Custom Painted Diana 52
Posted: Thu Oct 23, 2008 1:25 am
Hi Guys!
Here're some pics of the Diana I bought from Inder.
I was not really happy with the stock grain and wanted to do something about it. The barrel needed looking into as well.
After a futile attempt at finding somebody who'd polish it for me on priority I decided to get it painted. Another futile search at somebody willing to paint it for me, led me to have a go myself. Not bad for a first timer I must say! See for yourself.
The stock was painted a custom grey black in satin matt finish.
The barrel and Trigger guard was painted black in Gloss finish.
A part of the butt pad was removed as it was too worn out. A new one is on the way. Its still fine to shoot though. Cant feel any difference without the extra rubber. Unlike other activities where rubber takes away half the fun!!
Special Thanks to Rusty for all his help and advice! He's been amazingly patient in listening to all the cr@p I had to tell and guided me! Thanks Ol' Man!
The Gun looks, feels and shoots like new now!
Now for the pics!
Some teasers before the whole pic.. Lemme know what you think of it.
Hope you guys like it. I Love it!
Edit:
Here's some points to keep in mind:
Make sure all surfaces to be painted are free of dust, dirt, grease etc.
If the stock has any damage, tend to that first.
Rusty has put up a great article on how to effectively accomplish that.
Check to see if the checkering has thinned out anywhere. Use a toothpick or something similar, try and deepen the checkering if possible. The same method can be used to remove excessive paint from the checkering.
Always paint in a well ventilated, dust free area.
DO NOT paint near open flames or where there's a risk of sparks flying. Save the ciggy for later.
Wear gloves and eye protection.
Make sure everything you need during the job are within easy reach.
Sand the wood properly using the correct grit paper. Rusty can guide you on that front. Sanding will ensure that the paint sticks to the surface. Else, though it will appear painted, peeling/chipping may occur. So do it perfectly. Do not remove too much wood though. Be extra careful of the checkering.
DO NOT paint in a place where there's risk of tripping over on stuff. Find a nice, roomy ventilated space.
ALWAYS paint in one direction. This ensures consistency and better finishes.
DO NOT spray sporadically or hold the spray for long onto one particular area. Use fluid motion. If you miss an area or if its too thin, it will be covered in the next coat. So dont fret.
Shake the can well before each coat.Clean the nozzle after each coat. Failing to do so will cause partially solidified paint drops to stick to the painted surface.
DO NOT inhale the fumes. Take frequent breaks in between. Its good for you and gives time for the paint to dry.Just remember not to overdo it.
Always hold the spray canister at the greatest possible distance and ensure thin, even coats. Its always better to get less paint transfer and use multiple coats for a perfect finish than to hurry it up and have paint running to develop into bubbles and ugly splotches
Remove excessive paint from the checkering using a toothpick AFTER it has dried.
Give ample time for each coat to dry. DO NOT touch to see if its dry. Depending on the paint, it may take from a couple of hours to a day for the paint to dry. It also depends on the climate. You get the drift.
After each coat, look for deformities, missed areas etc. Missed areas can be given a short extra blast and deformities can be sanded to perfection. ALWAYS be careful not to overdo it.
While painting, if you find dust or fibres sticking to the paint, DO NOT try to clean it immediately. The paint has a characteristic adherence that will cause it to stretch if its cleaned before drying. Most such stickies will come off once you rub it after the paint has dried.
Each coat should be a full coat to maintain consistency. DO NOT paint the stock in installments as the coats may dry to appear in different shades.
Monitor how the paint responds to different holds, distances etc and use it to perfect the job.
Once all the coats have been completed, give it a couple of days to dry completely. Paint may appear dry on the outside, but will not completely for at least 12 hours. Leave it for a few days and then apply the clear.
Once the painting has been completed, give it a couple of coats of clear, following the same guidelines. Just cause its transparent doesnt mean you can slack.
If not done properly, Clear coats will ruin all you work. If done properly, they will preserve and showcase the finish for long.
Wait for a couple of days before reassembling it and shooting.
The most important part is to put your heart into it. The results will show.
Thats pretty much all I can think of right now. I will update if something comes to my mind.
Always remember, there is lots of free help around. All you need to do is ask.
