimes I get them on with no lifts and I still get under spray from the second coat/color which makes the lines look feathered and just not defined. Thanks love your videos

[@Stonkko]

Id like to know as well. Ive been having the same issues. I was thinking of maybe using a heat gun, but if you find anything out, let me know, ill do the same.

[@BransonCerakote]

When you are laying them on, start on one side and as you are laying them, use a wooden cuticle stick to tuck them into the odd places. The material doesn't stretch, so you have to lay it on smoothly from the beginning.Another thing we do, depending on the pattern, is just select a stencil piece for that area that won't give you as many issues. Be careful using a heat gun. If you get the area too hot you can end up with adhesive transfer.

[@toddszymanski6608]

Excellent video as always......what plotter/cutter are you using or which would you recommend for small shop DIY.....do not mind spending the cash to get something good long term though for eventual professional use. Thank you in advance

[@BransonCerakote]

We have 84 inch Rolands, which would be overkill. Any Roland cutter would probably do it for you, as long as you don't mind investing @ $2500.

[@adamaffrunti7858]

When coating a stencil, can I place it and sandblast only the exposed area, leaving the factory finish on the rest of it? That way I don't have to coat the whole thing and hope my black matches the rest of the gun. Thanks

[@BransonCerakote]

You can, but the factory finish will wear a lot quicker than the Cerakote.

[@alvaairsoft6482]

Good vid! Thanks for all you've done for the cerakote world

[@BransonCerakote]

Glad to help.

[@brandonpeterson9830]

What do you "mask off" with? Regular painters tape and then remove it after air cure and before tacking it out I assume?

[@BransonCerakote]

Green frog tape. The blue painters tape leaves residue.

[@jeffrisey2030]

If you are using 1 stencil on 1 spot 1 color like a small logo on a handguard or lower would you spray just that area for the base? Or still have to base the whole part? Example want black logo and green gun. Would I base the black in just the area, tack, stencil and shoot green on whole part?

[@BransonCerakote]

We do the whole gun in that color just so it's a consistent thickness. Everything needs a base, so it doesn't really matter if that color ends up only being 10% of the final visual color pattern. The follow on colors are just decorative, so they aren't sprayed as heavy, which is an advantage around stencils to prevent buildup.

[@jenky1044]

@Branson Cerakote That was a great explanation. I'm new here. That Transfer Tape that you are using. *Is that the size that you sell or is it bigger or smaller* I checked your website and there isn't a listing for supplies and I searched Transfer Tape Roll and could only find flat sheets. Thank you for your time, this was appreciated.

[@BransonCerakote]

We only sell transfer tape by the sheet on our site. There's a link down below to our Amazon store. Click that, then the supplies link and it's in there.

[@lkazanov]

quick question for you...with regards to the coating process. I understand a flash of 10-15 minutes between coatings. What about the final coating and the last application. Does that count as a "flash" for 15 minutes or do you do the usual 1 hour at 300F?

[@BransonCerakote]

Sorry, just saw your comment. The easy answer is no. I did an experiment with black H series, and after 5 hours at 300, it looked the same as 300 for 1 hour. Undercooking is bad, slightly over cooking is not a big deal. However, tacking too long will sometimes ruin a project. Cerakote won't stick to hard Cerakote.

[@tonygunz25]

Hey I had a question regarding cleaning the spray gun in between colors. Do you have to fully clean between each color the same as you would at the end of the job before putting away?

[@BransonCerakote]

Some people don't. The way we look at it is, there's around 15-25 minutes from the time you stop spraying until the item is ready to go into the oven. It takes us about 5 minutes to completely clean the HVLP and glass. I don't see any reason not to clean in between every color. Having said that, there are some times when we are spraying wet on wet where we just flush it and then clean it out after the last color.

[@tonygunz25]

@@BransonCerakote awesome thanks for the info boss and keep up the great work!!

[@BransonCerakote]

@@tonygunz25 Glad to help. Thanks for watching.

