Barrel browning

[Bruce]

     Am about to brown my first barrel. I will be using Laurel Mountain Barrel Brown and Degreaser.  However I live in Arizona where it's dry.  So, any helpful suggestions?

    Also, I was talking to an old gun-man the other day and he had heard about a method of urinating in a can of steelwool and putting the can and the barrel in a container with a 40 watt bulb.  Ever hear of that or is it a tall tale or similar to a bucket of steam? 

      hanks in advance.  BHB                                          T

[bigsky]

I can only imagine what that would smell like after a couple of days!

After hearing accounts what happen to tools if muriatic acid (HCl) is left open in the shop, I wonder if you could just put a small open vessel of the acid in a box with the barrel to let the fumes accelerate the surface rusting process.  Maybe this is to aggressive?

[Jerry V Lape]

I live in Arizona as well.  Here is how I brown my barrels quite easily and reliably.  Get yourself a 4ft length of black plastic sewer pipe about 4 inches in diameter.  Split it in half lengthwise.  Attach a couple small blocks of wood to the outside of one half to serve as feet so the pipe half will not roll when laid horizonal.  (just screw them from the inside).   Bend two pieces of  hanger wire to hang across of the bottom half. (I file a notch for the wire so the top half will lay snug to the bottom when reassembled.)   You want clearance beneath the barrel so you can lay a double thickness piece of moist toweling full length of the pipe.  (I make the towel just moist, not sopping wet so it produces and maintains some humidity inside the tube. )  There is no award for high quality craftsmanship in making this pipe setup. 

Follow the instructions for the Laurel Mountain Forge browning solution.  Make sure the barrel has been thoroughly degreased! 

Place the barrel right side up on the rack and cover the assembly with the top half of the pipe.  I set the pipe where it catches a little sun through a window.  Leave the ends of the pipe open so you get some circulation to help keep the humidity somewhat even throughout the pipe.   Card the barrel off between coats.  I use a scotchbrite pad lightly to do this and have a very fine finish after 6-8 coats.  I  carded it about every 4 hours and leave it uncoated overnight or if I will be away longer than about 4 hours.   Remoisten the towel between coats.  I don't brown the lower flats of the barrel if they are not exposed when assembled.  They can turn brown later if they so chose. 

[northmn]

Jerry's method sounds like a good one.  As Arizona is a rather hot and dry state I do not know about building a hotbox but I have dried wood in them for both guns and bows.  Were I in need of humidity I could use one for that.  Mine was made out of a old heating duct I found around the place and wired with 100 watt bulbs.  They are best insulated.

DP

[smallpatch]

BHB,

  Ehrenberg???  That's just barely Arizona.  Do a lot of work in that area for EPNG.


Any way, back to the topic at hand.

If you're just doing one, Jerry's pipe will work great.  I've built a sweatbox, out of some 1x2's and some 1/4" plywood that works just great.  I lay wet towels in the bottom.  If it's cold, shine a 500w light on the side.  I live in Mesa, so usually, the Arizona heat is enough.

You have a lot of control over the type of brown that you get.  If you do like Jerry, card and brown every 4 hours, It will give a nice smooth chocolate brown.  If you card and apply every 12 hours, it will be a little rougher and textured.  You can almost achieve that "Plum Brown" color.

LMF is a nice product.  Be sure to do your lock, and/or other parts at the same time.  They will be consistent then.

Good luck.

[Roger Fisher]

If you just happen to have a 55 gal barrel around with the top out.  Maybe if your nice enough to her your neighbor lady might have one you can borrow.  If you have access to such it will save you the construction of a sweat box.  Build up the barrel with wood blocking to get the height/length for the barrel.  Hang the 'smalls' from a wood strip by wires, Lock, sideplate, trikker guard etc.  even the screws.  I.D the screws on the wood strip so you don't get 'em mixed up. Cover the whole works with an old poncho or whatever and hang a light bulb (lighted) in the barrel and also hang some wet rags inside. Once and again switch the barrel end for end since the cold brown seems to leach downwards when its contrary!  Card as needed.  I let mine go til they pit (outside) not in the bore.   Plug the bore and vent!

Thats the way I do it; but is only one of the ways to skin that kat!

