Wondering if hot bluing is wise to get into?

[greer]

 I have a small gunsmith shop where I work between school bus routes and have always sent customers who want hot salts bluing to another fellow. Now he is slowing down because of health issues and  I am wondering if I need to think about setting up a polishing and hot bluing operation. My wife and I  worry about the extra exposure to the chemicals and I also wonder if this is something that may be made less profitable by increasing EPA regulations down the road and the development of new finishes.  I think I would enjoy being able to refinish a gun from start to finish and am pretty sure their would be plenty of work if I do my part. I would probably go with Brownell's complete setup. Just curious as to what others think. Thanks alot.     greer

[Dee]

Better think about a SEPERATE BUILDING for the blue tanks. The VAPORS put off by them will rust everything RUSTABLE in the building.

[gunnut69]

Most hot bluing salts are a blend of very caustic materials(think lye on steroids) and they will rust nearly anything that can rust. A good friend had a small building where he set up the tanks,. This was in the back yard and quite handy. After several years the boards were loosening as the nails rusted to pieces. Stainless screws solved the problems.. The materials are considered hazardous waste even after they've been neutralized.This means disposal costs money. Some bigger refinishing shops give discounts to volume users and if the guns are prepped. The polishing is where the work and skill are located.

[Dee]

All gunnut69 says is true with the exception that stainless screws have not solved the problem, merely delayed it. Stainless WILL rust, just a little slower, because it does have carbon steel in it.

[BIG Dog454]

Tried it! got out of it. You have to blue a lot of guns to make it worth while!  What others have said, will rust everything, any metal tools or equipment.  You'd be better off finding someone who does a lot of bluing and farming those jobs out IMHO.

[koginam]

I did it in a wood shed with lots of ventilation for more then 25 years, the last 15 using the Brownell's equipment and salts,  I never had a health problem because of the salts that I know of.  I made pretty good money from it, I also did several other shops bluing as well along with parkerizing, I also did parts for machine shops made real good money off them.  Brownell's tech guys will help you with any questions you might have while bluing.

[greer]

Thanks for the comments. I had considered trying to seal off a room in the same building my shop is in but it sounds like that still would be a problem.  Its a metal building and the gunshop is walled off and insulated well. I guess a separate block building would be the best choice. Lots to consider.    greer

[Nessmuk#1]

I've been thinking like you've been, and everyone tells me to also put up a separate room.  If you don't have tanks, watch the used ads, I picked mine up cheap that way.  Still waiting to put a shop, so haven't used them.  Mine are gas burners, electric costs more, but I'd have rather had those for my use.

[james]

I once built a muzzleloader from a kit.  I finished the barrel by draw filing, polishing to a high luster, and degreaseing it. I farmed out the bluing and it turned out to be the deepest blue and best finish of any gun I have ever owned.  I decided the most cost effective way is for me to perform the intensive labor and let someone else drop it in the hot blue tank.