[@crackshotscreenprinting]

is that vinyl heat resistant? Is it used when doing oven-baked on coatings?

[@BransonCerakote]

It is. It's actually high temp paint masking used in the car paint industry. It will handle multiple cycles in and out of the oven at 180 (tacking temp). We recommend removing them after the final tack before the hard bake. It doesn't happen often, but occasionally if they are left on for an hour at 300, they can leave adhesive on the surface. We've had zero issues with it removing them after final tack.

[@crackshotscreenprinting]

@@BransonCerakote thanks for the info

[@nathanieltodd6711]

What do you use to fill any voids or chips in the metal?

[@BransonCerakote]

We don't do any repair work. Cerakote won't fill pits either.

[@daniellaverty1359]

I guess I missed this in another video, do you just bake your base coat for 8 to 10 min before laying stencil? Seems like stencil would stick and adhere too much to a tacky surface. Also.. do you bake with stencil on, or bake for 10 min and peel off stencil. Thanks

[@BransonCerakote]

Tacking is a feel, not a set time. You want to bake the items at 180 until no longer sticky (tackfree). Take them out and let them cool. Apply stencils, repeat. Don't remove the stencils until you are done. We usually bake the final color for around 15 minutes to make sure it's completely tack free, then peel all the stencils. Bake hard.

[@dingo3354]

sorry about being new. shouldn't last long however. since cerakote will not stick to cured cerakote should it be possible to frog tape off everything except the base color you want to show thru, spray the female stencil I believe you call it. do a flash cure, remove the frog tape / stencil. then finish curing completely and when it cools just hit the thing with the main final color (finish coat) then throw it back in and completley cure again. it seems the first cure would be like a gas out for everything not painted and without sticking to the first layer ... just curious. ill do it your approved way because im sure you know what your doing and all where as I don't in this milieu. thanks.

[@BransonCerakote]

There biggest problem with doing it that way would be making sure it's a consistent 1 mil basecoat. You don't want to have hours into a project and then have the coating fail. The easiest way to make sure your coating is consistent is to base coat everything, air cure for 15 minutes to remove the solvent, then bake in a 180 degrees oven until dry (tacked out). Different pieces will likely take different lengths of time due to thickness and material. After that, let the pieces cool, stencil with male stencils (male stencils give you the image without having to mask off the entire project), and repeat the process until all the colors are on. Even though the Cerakote is dry, it's not hard as long as you don't over bake it during the tacking cycles. Once the final color is on, tack it out one final time at 180 for about 20 minutes to set the sheen, then remove the stencils, and return the non-metal to the oven to final bake at 180 for 2 hours. Once that time is up, remove the polymer and replace it with the metal. Run the oven up to 250 and bake the metal for 2 hours. Done.

[@codymbink17]

When painting multiple colors and stencils, do you just flash cure (bake for 10 minutes) the spray a stencil? Because the paint cannot be fully cured otherwise it will not stock right?

[@BransonCerakote]

You spray the base, air cure, bake at 180 until tack free (dry). Let it cool, apply the next color, repeat.Once the last color goes on, bake for about 15 minutes at 180, take the parts out, and remove the stencils. Finish baking normally.

[@corddwigans]

Would you do the peal and stick with the we the people stencil also?

[@corddwigans]

I’ve wasted two of the stencils due to my inexperience

[@BransonCerakote]

@@corddwigansWe sell it with transfer tape. Also, that particular stencil is almost impossible to use as a male stencil. That's one of the very few we use as a female.

[@corddwigans]

@@BransonCerakote I purchased them from your business , I tried to use the we the people stencil . Thank you for the reply, keep kicking ass.

[@BransonCerakote]

@@corddwigans No worries brother, and thank you for your business.

[@texasyall948]

Thank you very much for the info. I’m going to attempt a kryptek duracoat job.

[@BransonCerakote]

If it's on an AR, Via Con Dios.

[@texasyall948]

@@BransonCerakote lol hell yea I’ll say a lil prayer as I start prep work. 🙏🏽🍻🤙🏽

[@BransonCerakote]

@@texasyall948 Just take your time, and go step by step.

