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Cerakoting an XD-M, what temp to cure the Polymer?

So I have an XD-M .45, I plan on Cerakoting it. And it will need to be cured in oven after spraying it.

The Cure Schedule is 1 hour at 300°F or 150°F-180°F for 2 hours.

Clearly the Polymer Frame and Back Straps cannot take 300°F and the alternate schedule at lower temps for 2 hours is the way to go, but...

Does anyone know of a max temperature that I can expose the Polymer to, without damage,
 
So I have an XD-M .45, I plan on Cerakoting it. And it will need to be cured in oven after spraying it.

The Cure Schedule is 1 hour at 300°F or 150°F-180°F for 2 hours.

Clearly the Polymer Frame and Back Straps cannot take 300°F and the alternate schedule at lower temps for 2 hours is the way to go, but...

Does anyone know of a max temperature that I can expose the Polymer to, without damage,
@xdman would know.
 
Put your googlefu on :ROFLMAO: :ROFLMAO: :ROFLMAO: :ROFLMAO: :ROFLMAO:
My DuckDuckGo-Fu yields...


DuPont's Zytel is a polymer (and there are MANY flavors!!!), and according to DuPont on their mechanical detail pages, the deflection temperature under light load for Zytel is 260 degrees F for the lowest grades of polymer (many exceed 400 and even 500 degrees F).

Melting points seem to be above 500 F (physically melts)
Glass Transition points seem to range from 176 to 286 F (this is the temperature polymers go from "rigid/hard/brittle" to "flexible/bendable/pliable"). I would stay below that.

Zytel is stated by S&W to be the polymer used in S&W M&P handguns, and I am sure that XD's, Glock's, etc., all are more similar than different.

To general for my liking, basically extrapolating material characteristics of what they "think" might be the same material as most Polymer Frames... ....I was hoping for an answer like, I cured cerakote on my XD-M polymer frame at 180°F for 2.5 hours and it came out fine and works perfectly...

Since this was a glock forum, the thread quickly devolved into Gaston Glock worship and how he invented his own polymer, as well as the printing press and just about everything else that has benefitted Western Civilization.
 
And to answer the OP’s question, I coat all my XD’s at 225 for 90min using Gunkote with the low temp additive. Now the frame can actually take 325 and not melt, but you can get shrinkage. Glock 42/43 and really prone to Shrinkage in the magwell. XD mod.2 are prone to shrinkage at 325 plus.

Warning sig 320/365 never ever ever go above 225 them frames puddle into molten goo.

Glocks, XD, M&P Taurus, hK, can easily do 300 but may shrink above.
 
And to answer the OP’s question, I coat all my XD’s at 225 for 90min using Gunkote with the low temp additive. Now the frame can actually take 325 and not melt, but you can get shrinkage. Glock 42/43 and really prone to Shrinkage in the magwell. XD mod.2 are prone to shrinkage at 325 plus.

Warning sig 320/365 never ever ever go above 225 them frames puddle into molten goo.

Glocks, XD, M&P Taurus, hK, can easily do 300 but may shrink above.
Shrinkage sucks … 😝😵‍💫😵‍💫
 
Shrinkage sucks … 😝😵‍💫😵‍💫
55d8889a8007a99f41af48adc5894fbd.jpg
 
Now the frame can actually take 325 and not melt, but you can get shrinkage. Glock 42/43 and really prone to Shrinkage in the magwell. XD mod.2 are prone to shrinkage at 325 plus.

Warning sig 320/365 never ever ever go above 225 them frames puddle into molten goo.

Glocks, XD, M&P Taurus, hK, can easily do 300 but may shrink above.
I would have guessed the Polymer frames would distort, sag or warp if the temperature went to high, not shrink.

I've got to wonder if Polymer gets its rigidity from the plastic actually creating internal tension in the plastic while it is molded and cured? Thus if you get it too hot after its in its final form, the internal tension pulls it in and shrinks it if you get it hot enough to plasticize it some?

All wild speculation, the point is, you've know from experience, get Polymer hot enough to damage it, the first damage you will see is it will shrink.

The Sig P320 and P365 are an exception, and that does not surprise me, my M-18 frame has a different feel and heft to it than my other polymer framed pistols.
 
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