Mo.
Here're some pics of the Diana I bought from Inder.
I was not really happy with the stock grain and wanted to do something about it. The barrel needed looking into as well.
After a futile attempt at finding somebody who'd polish it for me on priority I decided to get it painted. Another futile search at somebody willing to paint it for me, led me to have a go myself. Not bad for a first timer I must say! See for yourself.
The stock was painted a custom grey black in satin matt finish.
The barrel and Trigger guard was painted black in Gloss finish.
A part of the butt pad was removed as it was too worn out. A new one is on the way. Its still fine to shoot though. Cant feel any difference without the extra rubber. Unlike other activities where rubber takes away half the fun!!
Special Thanks to Rusty for all his help and advice! He's been amazingly patient in listening to all the cr@p I had to tell and guided me! Thanks Ol' Man!
The Gun looks, feels and shoots like new now!
Now for the pics!
Some teasers before the whole pic.. Lemme know what you think of it.
Hope you guys like it. I Love it!
Edit:
Here's some points to keep in mind:
Make sure all surfaces to be painted are free of dust, dirt, grease etc.
If the stock has any damage, tend to that first.
Rusty has put up a great article on how to effectively accomplish that.
Check to see if the checkering has thinned out anywhere. Use a toothpick or something similar, try and deepen the checkering if possible. The same method can be used to remove excessive paint from the checkering.
Always paint in a well ventilated, dust free area.
DO NOT paint near open flames or where there's a risk of sparks flying. Save the ciggy for later.
Wear gloves and eye protection.
Make sure everything you need during the job are within easy reach.
Sand the wood properly using the correct grit paper. Rusty can guide you on that front. Sanding will ensure that the paint sticks to the surface. Else, though it will appear painted, peeling/chipping may occur. So do it perfectly. Do not remove too much wood though. Be extra careful of the checkering.
DO NOT paint in a place where there's risk of tripping over on stuff. Find a nice, roomy ventilated space.
ALWAYS paint in one direction. This ensures consistency and better finishes.
DO NOT spray sporadically or hold the spray for long onto one particular area. Use fluid motion. If you miss an area or if its too thin, it will be covered in the next coat. So dont fret.
Shake the can well before each coat.Clean the nozzle after each coat. Failing to do so will cause partially solidified paint drops to stick to the painted surface.
DO NOT inhale the fumes. Take frequent breaks in between. Its good for you and gives time for the paint to dry.Just remember not to overdo it.
Always hold the spray canister at the greatest possible distance and ensure thin, even coats. Its always better to get less paint transfer and use multiple coats for a perfect finish than to hurry it up and have paint running to develop into bubbles and ugly splotches
Remove excessive paint from the checkering using a toothpick AFTER it has dried.
Give ample time for each coat to dry. DO NOT touch to see if its dry. Depending on the paint, it may take from a couple of hours to a day for the paint to dry. It also depends on the climate. You get the drift.
After each coat, look for deformities, missed areas etc. Missed areas can be given a short extra blast and deformities can be sanded to perfection. ALWAYS be careful not to overdo it.
While painting, if you find dust or fibres sticking to the paint, DO NOT try to clean it immediately. The paint has a characteristic adherence that will cause it to stretch if its cleaned before drying. Most such stickies will come off once you rub it after the paint has dried.
Each coat should be a full coat to maintain consistency. DO NOT paint the stock in installments as the coats may dry to appear in different shades.
Monitor how the paint responds to different holds, distances etc and use it to perfect the job.
Once all the coats have been completed, give it a couple of days to dry completely. Paint may appear dry on the outside, but will not completely for at least 12 hours. Leave it for a few days and then apply the clear.
Once the painting has been completed, give it a couple of coats of clear, following the same guidelines. Just cause its transparent doesnt mean you can slack.
If not done properly, Clear coats will ruin all you work. If done properly, they will preserve and showcase the finish for long.
Wait for a couple of days before reassembling it and shooting.
The most important part is to put your heart into it. The results will show.
Thats pretty much all I can think of right now. I will update if something comes to my mind.
Always remember, there is lots of free help around. All you need to do is ask.
Mo.
I bet it's also less scratch attracting now? That's always the problem with blued metal. It scratches way to easy. 
