Container For Hot Bluing Mix

I thought my friend's tanks were just "black iron" sheet metal. But,I held off comment until verified by the post just above. No need for a coating,then.

He does heat them with gas,too.
 
Thats what I was after guys, empirical statements. Thanks all.
 
silence dogood said:
Just a thought, don't chemists use glass beakers or test tubes made out of Plexiglas.
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Borosilicate (Pyrex) as noted.

Bad idea. 200+ F corrosive, oxidizing liquid in a very breakable container.

BTW: very little (other than actual labware) that's marketed as heat-safe glass is in fact borosilicate (low CoE) glass. Most of it- especially the stuff sold by kitchen suppliers- is chemically stress hardened (that's not quite what's done, but adequately descriptive). That glass will explode- literally- if handled wrongly. High thermal gradients are a really spectacular example of "wrongly".

Best container for hot blue is the standard welded (not brazed, not soldered) mild steel.
 
I have also read the caution about using a stainless vessel for hot bluing. But I have done maybe 50 or so hot blues in a stainless container and the results were excellent. This is nasty stuff, you must do it outside and stand upwind. You might have some luck at the restaurant supply. They have stainless servers of odd shapes. Maybe not with the highest walls though. The solution is boiling and you want high sides/walls. Maybe the lid will help. Remember, stand upwind:)…Dave.
 
I hot blue guns. I use black iron tanks. Stainless will work just fine though. Concrete is what they used in the old days so I reckon that would work too. But from first hand experience, go with the black iron tanks
 
"Stainless Steel" is a pretty broad, general description of dozens of alloys. I would venture to say that some alloys contain elements that would interfere with the bluing process, whereas some would not.
 
Just thunk of something ... if you have an oxyacetylene or plasma cutting rig and can acquire an old gas cylinder, you can cut it in half lengthwise. The ones that fail the hydrostatic test are not too expensive around here. I've seen them converted into long, decorative bells by cutting the other way.
 
george wilson said:
I thought my friend's tanks were just "black iron" sheet metal. But,I held off comment until verified by the post just above. No need for a coating,then.

He does heat them with gas,too.
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I believe that is correct..plain old steel. Stainless contains Chromium and Nickel, both of which inhibit the desired action of the bluing "salts"

This quoted right from Brownell's:
BLACK IRON TANKS - Won't contaminate your bath. For Cleaning Solution, Cold Water Rinse, Bluing Solution, Hot Water Rinse and Water Displacing Oil. (5) supplied.
 
I made one out of 1/4X4 flar bar and it worked out good, Just need to keep it clean. I did a 30 carbine in it looks great.

Paul
 
GLCarlson said:
Borosilicate (Pyrex) as noted.

Bad idea. 200+ F corrosive, oxidizing liquid in a very breakable container.

BTW: very little (other than actual labware) that's marketed as heat-safe glass is in fact borosilicate (low CoE) glass. Most of it- especially the stuff sold by kitchen suppliers- is chemically stress hardened (that's not quite what's done, but adequately descriptive). That glass will explode- literally- if handled wrongly. High thermal gradients are a really spectacular example of "wrongly".

Best container for hot blue is the standard welded (not brazed, not soldered) mild steel.
Click to expand...
I did not know that about Pyrex. Thanks GL. That is what is great about this site.
 
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