I have my express bluing solution from PJ's. I even got a stainless tank from Canada Ammo. Now I need a burner to heat things up. I was really hoping that my Coleman 3 burner naphtha camp stove would have enough output, but sadly it falls just a little short. After 30 min with all three burners on max, I could only get it up to 90c. Guess it's time to bring in the propane. Any reasonable, easy to assemble solutions out there? I have a stock pot burner that I could scavenge for parts if required. I guess the better question is, do I really need a burner as long as the tank or can I just use what I have?
Need help with a bluing tank burner
- Thread starter weasel1
- Start date
A piece of black iron pipe, a drill and tap for a bunch of wok burner nozzles, and you an pretty much decide how much heat you want to be able to make. BBQ places or Home brew suppliers will have the wok burner nozzles.
If you don't mind dicking about a bit, you can make the actual burner, take a look at how a BBQ burner or turkey fryer burner is set up, and drill a bunch of holes for nozzles, and cut a slot or two at the end to allow air in. A piece of tin wrapped around the pipe with a screw to adjust the tension, will work as an air adjuster.
Cheers
Trev
If you don't mind dicking about a bit, you can make the actual burner, take a look at how a BBQ burner or turkey fryer burner is set up, and drill a bunch of holes for nozzles, and cut a slot or two at the end to allow air in. A piece of tin wrapped around the pipe with a screw to adjust the tension, will work as an air adjuster.
Cheers
Trev
So, I was outside staring at a bunch of stuff in my garage. I sort of came up with a plan. I found a piece of angle iron the right length of the tank. I'm going to weld pipe couplers to the bottom of it so that I can use pipe for legs. Found a piece of pipe I can use for the burner too. I crimped one end off of that pipe. Then, I cut the end of my stock pot cooker so I have only the air adjuster and a short straight section. I was thinking of taking that piece and jamming it in the pipe I found. That assembly, I was going to lay down in the piece of angle iron. If you guys can follow that slightly deranged train of thought, can you spot a flaw in the build ? The only thing I don't know for sure is if the burner tube diameter make much of a difference. I guess I need to figure out the hole size and how many too...
The tank i made is 10 ga. 36" x 6" x 5" Installed one 240v 4500 watt thread in hot water tank element goes to 100 cel. deg real easy. The element is about $20.00 at homeless depot.In fact you need to add some water it the job drags on for a bit. Remember to use bottled h2o.Not tap water.Go to Can tire and buy an 18 liter RO refill. Have pic's if needed.
R
R
Had to quit for the day. I'll get back to it later this week. I had contemplated electric (I do have 240v in the garage), but I'm a little reluctant to cut a hole in my brand new tank. Think I'll stick with the propane for now. At least it'll be a bit more portable.
Take a piece of 1inch threaded on both ends. Cap and seal one end, the other end needs to be fitted with a connector hose that will attach to a propane tank. Make up a frame to hold it under your tank. Turn on the tank and use a striker or propane torch to light the flame under the tank. You can regulate the heat by how much you open the valve on the tank.
If you insist on having a regulator in between that's up to you and as mentioned just about any scrap gas BBQ will have at least one.
I have seen several set ups made with either black or galvanized pipe in such a manner and they are not only cheap but work well. This isn't rocket science. trevJ tells it straight.
As for stainless, the tanks don't have to be stainless to work well they just need to be cleaned properly after use. Stainless is nice though.
If you insist on having a regulator in between that's up to you and as mentioned just about any scrap gas BBQ will have at least one.
I have seen several set ups made with either black or galvanized pipe in such a manner and they are not only cheap but work well. This isn't rocket science. trevJ tells it straight.
As for stainless, the tanks don't have to be stainless to work well they just need to be cleaned properly after use. Stainless is nice though.
I believe a stainless tank is lousy for a bluing tank... All the hot blueing tanks I have ever seen were simple black iron tanks...
Brownells BEST hot bluing tank is black iron...
Best Tank Made For Hot Chemical Bluing
Custom made for us especially for the professional gun bluing industry. About 4½ gallon working capacity. Welded of black iron with inset ends, rolled edges. Will not affect salts in any way, cannot damage solution, chemical balance or use life. Best tank available!
Save your stainless tanks for something other than hot bluing solution.
Brownells BEST hot bluing tank is black iron...
Best Tank Made For Hot Chemical Bluing
Custom made for us especially for the professional gun bluing industry. About 4½ gallon working capacity. Welded of black iron with inset ends, rolled edges. Will not affect salts in any way, cannot damage solution, chemical balance or use life. Best tank available!
Save your stainless tanks for something other than hot bluing solution.
- Location
- Behind a large rock
Wouldn't it not be stainless if it was?
That leads me to another question. I don't think stainless works for bluing. Does it?
Learn something new every day. I have never used stainless tanks. Mostly because of expense and welding it properly. I am not a great welder so I would have to job it out.
The tanks I presently use are black iron and braised and even though braised seams aren't supposed to work well either I haven't had any problems such as poor coloration even with different recipes to get different blues. I really like a recipe that comes very close to duplicating the Krieghoff Black we see on prewar K98s. It needs to cook a bit longer but very deep color. The recipe was taken from the internet on Google.
Guntech, what is wrong with stainless tanks?? Does the metal cause uneven or poor colors?? OK, Brownell's site explains it.
Perfect For Parkerzing Hot Cleaning & Rinse Tanks
Ideal for cleaning solutions, boiling water, cold or hot rinse tanks, oil tanks…but DON'T USE IT FOR BLUING SALTS!! Bluing Salts in the presence of stainless steel and gun steel frequently can create "galvanic" action (electric current flow) between the two dissimilar metals resulting in a "false plate" of either chemicals (streaking the bluing with random iridescent blues/greens/purples) or stainless steel (giving patches of random silver specks/spots). So - use for all other tanks to prevent rusting and mess; but keep your bluing salts contented and bluing right in our Black Iron Bluing Tanks!!
The tanks I presently use are black iron and braised and even though braised seams aren't supposed to work well either I haven't had any problems such as poor coloration even with different recipes to get different blues. I really like a recipe that comes very close to duplicating the Krieghoff Black we see on prewar K98s. It needs to cook a bit longer but very deep color. The recipe was taken from the internet on Google.
Guntech, what is wrong with stainless tanks?? Does the metal cause uneven or poor colors?? OK, Brownell's site explains it.
Perfect For Parkerzing Hot Cleaning & Rinse Tanks
Ideal for cleaning solutions, boiling water, cold or hot rinse tanks, oil tanks…but DON'T USE IT FOR BLUING SALTS!! Bluing Salts in the presence of stainless steel and gun steel frequently can create "galvanic" action (electric current flow) between the two dissimilar metals resulting in a "false plate" of either chemicals (streaking the bluing with random iridescent blues/greens/purples) or stainless steel (giving patches of random silver specks/spots). So - use for all other tanks to prevent rusting and mess; but keep your bluing salts contented and bluing right in our Black Iron Bluing Tanks!!
