What to do?

[zerb]

I am browning a barrel for the first time with Laurel Mt. Browning solution. I have followed the instructions to a T. I have a piece of 4 inch PVC I hang the barrel in with hot water underneath it. the first coat I left the barrel in no more than 3 hours as per instructions. When I removed it. In stead of a light coat of rust there was pitting in some areas. I used 000 steel wool and proceeded with 3 more coats. Most of the barrel is looking good, but there are the areas that look different because of the initial pitting. It has different colored splotches that are on the barrel. I can uses the steel wool that makes the barrel mostly smooth, but don't like the looks of the areas with what appears to be pitting. Should I continue with further coats? File the pitted areas and try to just re-do those areas? Or re-file and sand the whole barrel?
Dont know why this happened. To much humidity? The instructions didn't warn of this at all.

 

[Ames]

I'd draw file it and sand it and start over. Don't use steel wool between coats. Steel wool has oil in it and can take away from your efforts to degrease the barrel before you began. When carding between coats use a scrap of denim rather than steel wool.
Wear latex gloves from degreasing and all points forward. Oils from your hands can blotch things up as well. I know. I found a thumbprint on a finished barrel years ago. Never saw it till I oiled the browning job before assembly.

 

[zerb]

I kind of thought that is what I need to to, but what caused the metal to pit? I certainly don't want that to happen a second time. I'm also wondering how much draw filing I'll need to do to clean the pitting up. I understand about de-greasing, which I didn't do, but the LMF instructions specifically said you don't need to de-grease, because their product does that. One would think if oil or grease from hands was a problem in the rusting process they would state that in the instructions. I did use a piece of denim on most of it, but the areas that were rough from pitting I used steel wool. Thanks for your reply.

 

[Eric Krewson]

Depending where you live you might not need to hang it over water, I live in N Alabama and have never needed a moisture source. I put my parts under a roof outside overnight to keep the dew or rain drops off the metal. You can hang the barrel in your garage with the door open overnight if you are anywhere it isn't too cold.

Go light on the coats, two is often enough, once the metal starts rusting red, I card it off with denim every day and let it keep rusting until it is the color I want.

Behind my covered archery target.

I got plenty of rust after two nights outside;

 

[edrutecki]

My first try with LMF, I did my small parts first hanging them over a bucket of hot water. Well, the hot water formed condensation and they pitted anywhere the condensation had formed. I cleaned them back up recoated and just put them out in my sunroom with the windows cracked. Worked perfectly and I did the barrel the same way with no issues. The last barrel I did was directed by the other longrifle forum. I guy named "Stoner Creek" posted a thread "barrel finish options". He used windex with ammonia for degreasing. You can have a barrel done in a couple of hours. I tried it and was very pleased with the results.

 

[Oberst]

I just did my first barrel (same product) and did in in a downstairs bathroom and got the first coat on light and ran a humidifier on low. Looked very splotchy but no pits. Second layer also very light without carding in between, third layer I rubbed lightly with cloth and kept going till I got the right color the rubbed with a cloth soaked in hot water then rinsed entire barrel in hot shower.

Then made a baking powder solution and covered in and outside of barrel with it. Heat gun to dry off then WD-40 and let sit for 24 hours, wiped off and then furniture wax. Wore latex gloves entire time I did this. I think the instructions reference what to do if pitting but don’t have them handy.

 

[Brownwl]

I've always used Homer Danglers Browning solution ( Log Cabin Shop sells it ).
Never any issues if the enclosed directions are followed.
It is a cold brown.

 

[Ames]

I've had my best results in the cold months with Tracks cold brown. I take over a bathroom while the wife is away for a few days (holidays). Put a portable heater in the room, set the shower to drip, and close the door. The barrel hangs on the shower curtain rod away from the drip. For added humidity I run a hot shower for a couple of minutes twice a day. The whole room feels like a sauna.
By the time the MRS comes home all evidence has been removed.

 

[rich pierce]

It’s the water. The vapor makes the browning very aggressive and concentrated near that end. I’ve used this to advantage when “aging” the breech of a barrel. A do-over is needed is you want an even finish with no pitting.

 

[zerb]

It was excessive condensation that formed from the hot water I placed underneath it. Its certainly not humid outside now in Pa, so I did this in my basement where there is a wood burner going. So I figured I needed to create humidity. Guess I over did it with humidity. Thanks for the replies, for I will take them into consideration after draw filing the barrel again.

 

[Johnny Tremain]

We built a wooden sweat box big enough to fit up to 50 inch barrel.
Sprayed the walls with water, coated the barrel with solution, and left in that heated box for 3 days.
The heat source was a 100 watt light bulb.