[@johnwalter6410]

@@texasyall948don’t use the yellow stencil vinyl. It always lifts. It never sticks. You’ll get over spray. Cut your own with homemade sheets of blue painters tape. Use C series. If you sandblast it will never come off. The H series is too much head ache. I’ve been spraying air dry for 15 yrs and over 200 guns I have 1 yet to come back for touch up.

[@nolimitcustomcreations9385]

Multi Cam stencil vid would be nice as well!

[@BransonCerakote]

We have one on our channel.

[@deejaylucore543]

once your base coat is on, how long in the oven at what temp until I can put the stencil on the piece for next coat

[@BransonCerakote]

Air cure for 8-10 minutes. Bake at 180 until tack free (no longer sticky to the touch). It's more a feel than a time. Let cool. Spray the next coat. Repeat as needed.

[@deejaylucore543]

awesome! thanks so much. great content and using ur stencils. thanks again

[@BransonCerakote]

@@deejaylucore543 No worries.

[@fendarman]

How do you know how those stencils identify?

[@BransonCerakote]

I assumed.

[@Brains1k]

Hello, I am doing my own cerakoting and I am having issues with the stenciling. I’m doing 2 layers of stencils and 3 layers of cerakote and I am getting these thick edges of built up cerakote and leaving ugly lines all of the item. Any tips for this? Thanks!

[@BransonCerakote]

It's one of two things. Ridges are caused by either spraying too heavy on the follow on colors, or by spraying at an angle. The base coat is the only one that needs to be one mil. The follow on coats only need to be heavy enough to cover the color underneath. Also, don't worry about the yellow of the stencil. The stencils don't count. They are covering the previous colors, and don't need to be coated. If you keep spraying over them in order to cover the yellow, you get too much buildup. The second problem is easy to diagnose. If you are getting ridges on one side of the "piece", but not the other, it's from spraying at an angle. If you spray a stencil at anything other than a 90 degree angle, you'll "snow plow" against the edge of the stencil that is in the direction of the spray causing buildup on that edge, but not the other.

[@Brains1k]

@@BransonCerakote thank you for the response! I will give it another shot. Thanks!

[@BransonCerakote]

@@Brains1k Reach out if you're still having issues.

[@madride858585]

How would I go about coating the inside of a hand guard with the outside a different color?

[@BransonCerakote]

Spray the outside, tack, tape it off with high heat tape. Seal off one end with frog tape, spray the inside with the cone dialed down. Tack. Remove the frog tape, seal off the other end, repeat. tack, then remove all the tape, bake hard. Most of the handguards you see like that are sprayed with special spray guns.

[@mitchpickett2576]

How many stencils would i need for a ar10 stock, upper, lower, grip, and hand guard. To paint the ar10 in camo punisher skulls? In the grave digger colors on your other video? And the spikes tack jack lower with white base beige accents and black or grey shadow?

[@BransonCerakote]

If you want them all the same size, I'd guess around 30. If you want them to vary, we do sell a couple of different punisher sheets on our website.

[@1XicBoi]

How would you lay stencil on a curved surface like the front of a gas tank

[@BransonCerakote]

Depends on the image. We hand lay everything we possibly can so we don't have to mess with transfer tape. If there's no way around it, lay it on with the transfer tape, then go back with tweezers and lift and adjust any areas that aren't flat.

[@youwantthetruthproductrevi4215]

if you are doing a multi color stencil, can you weed it off of the surface you are applying it to?

[@BransonCerakote]

I guess you could, but I'd be worried about scratching my base coat.

[@CoryKeena]

Hey, been watching a handful of your videos trying to learn to stencil. The one question I have is how do you prevent a ridge where the colors meet? I haven't tried stenciling yet but a few firearms I've seen custom cerakoted had an edge at the color change points and I'm worried about getting that and I'm assuming there's a way to avoid it. Thanks!

