To spray or roll??

[Trey Tull]

<p>
I have a job coming up that is going to require marking alot of small metal parts (.600x.800) and they are very light weight. I have a jig designed that will allow me to put 500 in the machine at a time. While testing I used LMM14 out of an aerosol can but for production, I will go broke using aerosol cans. I ordered a 500g container of LMM14 and plan on thinning it down. I have read people are getting the best results by rolling it on but I have some concerns. It will be a large area, with gaps, and I don&#39;t want the roller to pick the parts out of the tray. My other though was to use an airbrush to apply it. Do you have any recomendations on which airbrush to purchase and if you have any LMM14 left over, how do you store it. Also, I tried LMM6000 and it won&#39;t work. These parts have a copper nickle coating and for some reason the LMM6000 just doesn&#39;t act right. Thanks for your help! Trey</p>

[Gary Hair]

I have never heard of anyone rolling on cermark and I can't imagine how it could possibly work. I would recommend a foam brush over airbrush, it's very easy to get a thin consistent coat with a brush.

[Mike Null]

While I usually use a foam brush, this is one place where I still use an airbrush. I'm assuming you can lay them out butted against each other on a flat surface.

[John Lifer]

I would set up an airbrush and airbrush these. I usually use either foam or small acid brush (look it up) to paint on my thinned Lmm14, but with parts that small, I'd airbrush.
And plan on airbrushing where you can pick up the batch you just sprayed. You can't easily handle the lmm14, it will wipe off easily. I wouldn't trust myself moving individual plates after spraying but before engraving.

If you are careful, you could spray in the laser. (not first choice, but doable) not much overspray like paint. And it wipes off. Put up some cardstock around the area to protect your laser if you go that route.
One step up from cheapest Harbor freight brush works well. I've got a couple and the anodized aluminum handled one works well. Thin well and get to it! don't need heavy coat. I've covered a bunch of square feet with a 65gr bottle. Way more than I thought.

[Trey Tull]

So I have a template/jig designed that will hold 500 of the parts pretty securely, so my plan is to put 500 in the jig and then spray them with the lmm14. Then I can put the entire jig into the laser w/o touching the parts. I just purchased one of the cheap HF airbrush setups, so I'm going to start practicing with it tonight.

Is the ratio of 1:1 with denatured alcohol close enough or does it need to be thinned more?

Thanks to all of you for your help!!

[Mike Null]

You will have to thin it at least to the consistency of 2% milk or thinner. Air brushes are a pain if you don't keep your mix thin.

[Brian Lamb]

I find at least 2 parts DNA to 1 part Cermark to work pretty well through my airbrush.... it's a Paasche that someone gave to me, works really well.