doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com boiling tank for rust bluing??

What do most people use for this? A dedicated tank made for the purpose, or is there a reasonably good substitution out there for less than the +/- $175 ones?

I bought a piece of galvanized steel, cut & bent it and soldered the corners. Cost a few $. If I'd had appropriate welding capability I'd have chosen stainless. However, it's worked fine. I put a couple of pieces of glass tube transversely across the tank bottom, to rest the bbls on to prevent bbl to tank contact.

For $17.50 buy a 10' section of rain gutter, two endcaps, a tube of silicone clauk and 4 sheet metal screws. Cut to 36", clue on the capes, add the 4 screws for reinforcement.

You will need to make a rack of some sort to hold the gutter on your camp stove or whatever. But that's it.

A cover of aluminumm foil or aluminum flashing will get it up to temp faster.

Brent

Thanks Brent,great idea
mother nature will fill her up too

Brent,
Have you actually done this? I would be afraid of the caulk's reaction to the heat, and that the aluminum would not stand up to flame for long.
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David,
While stainless is the best, as far as staying clean, etc., black iron works quite well. Brownell's sells black iron tanks and lids for a lot less than the $175 you mentioned.
Jim

I used a 6" piece of schedule 40 PVC pipe. I capped both ends then sawed it in half length wise. So it's a twofer. However you must boil the water then pour it in the half shells over the barrels. Works great for me.

Jim,
Yes, I have done this many times now. The heat's effect on the caulk necessitates the 4 sheet metal screws.

Jim, you can boil water in a paper cup, so boiling it in an aluminum gutter is pretty easy.

Brent

If you just take a piece of sheet metal (galvanized square heat run metal is good) and bend it to shape (over a 4x4 works OK, or add a piece of wood to it to make a larger form) and then fold the ends up like wrapping paper. Of course a little more strength is needed to fold the ends but with the 4x4 still inside the form and with a mallet and a wooden block or two the ends can be formed quite nicely. They will be water tight and no soldering or welding is needed. A bit rough looking perhaps but it works fine, and cheap.

I would think,as long as there is water there it would act as a coolant to prevent flame thru.
The water acts as a heat sink and dissipates it thru out.
I would also expect some very slow leakage,but you`d be done before need for topping off.

OK Who has plans for a rusting cabinet that they'll share?