Refinishing a Dummy Bren

[redleg105]

I have a Dummy Bren that's been spot painted and has worn finish on other parts. What is a good paint to use on the receiver. The English use a product called Suncorite or somthing like that but it's not available here. What is a good substitute?

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[Peter Laidler]

First question is 'what is the base metal of your dummy'?

[redleg105]

It's steel. It's an IMA dummy bren with the welds roughly ground with cheap black paint over them. A lot of sanding, filing and filler to make it look decent. Just need a good color paint.

[tankhunter]

If your Dummy receiver is Alliuminium. Get it black anodised.

[Peter Laidler]

It seems as though your dummy seems/sounds to be made or assembled or welded up from a set of original parts, such as a parts kit so the real problem is that it's loaded with filler! If it were mine, I'd set about those welds and file marks and get rid of those first then I'd level out the filler material and make good. So far, so good. What to do next......

Well, the filler prevents a high temp/oven bake finish or even bead blasting and phosphating. So if it were mine, I'd do the prep myself then have it lightly sand blasted to give the primer a GOOD key to start with.

As it ain't shootin' no more I would paint it with a good few coats of heat resisting exhaust paint and put it in a cold oven, turn the heat on to 100 degrees or so for an hour so that it heats up and cures slowly THEN turn the oven off and allow it to cool down to ambient temp just as slowly.

Others might have different ideas but at least my way it'll look good, be fairly durable and last for ever on the basis that the paint has had a good key and cure.

[redleg105]

I'm assuming you mean 100 degrees Celsius?

[Peter Laidler]

About that, yes unless you want to take it up to exhaust temps! But the you'd probably destroy the filler material. Just cure the paint and it'll look good for ever

[redleg105]

That is approximately 210 Farenheit. Most paints will take that. Rustoleum makes a high heat dark gray primer and high heat semi flat and flat black paints are available here. I will try a flat black on a test piece and when cured will apply a light coat of oil. Would appreciate your thoughts on that approach.

[Peter Laidler]

Never having had to rebuild a dummy but have painted a couple of exhausts, it sounds OK to me. I expect some of the othjert forumers will have a few ideas - hopefully

[ActionYobbo]

Black engine paint works well. It is oil and solvent resistant and can be used over bondo