[@BransonCerakote]

That's caused by spraying too much on the follow on coats. The only coat that has to be 1 mil is the base coat. Anything after is just ornamental, and only needs to be heavy enough to cover what's underneath. I have a video going up at noon tomorrow that shows a different technique for avoiding these types of issues.

[@CoryKeena]

@@BransonCerakote awesome! Thank you!

[@BransonCerakote]

@@CoryKeena Glad to help.

[@dakotabobbitt6887]

Lmao 🤣 "Shameless Plug" 😂

[@BransonCerakote]

Gotta call them like you see them, lol.

[@deejaylucore543]

when masking off areas what's the best type of tape

[@BransonCerakote]

High heat tape (powder coat tape) works the best. You can also use frog tape as long as you don't exceed 180 degrees.

[@deejaylucore543]

thanks very much. love your content and very helpful.

[@BransonCerakote]

@@deejaylucore543 Glad to help!

[@pewsandbrews]

Any upcoming 50 Beowulf mag or dust cover stencil? ( I know most don't have dust covers but I do )

[@BransonCerakote]

Just shoot Laura an email. We don't have time for much custom stencil work anymore, but she may be able to do that.

[@chaseharrison8842]

When I apply a stencil, sometimes when I’m peeling it off, it wants to take some of the Cerakote with it. Am I not baking it long enough before removing, or too thick/thin coat?

[@BransonCerakote]

Either not sanded enough, or way too thin. H series?

[@NicholasPPJR]

@@BransonCerakote when u say sanded, do u mean as in blasted?

[@BransonCerakote]

@@NicholasPPJR Yep. The only sanding you'll do with the Cerakote process is sand blasting.

[@danbrownpaintworks]

When stenciling out C series coatings, how long to you let your base flash before applying stencils?

[@BransonCerakote]

Generally it will be tack free in 1-4 hours. Once it's dry to the touch, you are good to go. (Just to clarify, don't bake C series.)

[@matthewmoore3836]

@@BransonCerakote yes IV got c series and I am doing a Gucci print if I could ad pic I would show you it looks great but I put my base coat on and after it dried for 1 hr I put on the stincel thin put on the the second brown color but the second color after taking stencil off wants to come off can rub and fill it fills rough but if I scratch with my fingernail it comes right off so how do I get the second color to stick I was wondering what if I would clear cote would that make it stick please help

[@BransonCerakote]

@@matthewmoore3836 If it's coming off with the stencils, it's either too thick or not tacked enough.

[@matthewmoore3836]

@@BransonCerakote no it's not comeing off with the stincel irs after I take it off I can scratch with my finger nail and will come off I'm going to give you a call I got your # from your card @ the end of one of your videos ?

[@BransonCerakote]

@@matthewmoore3836 What ratio did you mix at?

[@jsshaver378]

Awesome video! Wish I would have watched this one years ago!

[@BransonCerakote]

Glad to help!

[@tylerwehling3645]

Are you located in Branson MO by chance?

[@BransonCerakote]

We are. :)

[@alisante5293]

I love your videos! This has been a fantastic resource! I would love to see a how-to on the ww2 shark nose stencil. I have tried a few times and it has never come out quite right.

[@BransonCerakote]

We have that one on the list for once we get moved into the new shop. Coming soon.

[@kirkwest6654]

I have not use stencils yet do you know where I can get some custom ones made? I would like to put a few Bible verses on a pistol slide?

[@BransonCerakote]

We do custom stencils, however text that small probably won't work. The cutter loses the ability to turn corners when text gets too small. Send us an email, and we can give you a quote to laser them on. It's not expensive.

[@djgardner7828]

what kind type vinyl do you use?

[@BransonCerakote]

Avery sf 100-235

[@alania2012]

I’m sorry with this stupid question but; how do i know when is female or male?

[@BransonCerakote]

A male stencil is an image that is applied to mask the color underneath, giving you an image that color once an overcoat is applied. A female stencil is a stencil where the undercoat is applied, the stencil is put on, and masked around with tape, and color is sprayed into the stencil to give you an image in the second color.

