Which Degreaser to Use - P-07

[Winkel]

Hey Guys,
I've done all of the internal polishing recommended here and the difference is fantastic.  Now that I'm done with that, I want to change the color of my frame. 

The only thing I haven't removed is the mag release.  I will figure that one out because I want it to stay black. 

To degrease and prep for paint (yes, I'm going to spray paint it) which degreaser would you recommend?  I'm not sure about brake parts cleaner because I'm afraid it will make the plastic chalky.  I've considered a water based solution like Simple Green but don't know that I want to get the remaining internals wet.

Any suggestions?  I'll post up some in process and finished pictures when I'm done!

Thanks,
Winkel

[M1A4ME]

I have not used carb. cleaner or brake cleaner on either of CZ's (P07 and P09) yet.

I have used both on AR15's, ramline synthetic (M1 Garand), and M14 GI synthetic stocks with no issues.  After spraying a couple times with the aerosol cleaner/degreaser, I wipe down a couple times with alcohol and a lint free (microfiber) rag for insurance.

I've sprayed out my Glock, one XDM and both M&Ps with carb/brake cleaner, too, for cleaning purposes or after using some lapping compound on the striker/sear engagement surfaces (didn't really seem to help, a nasty trigger is a nasty trigger).

What brand/type of paint are you going to use?  So far all I've used on the rifles (mentioned above) is krylon.  One of the camo kits (comes with four colors of flat spray paint).  I did use ceramic header (flat black) on a FAL a few years back and did a compete disassembly to remove all the springs, small internal/external parts, etc.  I used carb cleaner and another solvent (can't remember the name but it is a common solvent sold at auto parts stores in a 1 pint metal can) prior to painting and then did the 3 cycle heat up/soak/bake/cool down/heat up/soak/bake to cure the paint recommended on the paint can.  The FAL came out looking awesome and still does after several hundred rounds of .308 surplus.  Can't do the ceramic paint back thing on plastic as it would never get to 550 F let alone the 400 F stage, but for metal parts it seemed to be okay.

I'm interested in the pictures, not just of the finished frame all reassembled but at various stages if you want to take pictures and explain the steps.

Thanks.  Again, I've never sprayed a solvent cleaner on my CZ frames, yet.  I know carb cleaner will make the grips on a Ruger Mk1 soft.  BTDT.  Once they dried off they weren't soft anymore but I have some interesting looking "smear" places on the leading edges of the grip panels where I was holding the frame and spraying it out (.22's are dirty, dirty, dirty).

[Winkel]

After full disassembly, I went ahead and tried the brake parts cleaner.  I did it in the garage and had my air hose ready.  I sprayed it well a couple of times and blew it off immediately.  It 'maybe' chalked the plastic a little but with a light smear of oil, I'm sure it would have looked like normal again.  After that, I wiped it down twice with pure grain alcohol and a paper towel.

I did four light coats of Rust-Oleum, the first two the dark green of the camo pack.  It says on the can that it is specifically for plastic.  It was a little darker than I wanted so the last two are of the color you see here.  It looks a little darker in-person.  I masked off the serial number plaque and tomorrow, I'll get one of my daughter's red finger nail polishes to fill in the safety dots.  It turned out really good.  No runs, drips, etc.  I'll post some more pictures when I get it put back together but am going to wait a few days.  That spray paint really hardens up nicely after about a week.  It's still tacky to the touch even after a couple of hours which is good because the slower it sets/cures, the tougher it should be. 

I don't holster it much so it should hold up well but I'll also post again in a few months with an update. 

I'm anxious to see how it's going to look reassembled!
Winkel

[Winkel]

Well, here it is.  I didn't like the original color I'd picked so I put a couple of coats of the dark green camo Rust-Oleum on it.  The paint went on well, very uniform, no lint to speak of, no runs, etc.  I have to say, I really like the color but I'm not overly pleased with the outcome.  It feels 'chalky' and I'm concerned how it will look with some wear.  Time will tell.  In hind sight, I should have picked up a can of clear satin.  I will do it again but not until I find something very near this color in a satin finish.

I'll post back in a few months regarding durability but I may end up stripping it and re-doing it one of these days when I'm bored.

Let me know what you think.
Winkel

[M1A4ME]

The color and application look pretty good.  I've wondered how well paint on plastic will stick.  I actually handle my carry pistol quite a bit (grab it twice each morning on the way to work, twice again when I get home).  That's a work day.  If I'm around home working in the garage, or out in the yard, it gets handled more.  A few weeks back when I was working on the truck it got brake fluid on it, oil on it, greasy dirt/dust on it. 

I'm interested in how the paint holds up.

[Colorado Shooter]

Just a question...Why didn't you use Cerakote on the frame? They do have non-bake on finishes for plastic. I know many people say that Cerakote is expensive, but IMO, it's the best paint on coating right now.

[Winkel]

I've never seen it in a spray can application.  I have been curious how the 'plastic' spray paints would hold up and I figured it would be easy to touch up later if needed. 

If it turns out to not hold up well, I'll just soak it for a day in brake fluid, clean it and re-do it.

Mostly, I'm just being cheap, but I thought it might be a useful test for all the other frugal readers here. 

I hear the same argument about AR15 bolts and bolt carriers, "Just have it Micro-Slicked".  Some of us have to live on a restricted budget.  My total investment (or losses) so far is about $8.  Besides, if I want to change the color later, I can do so fairly easy.

I have a daughter at MIT right now.  My 'folding money' has and will be short for a couple of years!