Any refinishers out there?

[tlay]

I have been refinishing older smiths for awhile. I take only guns that have a minimum of finish and are really rusted badly. I love to take these guns and rebuild them and put a new bluing job on them. I have only cold blued with Brownells oxypho bluing. It works pretty good for a cold blue.
My question is I am getting ready to jump into the water and go the hot bluing way. I am going to use Brownells oxynate #7. Is there anyone out there that has any experience hot bluing? What can you tell me that will help out? Is there a better hot bluing salt? Thanks.

 

[roughedgekid]

I do bluing with Dicropan "IM" from brownells and have had good results with it. I was thinking of oxynate 7 but it takes 4 tanks instead of 3 and you cant use it on doubles or anything with silver inlays without messing up something. It takes a little longer with Dicropan but the results look like the old style bluing.

 

[Mossy Pops]

Hot Bluing

I have not tried the hot bluing yet but I'm really tempted at times. How do you deal with the caustic fumes? Do you have a special building or room?

 

[dant]

Brownells, has the books, and the chemicals and equipment, as well as the company we have used, Dulite.com, they too have all the chemicals, equipment,etc....READ the books.yes, you should ventilate, some of us, those chemicals makes our skin crawl ( as well as itch and turn red !!!)
the secret and success is in the prep work ( hand work) buffing and polishing, anyone can strip and dip
ANY and ALL 'cold blues'. are that, cold (some warm them up ) but all are temporary.............

 

[usnrigger]

I would suggest that you have a room/area that can be dedicated to hot salt and that it have very very good ventilation. Brownells sells all the stuff and you can find the instructions for Oxynate 7 by a google search( thats what ive used.) Ive had very good results and i do stand by the Dicro Clean 909 as well, ive used some other stuff with bad results.

Do lots of test runs to get the feel for it and your temps right. with hot salt as with any finish it comes down to prep work. I know ou operating temp is 285 if i remember right, as we are at 6000ft, so that does make a difference.

 

[tlay]

I will be using the Oxynate #7 kit. It has 5 tanks. I am building the room now. What type of ventilation do you recommend? What about the heat? Its got to get hot in the room.
I have always used cold blues including oxpho with good results. I try to do the best metal prep and cleaning that I can.
Is there anything else you recommend that I get? Thanks.

 

[kritter]

I use the Oxynate #7 from Brownells..

For ventilation,, use as much as you can , a pusher fan and a exhaust fan located on opposite sides of your blueing area would be ideal.

No galvanized metal or aluminum ( the fumes destroy them in short order )

I often do my blueing at night and will move the tanks ( cold ) just outside of the shop doors just to avoid the fumes.

As for heat. Well, you got that big ole burner going to get the salts up to temp.. so yea, it puts off a LOT of heat..
I've built heat shields on mine to help control /direct the heat but still get's plenty warm in the shop..

Which goes back to ventilation.. the fumes from the Oxynate is nasty stuff in it's self.. anything carbon steel that the fumes get too will start to rust overnight.. the fumes are nasty to wood too
and you don't want to breath them in either, they do nasty stuff to your lungs ,, wear a respirator mask ..
as for metal prep..do the best you can.. and keep everything clean and oil free, ( as in the oil in your skin, on your hands, will transfer to the part you just cleaned, making them no longer clean)

Brownells has a lot of tips and tricks in their "blueing book" that come's in the kit..... read through it a few times and don't be afraid to ask questions..
Remember the bluing salts work at a temp of 292 degrees, which is a instant "mess you up ". Not exactly what you want to learn by mistake with..
Oh.. and just in case keep a bottle of vinegar around to neutralize the salts just in case you get some splashed on you,, ( don't ask how I know) just know it hurts..

 

[ironhead7544]

The temperature is critical. Get a good thermometer.

 

[tlay]

I have 3 good thermometers. I know about metal prep. I have used the oxypho on many guns with good results. What buffer do you use? I just have a bench grinder converted to a buffer.

 

[kritter]

Baldor 1/2 horse long shaft..
Wheels. Hard felt. Sizes anywhere from 10 to 14 inch
Buffing compound the standby 555 and up to 1200 grit

 

[usnrigger]

agree Baldor are the gold standard, but i have seen some grizzly's that do pretty darn good as well. Long shaft is good to get work away from motor and i even invert mount mine. Good rubber mats on floor are good insurance if you launch a part. use both loose and hard wheels with 555 and up, stick with wax base. I dont use 240 wheels or below as it chews parts up and i can hand polish just as fast without rolling corners ext.. I have gone to mold maker type stones for most of my polishing work and switch to 3m gold sticky back for my final polish at 320 400grits, depending on finish might do a wet sand at those same grits right after i hit it on a light wheel.

Cross vent with stainless fans if possible. make heat shields that hang of you tanks and go down almost to floor to protect you and keep heat contained. it does get hot but just part of the process IMO. I open the rolling door if not snowing or raining to get air exchange