M831A1, the hard way.

[917601]

Well, as I could not find a CCC case,so I made one. I used my past skills in epoxy, and fiberglass construction, not bad for a first one. $36 bucks in materials. Two full long days and ready for painting, lots of laying glass, sanding, filling, sanding. My technique, using cardboard and saturating it with epoxy, and fiberglass, reinforcing joints with glass. I found a 7" OD, 3/8" thick cardboard heavy duty shipping tube from a print shop, sliced a section out longitudinally and spliced / epoxied the seam to achieve a 6" diameter ( not perfect, after exterior fabric and fiberglass it turned out just under 6 1/4 inch OD). I then made the shoulder building up with a cardboard cone and reinforcing with epoxy to bond, then fiberglass and cloth overlay. Amazingly strong. My only defect, when assembled it is 1/2 " short of specs. Does someone know what color to use for final paint? Semi gloss, flat ? Silver, light gray, dark gray? And, is the case marked in any way? Thanks in advance.

 

[917601]

For future reference, a retired tanker I know replied the correct color should be " semi gloss silver", hence the Gulf War terminology- " the Silver Bullet". He did not know the Federal Standard ( FS) color code, but said slight color variations would be expected by manufactures.

 

[pzgr40]

I think the result is great!
Regards, DJH

 

[917601]

Once I skim coat the case, (to many flaws- I am getting rusty) I found a xylene based auto color at auto zone, I spray tested it and it looks perfect ( not applying the clear coat) , Dupli- color,# BCC0338 , Radiant Silver should be spot on. I will post later as I am preparing for the hurricane effects...I am in Georgia and last night gusts already have taken down a few trees on my property. We are expected to get gusts up to 70 mph ( I do not believe it) but these damn pine trees always go down in 25 knot winds. My 86 year old mother is in Tampa, refused to leave, tough old woman...I am expecting to go down and pick her up post hurricane.

 

[917601]

For future reference, I found this in a TM on how to touch up paint the CCC case, presumably the correct color. It specifies Rustoleum brand paint- Aluminum number 7715.