Bluing Tray

DoubleHelix

DoubleHelix

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Looking to make a bluing tray. I have lots of aluminum stock that I can make a tray with and some small brass 360 rods that I could make chips out of to fill the tray with. All the trays I've seen people make are out of brass. Any reason an aluminum tray wouldnt work?
 
I would think cause aluminum dissipates heat quicker than brass? Don't know, I've never made/used one though. The one clickspring made is nice but then again all of his work is.
 
The melting temperature of aluminium and its alloys is relatively low so you may find that you may burn a hole through it if you're not careful.
 
What are the checmials envolved in your process.

There could be a reaction with the aluminium
 
When I made my tank decades ago, steel was the recommended material. It worked fine.
 
The whole discussion depends on what chemicals are being used in the process, and has not been stated. For bluing, I use a steel container for the hot oxide process using nitrate salts at 600 650 deg. F. David Bassing and I fired it up this weekend and blued a pair of machinist screw jacks and a bunch of stuff that I had that wanted bluing.
 
Just thinking out loud here, but from the initial description of "...using brass chips..." in the pan I'm wondering if the OP isn't asking about a pan for heat bluing, not chemical bluing. ie: the pan is heated, the part nestled on the chips (more like dust, really), and the chips conduct the heat evenly through the part resulting in a blue oxide layer. Often used with light-weight things like clock hands. Similar technique is employed for browning edges of wood veneer for those sunburst-type of inlay patterns except using a pan of sand as the heat conducting material.

-frank
 
francist said:
Just thinking out loud here, but from the initial description of "...using brass chips..." in the pan I'm wondering if the OP isn't asking about a pan for heat bluing, not chemical bluing. ie: the pan is heated, the part nestled on the chips (more like dust, really), and the chips conduct the heat evenly through the part resulting in a blue oxide layer. Often used with light-weight things like clock hands. Similar technique is employed for browning edges of wood veneer for those sunburst-type of inlay patterns except using a pan of sand as the heat conducting material.

-frank
Click to expand...

Yep, that's the impression I got of what he was talking about. Like this:

 
Yeah using heat to form the blue oxide layer is all I have done before. Just wanted something to get a little more uniform process instead of hitting the piece directly with a MAP torch. Not that I wouldnt be up for chemical bluing. Was just curious on refining my process.
 
If you want a more uniform finish, I would recommend rust bluing.
 
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