Rust Bluing

[rhbrink]

I am building a New England style back action target rifle and thinking about rust bluing the barrel. I have some square pipe that was galvanized this stuff is 4 inches square and probably the wall thickness is about 3/16. I am wondering that if I use this to make a boil tank will the galvanizing have any effect of the rust blue?

RB

[Hungry Horse]

 I boil mine in a metal chicken feeder with the ends soldered shut.

                      Hungry Horse

[David Rase]

I use a section of rain gutter laid across two burners of my kitchen stove.  I have never had a problem with the galvanized coating.
David

[Sawatis]

I made a trough out of some galvanized flashing roll...think it was 16 inches wide from the Home Depot...Folded the edges in creating no seams so no soldering needed. set it across a pair of turkey fryers I have and it boils up good even in cold weather.
John

[davec2]

Ok, I had a barrel that I was browning with LMF solution in my disposable damp box.  (Previous link       http://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=21382.0    ). 

After I had three passes of brown on it, I decided that I would try to convert it to blue and, if it didn't work, I would start over.  I didn't have anything to make a boiling tank out of at 11 PM, but I had a length of 2 inch PVC and a cap.  Per a previous tip by one of the board members, I put the barrel in the PVC pipe and poured a gallon of boiling, distilled water on it and just left it to cool.  When I pulled the barrel out a half an hour later, it was blue but had what looked like a thin layer of soot on it, so I scratch brushed it with a fine stainless steel tooth brush and then waxed it.  Here is how it came out.  I can't comment on the durability, but it looks OK…..and it was @!*% quick.

[SR James]

Much easier to use a 2" diam. section of PVC. Use caps on the ends, put the barrel in the tube, and fill it with boiling distilled water. The water can be reused for subsequent boilings until you get the color you want. You don't have to actually "boil" the part.



You don't need the fill spout in the middle.  Just the tube and two caps will work.  The barrel will come out covered in black fuzz.  Card it off with fine, degreased, steel wool, reapply the bluing solution, and "boil" again until you get the depth of color you want.  I usually do 5 or 6 applications.  The color change is almost instantaneous...you don't have to leave it in the water more than 5 or 10 minutes at most.  Small parts I boil in an old blue enamel pot. 
After your final application and carding, kill the rust with a good oil.  Watch it for a couple of days to make sure there is no after rusting.  Rust blue is a very durable finish.

[rhbrink]

Ok thanks guys I'll give the PVC a try I did read about it on the Laurel Mountain site but was a little unsure of that.

RB

[moleeyes36]

SR

What browning solution are you using for this process?

Mole Eyes

[galamb]

I use the PVC pipe capped on the ends and the boiling distilled/de-ionized water. Have had good luck using LMF's Barrel Brown & Degreaser.

They have the rust blue instructions on their website and also suggest the PVC pipe method.

http://laurelmountainforge.com/barrel_brown_inst.htm

[b bogart]

I just cap one end, plug the touch hole/nipple hole, suspend the barrel muzzle down and scald the barrel with boiling water poured into pipe. Worked like a charm. I might have been just lucky?

[eddillon]

I use the bogart method.  Very little water enters the barrel when you plug the flash hole or nipple so it is air tight.  Make sure the PVC pipe is vertical and that the barrel is down the middle.  I suspend the barrel on a coat hanger hooked through the tang bolt hole.  Pour in the boiling distilled water.  Wait 30 minutes.  Remove barrel and let it dry.  I card lightly w/OOOO steel wool (oil free).  After two more repeats of the process the barrel will probably be blued enough.  After the last carding, clean the barrel with warm water and Dawn dish detergent, rinse the barrel in warm water.  Dry thoroughly and apply a coat of Johnson's Paste Wax while the barrel is still warm.  I have never tried re-using the distilled boiled water.  Would be more cost effective.  Think I'll try that the next time.    

[sdilts]

How long do you let the solution work before you do the boiling process?

[Dphariss]

I am building a New England style back action target rifle and thinking about rust bluing the barrel. I have some square pipe that was galvanized this stuff is 4 inches square and probably the wall thickness is about 3/16. I am wondering that if I use this to make a boil tank will the galvanizing have any effect of the rust blue?

RB

Should work OK. But if you have to weld or cut it with heat beware the fumes. Can cause heavy metal poisoning if heated high enough to vaporize and inhaled. Or so I have been told.

Dan

[Dphariss]

I like to boil my parts. I usually boil barrels for 15-20 minutes.
I boil everytime I get a good coat of rust.



Its very hard and durable.

Dan

[Dphariss]

These are all GM 1137 barrels but it will make the same color on 4150 as well. 4150 may need more nitric acid in the solution to work well. At least where I live with the low humidity.
Dan