Black marking material for inletting barrel.

[Palepainter]

I have seen a lot of posts on inletting barrels, but what exactly are people using to mark or black the barrel to see high and low spots in the groove?
Tried sharpie, that didnt work so hot.

I have gotten almost all of my Hawken barrel done, but now need to start finalizing it with this technique.

Thanks!! :wink:

 

Mike, I use mostly either candle smoke, or smoke from an old oil lamp. Some use lipstick, just don't get it on your collar, or use the wife's favorite. That can get you in lots of trouble. :haha:

Bill

 

[Old40Rod]

I use old lipstick cast off from the womenfolk... keep it in the freezer Keeps it from getting too mooshy.

 

[Palepainter]

HAHAHAHA. Thanks Bill. That just may be the best advice I get in any forum. LOL. I will see what I can come up with. I suppose it is bad enough to simply ask the wife to borrow the lipstick. Let alone, going to the store to buy some.

 

[necchi]

Yup, go to a second hand store and get an oil lamp for a couple bucks.
Take the chimmney off, light it and keep it low, if you want soot just run the wick high, put your piece over it, pick up the soot and turn the wick low again.
A damp cloth will quickly remove soot from the areas you don't want it.
Paraffin lamp oil works just fine.

I actually found a small one with a wick a 1/2" wide that only holds a 1/2 cup of oil, works great! :grin:

 

[MSW]

if you do go with the commercial stuff (it comes in a tiny little container) be sure to put it on very thin ... a wee bit goes a long way.
http://www.trackofthewolf.com/Categories/PartDetail.aspx/1021/1/INLET-BLACK

costs about eight bucks if i remember right.

 

[fosters]

I went with the lipstick. The hardest part was finding the right shade to match the cherry stock.

fosters

 

[chuck-ia]

candle soot smeared with a little vaseline works for me. flinch

 

[ApprenticeBuilder]

Straight candle soot for me.

Dollar store runs specials, also check with your local mortician.

 

[F.G. Ford]

A very good blackening substance is acetylene soot mixed with hand cream ( the wife's )
Just fire up the torch, run it rich against a piece of metal, scrape it off in to a container, add some face cream, until you get a paste.
It works well, and lasts forever.
You can paint it on thick or thin.
A small flat artist type paint brush works well.
You can also use it for eye shadow, if you wish.
Old Ford

 

[Bill Hall]

I've tried lamp smoke and homemade lamp black, and I think the lamp smoke, just as Necchi described, works the best for inletting barrels. For smaller parts, I like to coat them with a thin coat of lamp black, but for a barrel, I find it's quicker and easier to hold it over a smoking lamp. Faster and more even coverage, and leaves clear black marks in the channel. Bill

P.S. Oh yeah, I found that loading the lamp with citranella oil, used in those bug replellent tiki torches, makes some good oily smoke. Better than the cleaner burning lamp oil. Bill

 

[Palepainter]

Thanks for all the pointers today guys. I humbled myself by asking the wife for some lipstick. HAHAHA. I am going to make some acetelene paste tomorrow to fine tune a bit more. I got it pretty close. It was a good work out.

That hooked breech and tang was a bit tricky. It seems like I was carving that out forever.

 

[Zonie]

I use inletting black.

Good stuff and the little tiny container of it has lasted for years.

To apply it I use a small paint brush. The kind that is typically used for painting plastic models.

 

[Herb]

I made a little lamp out of a cartridge case with another for a cap. The wick is a piece of string or yarn folded up enough to fill the case mouth to the bottom and stick out a little. I used kerosene in a little squeeze bottle, but paint thinner is more readily available. Citronella sounds good, probably smells good, too.

 

[Palepainter]

Thanks for sharing Herb. That is a nice little set up. I will make one up and give it a try. I have a few spent cartridges around. I will mount it to a base so it doesnt spill over.

 

[Zonie]

As my dad used to say as he walked out the door,
"DON'T BURN THE HOUSE DOWN."
:grin:

 

[DTCoffin]

I was using a candle but it takes so long to get any coverage, I now use an old oil lamp,works great.

 

[Stophel]

I like that little lamp, Herb!

I've never had candles sooty enough to work... and I don't like burning my hands on hot metal.

I use whatever pigment is handy, burnt umber, sienna, etc. (I have several jars of different dry pigments) mixed with some paint thinner on a paper towel to make a sort of paste. The paint thinner evaporates completely, eventually just leaving a dry dusty pigment that is easy to clean up.

 

[Supercracker]

I made one out of an empty herb/spice bottle by soldering a piece of brass tubing through the lid. I made one before this using a .223 casing that I cut the bottom off of for the tubing but I gave it away. The wick is a strip of cotton tee shirt twisted up and pulled through the tube. I use a .45 brass for a cap over the wickwhen it's not in use.

Super easy, one fill of oil lasts forever and it cost virtually nothing. I don't have a pic of just it but it's on the bench in this pic.

 

[merdean]

I use an oil lamp from Walmart. About $5.00 when I bought it years ago. I think they run around $10 or so now. I use kerosene to get good smoke. Stinks a little according to the wife but blacks barrel well.
Merdean