doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DIY Gunsmithing @ doublegunshop.com Barrel refinish...Warming the barrel

I'm looking for technique and tips to evenly heat the barrel before application of the rust solution when doing a set of damascus barrels.

Heat chamber?

How hot do you require the barrel set to be, JD? Too hot to hold, or just really warm to the touch?


SRH

Instructions say 150-200 degrees.

boil them........when Im rust bluing barrels after degreasing I boil them, then apply the first coat of rusting agent.....after rusting I boil them again, card, quick dip back in boiling water to make sure they are clean....take out of hot water and they dry quickly....still plenty warm, reapply rusting solution....repeat , repeat , repeat....

If you are browning instead of bluing the barrels I imagine a propane torch or just lay in the sun for a while in the summer would work.....Id be very careful with the torch though....

Fastest way I know of, if you are not set up with a boiling tank and apparatus, is to pour boiling water over the barrels while they stand vertically. One of those old big coffee pots on a hot plate will hold gracious plenty water to heat the barrels evenly to that temperature. Try standing the barrels in a bucket, muzzles down and pouring the boiling water over the breech end, allowing it to drain down the barrels into the bucket. They will dry instantly after you lift them out.

SRH

Which instructions are you following? One from Angier, or perhaps the Parker Process? The reason I ask is that I've experimented with the "Preheat" technique before applying solution, and can see no advantage to it over drying the barrels with a heat gun after application. It can actually cause over application of solution in spots, creating faults, especially along ribs and at the muzzle.

Ken

Ken, I can't say that I've even settled on a complete set of instructions. I've read so many and was really in the stage of trying to figure out what my setup would look like. A heat gun is such a simple solution. Your feedback regarding the lack of real value to preheat is extremely helpful.

It's an adventure. I'm literally in my 12th generation of methodology modifications. Don't get discouraged, it took me until the seventh generation before I was remotely happy with my results.

Regards
Ken

Pre-heating the metal surface is only needed if you are using a so-called 'express' solution. Also called 'quick rust' or fast rust'.
The rusting appears just as soon as the soln is layed down on the metal. Get things too hot and the soln will sizzle as it's applied. That'll mess up the final finish in some instances, but not always.
If you run the brown rusted surfaced metal thru boiling water to heat the metal up for the next application, or even pour boiling or near boiling water over it,,the brown rust will turn black(or in some cases a black w/a red tint color if the water isn't quite boiling). That's the simple process of (express) rust blue.

If you just want the surface to remain a rust brown finish, don't use any hot water to warm the metal.
Instead the use of a heat gun or propane torch are some options. Even a hair dryer on thinner parts is a usable tool.
I use a propane torch and have for years. It takes some getting used to of course but what doesn't.

Slow rust soln's do away with all that. Just apply and either let natural humidity/temp form the rust, or make up a box to place the parts in which you can control the humidity & temp.
Easiest of all is to hang them from the shower bar, run the shower for a minute or 2 on hot then turn it off and close the door. They'll be nicely & evenly rusted in about an hour and a half to 2 hours. Quick, easy, repeatable results and no extra equipment around for rusting.