Alternative bluing tank?

[Patrick L]

Is there a low cost alternative to a commercial Brownells bluing tank? I need a metal tank for boiling water only. I was hoping to be able to find something like a metal wallpaper tray, etc.

I find there are often things in other industries that we can utilize (like automotive, etc.), but I can't seem to come up with anything.

Basically I need a 30 or 36 inch tank, say 5x5 or 6x6. Any ideas?

[LAGS]

Have you contacted someone like a Air Conditioning contractor.
They fabricate sheet metal for ductwork.
I had one of my subcontractors bend me up a tank years ago out of stainless steel.
It worked great.
Too bad I sold it before I moved from California.

[Winger Ed.]

Do a search for 'sheet metal fabricators'.

Or as said, call a HVAC place that does commercial buildings.
Like they say up there,,,,,,,,, 'They'll have a guy'............

[Noah Zark]

Whatever you get, you want stainless and NOT galvanized, galvalume, or aluminum. Some may say it's ok if just boiling water, but the risk of contamination and funky results is high if the non-stainless tank is upstream of the blueing tank.

Noah

[lancem]

For my parkerizing tank I use one of those bar bottle organizers, I sealed up the seams with red RTV and it works fine cooking at 190 degrees. Like this, I'm sure mine is 30-36", long enough to do M1 barrels.

https://www.amazon.com/Winco-SPR-22S...2C136&sr=8-136

[Stockcarver]

Made these in about 1985. Salts tank is 1/8" thick carbon steel. Other tanks are 316 Stainless Steel, 16 gauge. All joints are TIG welded. Easy job for a sheet metal guy. 6"x6" x 48".

[cwtebay]

Place a dozen cinder blocks in a long rectangle and drape a big piece of heavy mil plastic between them.

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[deltaenterprizes]

Place a dozen cinder blocks in a long rectangle and drape a big piece of heavy mil plastic between them.

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And how do you boil water in that?

[cwtebay]

And how do you boil water in that?

Add the boiling water to the tank. Keep it hot with a $12 hot water tank element.
Another simple tank is a couple lengths of stove pipe with the ends crimped up and the side cut open to spread into a trough shape. Water proof with your choice of chimney sealant.
The boiling water type plastic is usually available as a water bladder in a plumbing supply, my brother got me a roll some time back to scald large numbers of chickens at once.

[deltaenterprizes]

Add the boiling water to the tank. Keep it hot with a $12 hot water tank element.
Another simple tank is a couple lengths of stove pipe with the ends crimped up and the side cut open to spread into a trough shape. Water proof with your choice of chimney sealant.
The boiling water type plastic is usually available as a water bladder in a plumbing supply, my brother got me a roll some time back to scald large numbers of chickens at once.

Thanks for the explanation!

[405grain]

Years ago I made up a tank for boilijng rust blued barrels. I bent and tig welded some 16 gauge steel to make a tank 6"x6"x36". I set it on top of some white gas camp stoves and it works great. Stainless steel is nice, and if you can, get that. But for rust bluing steel works fine.

[Patrick L]

Thanks for all the replies.

And Merry Christmas!

[rintinglen]

Not really helpful for your needs--the 36 inch length is a problem--but for small projects, like handguns, stainless hotel serving trays are reasonably priced and available in a number of sizes.

[Patrick L]

Thanks to lancem! Got a 36" stainless bar bottle organizer, cost like $24 from a restaurant supply house.

[copperlake]

I'm a weldor by trade (retired) and I'm gonna buy one of these because I can't, in Alaska, make one for much less. Hell, it would cost 75 bucks just to have the parts pressed and my old eyes aren't so good at tigging gauge material these days:



I'm not into RTV as a steadfast seal and with this one could do a hard boil blue without worrying about puking salts all over.

[lancem]

Glad I was able to help!! Made my new year!

[Patrick L]

Just curious, what exactly is RTV? Is that some sort of super silicone caulk or what?

[Rapier]

If all you need is boiling water, will steam do? This is my steam generator, I can do a 2 hour boil job in 15 minutes with rolling steam. Rust blue an entir gun in 1 day. I think it cost about $15 from ACE. Without the cooker.

[lancem]

Just curious, what exactly is RTV? Is that some sort of super silicone caulk or what?

A silicone sealer, in the automotive section there are various colors, each with a specific purpose. Blue general sealing, black differential covers, red high temperature. I don't remember the spec but red is good for up to 4-500 degrees or so.

[cwtebay]

If all you need is boiling water, will steam do? This is my steam generator, I can do a 2 hour boil job in 15 minutes with rolling steam. Rust blue an entir gun in 1 day. I think it cost about $15 from ACE. Without the cooker.

That's a very cool idea for a steam cabinet!!

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