Barrel Finish

[DRC]

How does cold browning solution work in humidity light box? Does it work Ok or do I use something different? If so what solution and where do I find. Only things I can find are cold solutins or the ones that you have to heat barrel with torch.

 

[Zonie]

The cold browning solutions, like "Laurel Mountain Barrel Brown & Degreaser" are acids which will rust the metal.
These work just by using the humidity in the air to slowly rust the metal and produce a hard dark brown rust which is similar to the hard brown rust that forms on the $40 shovel you left out in the weather for a couple of weeks.

Salt tends to form a soft red rust, which is not the kind you want.

This process is slow. It takes several coatings of the solution with light to moderate scrubbing between coats.

The light box is most useful in dryer areas where the humidity is low. The light heats the inside of the box so the water in the pan (in the box) evaporates speeding the process.

I've heard of people who didn't use a light box, they just left the barrel/parts in the bathroom. This seems to work best if there are wives and teenagers in the house who like to take long hot showers. ::

 

[DRC]

So really all the light box is doing is speeding up the process.

 

[scott k]

The rusting doesn't start without the humidity. If the rusting doesn't start the browning solution can pit the steel I think. The bathroom will work. You can hang a barrel above the tub run some hot water and close the doors to get it good and steamy in there. Follow the instruction sheet closely :results:
Lehigh..

 

[THORNAPPLE]

Lehigh, does your wife let you do that in the bathroom? :nono: I built a cheap, tall (about 5')humidity box out of scrap plywood, full length hinged door, light bulb fixture near bottom, pan full of water soaked towel scraps in bottom, just below the bulb. Added a small alumn. mesh shelf (removeable)near the top for small parts & a couple hooks to hang the barrel from.
Now there are a hundred ways to make these, some like a horizontal box. This one only takes up 9" x 9" floor space and fits in the corner out of the way for 11.5 months of the year. Does as good a job as any, :imo:.
Techniques for applying the cold browning? That's another volume of expertice that has probably been discussed here already, check the archives.

 

[DRC]

Thornapple do you put any kind of solution on barrel first or just let the humidity in the box do it all? If so what kind of time does it take.

 

[THORNAPPLE]

Grizzly, The humidity itself would probably takes months!??
I grease the inside and degrease the outside of the barrel with a solvent, plug the holes and apply Wahkon Bay (cold)Browning regent a couple times a day. It takes a few applications for it to start rusting all over. I take it out and rub it down with a clean rag to take off the loose stuff, re-apply browning and put it back in the box. Repeat, repeat, repeat. It takes several days to a week to get a deep brown that has a rough surface like about 240~360 sandpaper. You can use wet steel wool to smooth it out as desired, if desired. I like it ruff! Now, you MUST neutralize the acid, and I use a strong solution of Baking Soda and hot water. Rub it on thick like a paste and let it dry and set an hour, wash it off and do it again a little thinner this time. Wash, dry and OIL well. You'll need to oil it daily for a while to keep the rust from growing back if it wasn't neutralized well enough. There are a number of neutralizing agents in use, like anmonia, acetone?, etc. but this is what I've used for years and am comfortable with the results. This is just one of many variations on how to.... Works for me, nuff said. :front:

 

[mattacton]

For what it's worth, I just started browning the metalwork of a 54 cal. GPR today.

How I'm doing it is similar to a light box, but on a bigger scale.

I'm in Az, and the temp is about 108-110 deg F. today. We had a breif rain this AM that kicked up the humidity to 17% at Noon. My shop is isolated from the rest of the house, and measures about 12 X 8 ft. I have placed pans of water in the shop and have filled the bottom of a portable evaporative cooler too. About every 4 - 6hours, I'm going out and running the cooler (with the doors and windows shut) for about an hour, to put humidity into the air. I put the first coating of LMF Barrel Brown on at 8:30 this AM. Every 12 hours I'll card it with denim and hot water from the kitchen tap. I'll do this for at least 5 days or longer, and stop whenever I reach the color and depth that I want. In other words, I have essentially turned my shop into a large sweatbox using the Az summer as a heat source. Things will go really well if we get lucky and have another rain, but this way I can have better control over how much humidity I am applying - all I have to do is run the evap cooler longer or for a shorter time.

So far, the results are better than I expected on the barrel. The cast iron furniture (which I sanded to smooth out the foundry marks) seems to be taking a little longer to show decent color. This technique worked well though on the 50 cal GPR that I built previously.

I'll tell you something - you don't want to be in that shop for very long. This method has turned it hot, sticky and nasty!

Short answer is that a light/sweat box will work fine if you have the patience and can control the humidity.

Good luck

 

[hirocker]

I use a thick-walled cardboard mailing tube. Run water down the inside to thoroughly wet the inner layer, and then, after wiping the barrel with the browning agent of your choice, hang the barrel vertically in the tube making sure it doesn't touch the walls. Put some foil or something on top to keep it moist, and rest the bottom end on a plate or something waterproof. It helps if it is in a warm location.

 

[LSU TIGER]

Here, in Louisiana, we fight to keep things from rusting! :crackup: A friend made a vertical sweat box and used an old coffee percolator for a source of humidity and added an electric light at the top for more heat. A warming plate and a cake pan of water would do the trick, too. No use making everything in your shop brown !

 

[DRC]

Here in Indiana we do have humid days . But for browning I'm like most impatient . And I am looking for a very even finish [It will become broken up with time in woods] . You all have a very interesting look on it and wouldn't trade that for anything. That's what ideas come from I thank you. Thornapple where do you still get Wahkon Bay Browning?

 

[THORNAPPLE]

Grizz, the bottles tip over and spill so easily, I started buying them in quantity some time ago. I have a couple bottles left. If you don't spill it, it lasts a long time. Same with the old Auqua-Fortis. Didn't know the browning was hard to get too, but it stands to reason, as they are almost the same thing. Doesn't Laurel Mt. make browning too?

 

[fatboy]

Hey Thornapple yes laurel mtn still make the browning solution I have used and I'm pleased with it. I bought one bottle and have done 3 guns with it and I think there is enough to do another one yet.

 

[Scharfrichter]

I just recently built a heat cabinet, but for humidity I use a temp-adjustable fondue pot with a baffle above it to keep condensation from forming on the barrel while making it quite humid inside.