Does anyone have a plan for a simple (very simple) and inexpensive (very inexpensive) humidity chamber for barrel and parts browning? This time of year the Colorado air is so dry nothing will rust, which, admittedly, is something I seldom complain about but it don't help the browning process. I have had success with Plumb Brown but want to try it more "old timey". :hmm:
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Humidity Chamber?
- Thread starter CoyoteJoe
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Black Hand
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Try it without. Just hang your parts in the shower and let tham get whatever moisture happens during your showers. Works for me. I like this way better than the humidity chamber as it gives me a more even rusting without the streaking.
Black Hand
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Coyote Joe I tried puting the barrel top of shower liked to knocked the wife out i won't go in to detail were she was going to stick the barrel.I took a cardboard box put two wet towels in it,cut a hole in the bottom of the box sat it over vent in floor, worked real good,couple of 2by4s to support barrel.
Bevins had a plan several years ago that was state of the art but I didn't want to work that hard. I found some scrap plywood and made a box- Cost$0. The "Door" is screwed in and has to be unscrewed everytime you "Open the door"- big deal- takes about a minute. There is a wood dowel protruding through the top part of the box from which wet towels are hung like a towel rack. I put a pie tin under the towel in case it drips. I put an oridinary lamp in the bottom of the box to heat things up and create some humidity. There is also a removable shelf within the box with some 1 x 2 cleats upon which it rests. The shelf is for small parts, the barrel, rib, etc leaning against the wall in the back of the box. Now there are some cracks in the seams of this box so I put a leaf bag over it(like a coat) to really hold in the humidity. Didn't cost me a dime, took about an hour to build. Works great. If I was a professional I would build the box with a hinged door, etc but what I have is fine for one or two guns a year.
Hello Joe-
Built myself a hinged box of 1x2's and pre-cut ply from Home Depot. Sealed the lid with weatherstripping, and use dowels in holes drilled across the box at various spots to support different pieces. Barrel is supported by a 1/2" dowel throuth the end. Experiment with a heating pad or a candle warmer, a container of water supplies the humidity. Works great, and keeps the wife happy (except for maybe what table you have it sitting on.) Try it! It really speeds up the process and does a better job.
Built myself a hinged box of 1x2's and pre-cut ply from Home Depot. Sealed the lid with weatherstripping, and use dowels in holes drilled across the box at various spots to support different pieces. Barrel is supported by a 1/2" dowel throuth the end. Experiment with a heating pad or a candle warmer, a container of water supplies the humidity. Works great, and keeps the wife happy (except for maybe what table you have it sitting on.) Try it! It really speeds up the process and does a better job.
I have a book by a fellow named David Chicoine called Gunsmithing Guns of the Old West. He has plans for a simple but effective "humidity chamber" built from very available materials. A friend built one a few months ago and reports it works well. I was about to build one myself.
A piece of 4" white sewer pipe with rubber caps for each end works great. You can buy the stuff pretty cheap at the hardware store. I've shipped my longbow in the sewer pipe, I keep my fishing rods in one and I've used a simular setup connected with a rubber hose to a pressure cooker to use as a steamer to steam wood. I don't know why that wouldn't work. Simply fill a pressure cooker with hot water, put the pressure cooker on a hot plate. Stick the rubber fuel line hose to the little spout at the top of the cooker, drill a hole in the pipe, shove the hose in there and let it cook. Once you have enough moisture, seal off the hole with a piece of duct tape and your all set. Then set back and let the rust do it's trick. I would recommend a nice glass of homemade wine to help the curing process (for you of course) I have everything you need including the wine if your willing to drive to Loveland.
Regards
Wounded knee
Regards
Wounded knee
:hatsoff: Many thanks to all who replied, you're good folks with good ideas. However, being the impatient sort, want it all and want it now, I went ahead with my own plan.
I attached a 1x2 upright on a plastic bucket. Put a brick in the bottom to stand the barrel on and about an inch of water. Covered it with a black plastic trash bag and set it near a floor length window so the Colorado sun could warm the black bag and it does seem to work.
I may build a plywood box with heat at some point but for now and sunny days I think this will be adequate.
Thanks again.-- :grin:
I attached a 1x2 upright on a plastic bucket. Put a brick in the bottom to stand the barrel on and about an inch of water. Covered it with a black plastic trash bag and set it near a floor length window so the Colorado sun could warm the black bag and it does seem to work.
I may build a plywood box with heat at some point but for now and sunny days I think this will be adequate.
Thanks again.-- :grin:
You can easily brown one in the bathrrom by steaming it well & brown it & all the trim in less than 24 hrs. Use Tru-Brown or Mtn. Laurel Forge browning solution. Wear latex or clean jersey gloves or you will contaminate the parts with oil of you hands or whatever.
Put an old shower curtain over the countertop in the bathroom. Get the parts ready & support the barrel on 2 small pieces of 1"x2" avout 3" long, supporting on the bottom of the tang & bottom of the barrel about an inch from the muzzle. I usually lay the trim on just a piece of cardboard box. (This sill absorb any excess fluid from application as it it lays on there wet it will leave blotchy browning) Block off the A/C or heat vent in the bathroom, turn on the shower & steam it up til the mirror fogs well. Apply the solution & let it set for 3 hrs. Card with a Dixel wheel (Brownells) reapply for 5-7 times every 3 hrs & resteam the bathroom & reapply the solution. Forst 2-3 applications will look like manure & by the 4th it will really made the turn & you will be done in about 21 hrs & have a beautiful deep rich toughwearing browning job.
I usually brown mine outside when it is going to rain for 2 days as the first day for the humidity to set in good & brown on the second day. But the bathroom does excellent during the dry spells.
Put an old shower curtain over the countertop in the bathroom. Get the parts ready & support the barrel on 2 small pieces of 1"x2" avout 3" long, supporting on the bottom of the tang & bottom of the barrel about an inch from the muzzle. I usually lay the trim on just a piece of cardboard box. (This sill absorb any excess fluid from application as it it lays on there wet it will leave blotchy browning) Block off the A/C or heat vent in the bathroom, turn on the shower & steam it up til the mirror fogs well. Apply the solution & let it set for 3 hrs. Card with a Dixel wheel (Brownells) reapply for 5-7 times every 3 hrs & resteam the bathroom & reapply the solution. Forst 2-3 applications will look like manure & by the 4th it will really made the turn & you will be done in about 21 hrs & have a beautiful deep rich toughwearing browning job.
I usually brown mine outside when it is going to rain for 2 days as the first day for the humidity to set in good & brown on the second day. But the bathroom does excellent during the dry spells.
I built that damp box from that article by John Bivins Seems to work OK, since I haven't rusted anything any other way but in that box, I don't have anything to compare it to. I will add though, that parts on the bottom shelf closest to the pie plate of heated water do seem to get a finer and better rusting than the opposite end of the verical standing barrel.
.............George F.
.............George F.
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Joe, if you do a search, you may find the guy who made his frame out of plastic pipe and used a damp towel.....covered by a sheet of plastic. I looked, but couldn't find it. :hmm:
Yeah, that is nice! Maybe some day, but for that one barrel my trashbag contraption did OK. Funny thing though, the lock and sights which were not in the humidity chamber came out the same color in the same time! Maybe I didn't need a humidity chamber after all! :hmm:
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