plugging a barrel for bluing ....
plugging a barrel for bluing ....
I have a barrel that I want to accelrated rust blue. Any suggestions on what to use to plug the barrel?
Re: plugging a barrel for bluing ....
I'd be tempted to use silicone plugs and fill the barrell with oil. The oil will not only provide extra protection to the bore, but give you a pretty good indication if you haven't achieved a good seal with the plugs. Silicone is great as it's impervious to most chemicals. (If in doubt, test.) The caulking silicone might work as well, but I'm leery about what the solvents in it might do to the metal. A nice assortment of plugs can be had from Eastwood, in their powder coating section - handy for all kinds of stuff.
GsT
GsT
Re: plugging a barrel for bluing ....
Hardwood dowels whittled to a taper, leave enough to use for handles sticking to the outside of the barrel.
Al Messer
"One nation, under God"
"One nation, under God"
Not familiar with the procedures of ...
"accelerated rust blue" but if you don't have to immerse the barrel in the boiling solution for an extended period of time, then tightly fitted hardwood plugs will probably be OK.
But if the process requires soaking in boiling solution for multiple minutes, the pressure built up inside the barrel is likely to blow out or dislodge wood plugs. In that case, you should make a set of tapered plugs from teflon (or delrin, maybe) that slip on a threaded rod that runs through the barrel and has jam nuts on each end to compress the plugs into the barrel. Don't use plated rod or nuts for fear of contaminating the bluing solution.
But if the process requires soaking in boiling solution for multiple minutes, the pressure built up inside the barrel is likely to blow out or dislodge wood plugs. In that case, you should make a set of tapered plugs from teflon (or delrin, maybe) that slip on a threaded rod that runs through the barrel and has jam nuts on each end to compress the plugs into the barrel. Don't use plated rod or nuts for fear of contaminating the bluing solution.
Re: Not familiar with the procedures of ...
Agree with George. I was told to NEVER plug the barrel when hot blueing.
Re: Not familiar with the procedures of ...
George: I have used a length of threaded drill rod with delrin washers many times. The shop that does the bluing likes this method because they can hang the barreled action from the threaded rod.I have never had bluing get in the bore. R. Johnson
Re: plugging a barrel for bluing ....
In the past I've had problems with silicone caulking, it tends to outgas as it cures,this was on silver plate.It caused dark spots,the only fix was to vapor hone and replate.
Re: plugging a barrel for bluing ....
Yeah, I wasn't sure about the caulking, but the plugs (pre made) are quite nice. For immersion bluing (hot blue) no plug is necessary, no bore pitting occurs and the chemicals will actually dissolve any copper or lead fouling in the bore. For any kind of vapor bluing I would fill and plug as previously described.
GsT
GsT
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Re: plugging a barrel for bluing ....
Al, I have never used anything but hardwood plugs in my barrels when I blued them. Oiled the bore before putting in the plugs and degreasing with boiling lye water.
Unka Jesse
Unka Jesse
"The same hammer that breaks the glass, forges the steel" Russian proverb
Re: plugging a barrel for bluing ....
I am not sure what you mean by "accelerated".Are you are talking about the type of "rust" blues where you heat the metal with a torch and then swab on the solution in one coat? At any rate, you do not need to plug the bores with any of the blueing processes. WIth caustic bluing, you NEVER plug the bores. You may get away with it some of the time, but eventually you will blow out a plug and have hot, caustic salts blown all over th ebluing room. VERY dangerous and also corrosive to everythin you can imagine. I htink it will even make wood rust. FOr real rust bluing, you do not need to plug the bores. I know, I have read all of the articles that tell you to plug the bores, coat with oil, coat with varnish, whatever. But you swab the solution on th eoutside of the barrel, put it in your damp box, and then look at th eresults. You will find that the inside does not rust. Only if the rust solution gets in th ebore. Be careful and you will be ok. If you don't beleive me, try it on an old junker barrel first. I know I was skeptical at firsyt, but I have seen it work evry time.
Re: plugging a barrel for bluing ....
Accelerated rust bluing involves boiling the metal in between applications of the bluing solution as opposed to hanging it in a humudity cabinet they way they did with the original rust bluing process.
Re: plugging a barrel for bluing ....
THen definitle don't plug the bores. You will gain nothing by it and stand to screw something up.