Have you gotten bored of using simple paintball guns for a long time? I feel the same; therefore, I have brought a handful of guides about anodizing the paintball marker according to your preferences.
But here, you need to determine whether you want your paintball gun covered with polyester powder, anodized, decorated with desired paints, or covered in vinyl. Anodizing is also an excellent option for players looking for paint jobs that are highly durable, scratch-resistant, virtually flawless, and resistant to dents and dings that don’t tear for too long, even in harsh environments.
As some of our team members don’t want to be restricted by prefabricated designs like camouflage, and we know the vast majority of other paintball players feel the same way, we recommend anodizing for them. This enables the player to create any design that they want to.
Follow our researched article to know more about Anodizing paintball guns.
What is anodizing?
Before digging deep into the topic of anodizing paintball guns, first, be aware of Anodizing.
Aluminium and other nonferrous metals are anodized as part of the electrochemical process to make them corrosion-resistant and highly durable, making the outer surface change from the original shape. Its primary purpose is to colour the metal surface, specifically aluminium ones. Anodized finishes come in one or more colours and have fun patterns like splashes, sponges, fades, and metallic effects.
Also Read: Is It Dangerous to Leave Air In Your Paintball Tank?
Furthermore, a piece of metal with a gloss or dust finish will still have that finish after anodizing. Hence, we recommend cleaning the metal surface free of dust or other unwanted things.
Fortunately, I have seen people anodize even the back covers of mobile phones. It means this process is not restricted only to some products like paintball guns but also to different metals.
Features of Anodizing the paintball Marker
Anodizing can have multiple benefits, which I will explain one by one below.
- Paintball guns will look unique with painted guns. Its main feature is to change the physical appearance of the paintball gun with different colors.
- The anodizing process makes the body porous so that the colors holds well, resulting in the gun’s durability.
- Anodizing doesn’t wear out when used in different environments.
- Paintball guns are perfect for this process since most markers are made of aluminum.
- Unfortunately, the process can cost you around a hundred dollars, which is costly for most users.
Why does Anodizing make the gun durable?
Typically, our research has found anodizing the paintball gun makes the gun reliable and its body long-lasting. But what is the reason? Anodizing is a process that has nothing to do with the paint, which is why aluminium becomes so durable. Anodizing paintball guns involves turning their body surfaces into porous surfaces through a specific machine to inject the dye into them. The pores are then sealed with boiled water, and the paint is trapped inside, which doesn’t wear out, chip, or shave away easily, even in humid and rainy weather.
Anodizing a Paintball Gun: Is It Worth It?
Yes, you should change the colour of your paintball marker but keep in mind it is made of aluminium; however, paintballs made of material other than aluminium can not be a perfect option for anodizing. Furthermore, I would like to stress that this process is not cheap; therefore, you should expect to spend some money on this. Hydro dipping can also be a good alternative; although we do not recommend it because it is so low-cost, it is an excellent option to consider.
How much does it cost to anodize a paintball gun?
Several factors determine how much anodizing you need, how many colours you need, and the type of design you want for the paintball gun.
First, realize your desire, then go for anodizing your paintball shooting gear.
We will tell you some prices, but make sure these may vary according to the place you live in.
Let’s suppose, An anodic coating for a standard paintball gun should cost between $150 and $500; if it has to be disassembled and cleaned, you may have to pay $50 to $100 more. You should expect to pay around $150 to $300 for a single-colour design, $300 to $500 for a multi-colour design, and $300 to $800 for a design with an effect like a splash, sponge, or fade.
Furthermore, it depends on the company that makes an anodic coating on your gun. We have noticed that you can reduce your total cost if you clean the dust or dirt from the marker yourself.
Overall, it is a unique process; therefore, always go to recognized agencies or companies.
A variety of anodized paintball gun Designs
Numerous design options are accessible for customers and paintball players, which I have listed below, and I have also mentioned my favorite.
- Fades.
- Sponge
- Splash
- Sponge with splash
- Acid wash
- Acid wash with a splash
- Galaxy
- Poocasso design.
- Type I-Chromic Acid Anodize, etc.
My favorite anodic coating is Galaxy, and you can have your own choice.
Is anodizing harmful to your paintball gun?
We are done with almost all aspects of the anodizing process, but here a question arises can this process damage the paintball gun? It depends upon the anodizing companies or person from whom you are doing this. Anodizing your paintball gun shouldn’t cause any harm if you use a reputable company. If your paintball gun is anodized by a poor company, it can get damaged.
Inexperienced anodizing people typically do things like keep the guns in boiling water too long, make too deep pours, or apply uneven colours, resulting in an unsatisfactory result.
Type of Engraving
There are various types of engraving available such as Laser Engraving or Hand engraving, but laser ones are the best choice for many reasons we will explain here.
Laser engraving is one option to have your gun customized that’s been around for a very long time.
Laser engraving can engrave highly detailed designs into the metal and through the gun’s color.
Anodizing color on your paintball gun and its parts is cut through by laser engraving, leaving a line of silver in the cut places.
Final Words
At the end of the article, I am now wrapping it up and hope that this article would be helpful for you to get more knowledge about the anodic coating on a paintball gun. Furthermore, this process is highly safe if done by professionals and durable for your markers.
Overall, I recommend colouring the paintball gun through anodizing to make it look more attractive.