Hot Blue in an aluminum pot?

[thehouseproduct]

Will I have problems hot bluing in an aluminum pot?

[jmh54738]

You won't have problems, but the pot will be eaten through and whatever else is below it.

[Bambeno]

Blueing salts eats copper, aluminum and etc.

[dubber123]

Aluminum is a no-no. I have sucessfully blued several revolvers in common household stainless pots however. Wally World and others have them pretty cheap.

[Reg]

Any hot caustic blue ( Dulite, Brownell's, etc.) is based on caustic soda or just plain lye. It will attack and devour any container made of aluminum.
On plated or galvanized containers, the salts will eat the plating and spoil the salts.
Stainless steel containers will sometimes react with the chemicals and leave your gun a mottleled look or streaky.
The best material for normal blueing tanks is just plain old black or hot rolled steel. Cold finish also works well. Just bend up a simple container and gas weld the corners.


:coffeecom

[Just Duke]

Do it all outside and wear rubber apron, gloves and a respirator.

[shawnsmc]

Do it all outside and wear rubber apron, gloves and a respirator.
I second that. I did it in shorts once and that stuff burns real good, need vinegar to kill the salts on the skin. It also put holes in my shoes. Learned that trick.

[waksupi]

Aluminum seems like it is not a good thing for a lot of gun stuff. It definitely won't hold up to bluing salts, and is definitely off limits for melting lead in.

[thehouseproduct]

OK, got an old enamel steel pot. Report next weekend on my first attempts at bluing.

[shawnsmc]

Have you looked into the Mark Lee Express Blue it works great and cost a lot less.

All you do is heat the metal you are bluing with a propane torch swab the express blue on and suspend in boiling water for 5 minutes pull it out and card off the express blue residue with a carding wheel and repeat until satisfied usually 4 or 5 times.

Brownells part #575-200-004 for the 4oz and #575-200-016 for the 16oz. and
part #360-164-581 for a 2 row carding wheel or #360-164-631 for a 4 row carding wheel.

I have done several mauser sporters like this and it works great.

[JIMinPHX]

Aluminum can be blued, but you need to use the right chemical. Go to a place that sells metal finishing supplies & ask for patina that can be used on aluminum. Several colors are available.