bluing tanks from hot water heater

[rcmsr.1]

Is it possible and or advisable to make gun blurring tanks out of hot water heater tanks

[Boolit_Head]

I would think you would want something pretty clean to avoid any contamination of the bluing salts? Would the hot water tanks not have some mineral deposits?

[lefty o]

a good tank isnt very expensive, its the heating equipment that'll run up the $$$.

[rcmsr.1]

Thought I would use the heating elements in the tank if the tank is clean is it the type of metal good for a bluing tank don't want to put time and money in this and blue a gun wrong at same time I like to repurpose things instead of throwing it away thanks for the helps

[Jeff Michel]

All the water heater tanks I've examined are galvanized plated. Bluing salts will react violently with zinc (boils it away). It might neutralize your bath, I'm not positive on that point though. You certainly could use it for a cold water rinse tank. Tanks and burners are not difficult to make. If you have the skill to disassemble a firearm, making tanks is all downhill sledding.

[dragonrider]

I have no experience with hot bluing but wouldn't having the heating element in the tank be a problem?

[Boolit_Head]

That is a good point.

[cheese1566]

Most tanks are "glass lined" on the inside like a porcelain coating.


I was going to use stainless steel "speed rails". Those are troughs used behind bars to hold liquor bottles. You can search bar and restaurant suppliers on the Internet. They come in various styles, lengths, and costs. Just unsure if they are sealed....

[Jeff Michel]

Unless my minds eye is messed up, I'm visualizing a tank that would of been cut in half long ways, the burner would be suspended beneath the tank. You will naturally have to fab an appropriate frame to support both.


I have no experience with hot bluing but wouldn't having the heating element in the tank be a problem?

[altheating]

Not an expert on bluing tanks, but I think the metal must be zinc free. I also think you want something much smaller than half a water heater tank. Don't think you could afford the bluing salts to get that much water to the right concentration level. Maybe Voopie will chime in on this, he's done more bluing than any one I know.

[rcmsr.1]

What about an old 1950 model tank if it is too badly corroded

[Jeff Michel]

I think it would not be a wise choice from a safety standpoint. if it's already rusted severely, it may already close to failure. You do not want a leaking bluing tank.....ever. My bluing tanks are 6x6x40, cold finished mild steel. I think that if you went the water tank route you would have additional potential problems to overcome. As was pointed out earlier, you will need a tremendous amount of salts to have any usable depth of solution. You'll have to heat it to 285F or a tad higher for nickel steel. You will have a lot of surface area and as a result, a lot of evaporation. You're going to be adding a bunch of water. You regulate bath temperature with the addition of water, not the controlling the heating source. I made fitted lids for my tanks, helps bringing the bath up to temperature. Find a metal fab shop and see what they charge to knock out a couple of tanks. I was running my tanks once a week and replaced them once in twenty years, so it's a long term investment. If you decide to move forward with your project, I would suggest that you contact Brownell's in Iowa and request a copy of their bluing instructions. There is a book by Brad Angier, Bluing and Browning of Firearms which is somewhat dated but still a very good resource. In my opinion, it's really going to depend on what and how much you will have to blue. Like anything else, there is a learning curve, not steep, be you will have some practice before you get things sorted out. It will be expensive to set up, salts/tanks/stands/ burners, a dedicated room or building with air exhaust and miscellaneous equipment such as polishing equipment. You do not want to do half measures with this stuff, it is remarkably dangerous, boiling lye at almost three hundred degrees is a burn you can only imagine and trust me, it will not heal fast. It also lowers your blood pressure, so proper ventilation is a must. Throw in goggles/ aprons/ footwear /gloves and you get the picture. There are alternative methods for bluing and no, not cold blue. They do a very good job and are a ton safer and a bunch cheaper. More labor intensive to be sure, but if you only are doing a couple guns or bluing some parts you made in the shop it will be the way to go.

[ABluehound]

I back in the day hot water tanks were chrome molly steel. That is a lot of excess volume of chemical to maintain temperature on. I did a parkerizing tank many years ago with just a wispy piece of 18X48 stainless I found from left over from a forgotten project; I cut 6X6 square off each corner and broke it square and had the corners welded that gave me 6X6X36 that is perfect for my needs. It still works on the rare occasion I need it, not the same as bluing, but not too far.

[dragonrider]

"Unless my minds eye is messed up, I'm visualizing a tank that would of been cut in half long ways, the burner would be suspended beneath the tank. You will naturally have to fab an appropriate frame to support both. "


OK I see what your sayin now,