I turn the light off when I'm in bed or out!!!!!  Just makes me feel better!

[Ezra]

     
    Also, I was talking to an old gun-man the other day and he had heard about a method of urinating in a can of steelwool and putting the can and the barrel in a container with a 40 watt bulb.   

     

Well, if the rifle shoots !$@! poor after that, you got a legit excuse...


Ez

[Bruce]

     Thanks boys, for all the good advice.  You know, the simplest is usually the best.  However, sometimes it is quite evasive unless pointed out by another.
     And Ezra, you gave me a $#*! of a good laugh.
                                                             
                                                                 BHB

[Levy]

Reading these responses makes me glad I live in Florida.  We've got enough humidity and Miami weld (rust) for everybody.  My job is removing rust from artifacts.

James Levy

[SR James]

I use a set up very similar to the one Jerry describes made out of 4" PVC pipe and have had good results browning a number of barrels with it.

[B Shipman]

I think the simple is being made incredibly difficult. I love Laurel Mtn. products, I either use Permalyn or make my own . I either use his stains or make my own. But the most foolproof , easy and best brown, is IMHO  Wakon Bay Tru-brown.
It doesn't plate the piece. You can rub it. You can put it on gently. No matter. PA in the dead of winter, no humidity. 2 days or so with good degreasing. No set up. No humidity boxes ect.No wet rags. no Heat. Just put it on. Brainless and flawless. I've throw everything else  out 20 years ago as a stress factor.
 If you want to pee  on it or pray over it , go ahead, as long as you wipe it off  and forgive yourself for wasting Gods time, it will be OK.

[Jerry V Lape]

B Shipman, I have lived in both PA and Arizona (orginally from Western PA).  What you call no humidity in PA is not comparable to Arizona's  lack thereof.  Why do you think you have trees and we have cactus? 

[B Shipman]

Jerry, just try the stuff. The simple fact is that everything else is both fussier and takes longer whatever the situaton.

[Lucky R A]

I would have to agree with Bill that Mike Lea's brown is the best stuff going, followed by Davis'.  I have had more screwed up browning jobs trying to use Laurel Mount forge degreaser and browner than anything else.  i like to prep my barrel wipe on the browner, rub it a bit where I don't hink it is wetting correctly and then pop it into my browning tank.   My shop is heated with a wood fire during the cold months and is probably about as dry as Arazona.  My browning tank is an old blueing tank that has a bunch of old rags in the bottom that are wetted down to provide some humidity, it works for me with out a lot of fuss, muss and bother.   

[Bruce]

     A BIG Thanks to you Jerry.  May the ancient camels of the desert Southwest bypass your front yard.
Below is the browning box I constructed pon your advice.  In the top half of the tube I suspended a line to hold the samll pieces.  Tomorrow it gets fired-up.  BHB

[Bruce]

     Now I just have to figure how to correctly post the photos and everything would be Jake.  BHB

[Bruce]

     Trying to load photos again!

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

I always remove the sights and the breech plug prior to browning.

[Bruce]

     Interesting.  Why?

[Roger Fisher]

     Interesting.  Why?

Let me guess and beat the ol guy (Taylor) to it.....

I would say he has had a problem in the past with the joint 'tween' the barrel and tang leaching oil from the threads and not wanting to brown there.   The sights, hmmm well maybe he likes to card w/o gouging his hand on said sights or maybe he does not want to brown the sights!

Okay young fella are we anywhere close?

[Benedict]

I always plugged the bore so it would not brown.  Was that not necessary?

Bruce

[Brian Jordan]

That is a nice lookig setup, glad ya got the pictures working!

[Bruce]

      Thanks for all the sage, salient and useful advice.  The ONE Problem with this forum is that it steals time from gun building.

       And who is this young fella you're talking about?   I'd sure like to resemble that remark!

[Jerry V Lape]

BHB it looks a lot neater than my tube.  I spent no effort at all on neatness when I cut the tube and screwed a couple flat peices of scrap to the bottom to keep it upright.  Also, I didn't enclose the ends since I did want some circulation to even out the humidity - if you start to get condensation forming inside you might want to open it up a bit so you don't get drips and runs on the metal. 

[omark]

benedict i plug and oil the barrel to prevent browning the bore.   that is something you want to prevent. mark