[@alania2012]

Branson Cerakote so basically i can decide on how to use female or male is that correct? I just got my order today miniskulls , 2 tow punisher and one punisher with flag , just wanna make sure , this is my first time using stencils

[@BransonCerakote]

​@@alania2012 Correct. In our store,most of our stencils ship unweeded so that the buyer has the option to use them however they want. The ones we do ship weeded are ones I've found work best only one way.

[@alania2012]

What if i don’t have a transfer tape ?

[@BransonCerakote]

We sell it, or you can buy it by the roll from the link down below.

[@alania2012]

Branson Cerakote thank you

[@BransonCerakote]

@@alania2012 Glad to help.

[@dieseleye2]

Can you do custom stencils?

[@BransonCerakote]

We do. We are running about two weeks right now. Just email what you need to [e-mail]. If you have the image in an AI file, that usually speeds things up.

[@michaelenochs4033]

Do you make a stencil for Rail Lettering? I'd like to remake the lettering in between the slots. Not sure how else to do it. I think stickers would look cheap.

[@BransonCerakote]

Nope. We could probably laser it tho.

[@drumkendrum]

You should do a video laying the honeycomb or kryptec stencil down :)

[@BransonCerakote]

We have a krypton video, but I'll put honeycomb on the list.

[@drumkendrum]

Do you usually tape up the sites on a handgun when your spraying ? How do you go about that?

[@BransonCerakote]

If they are night sites, I remove them. If they are white dots, I just sand them and coat, then redo the dots with sight paint. If they are fiber optic, I take the old ones out, coat the bases, then put new tubes in.

[@13_voices]

First off, great video and thank you for showing us the concept. The issue I have is that every video I can find is people applying stencils to a Completely FLAT surface! It is impossible to find any kind of helpful information on applying stencils to uneven surfaces like the majority of applications will be. Sorry. Don't take it personally. I'm just frustrated from attempting to find useful information on common applications. And now I'm just bitching. Lol

[@BransonCerakote]

Give us a call at the shop, M-F, 8-5. 4175440741.

[@number6mbw]

I figured out the hard way how to apply a 30x11 Kryptek style stencil, that I created, on an AR. You don't, unless you are a masochist.

[@BransonCerakote]

Kryptek is one of the few stencil patterns we have a labor charge for. It's definitely a pain in the rear.

[@number6mbw]

I started watching your videos after getting a quote here locally to do a Kryptek job on the rifle, and wasn't satisfied with the number I got. I realize now that the number was perfectly within reason. Mine came out great, and it gives me some satisfaction knowing that my stencil is unique, and nobody else will have the same unless I fire up the cutter, but I'm not sure I would do the pattern that large again unless someone was paying me a premium.

[@BransonCerakote]

Some jobs are easier than others, lol.

[@einfussganger]

Consistent with my tendency to over-complicate every thing I do, I decided my first AR paint job would be a Kryptek. I found a Duracoat kit with the Kryptek patterns - turned out to be a Russian distributor that either copied the Kryptek pattern or somehow licensed it (unlikely). Anyway, my head is spinning as the stencils have basically three parts - the web, an inner thin hexagon border, then the solid hexagon. Four colors. No instructions. Oy vey.

[@texasyall948]

Them punished logos are lame.

[@BransonCerakote]

We sell all kinds of stuff we don't necessarily use personally. It's all about the Benjamins.

[@damensutherland7081]

Negative and positive stencil not a gender

[@BransonCerakote]

I've heard it both ways, but in our industry, the terminology has been male female longer than I've been doing it. If that's the one thing you took from the video, we may not be the channel for you.

[@johnwalter6410]

The heat proof yellow stencil vinyl SUCKS. it NEVER sticks right. I use C series and cut my own stencils with painters tape. Never cones off. That Aslan vinyl lifts in minutes

[@BransonCerakote]

We've been using the Avery vinyl for about 10 years. As long as the coating is applied correctly, we rarely have issues with curling, and it usually is with specific bright colors. Your issue is likely with your coating being thin.