I'm starting to put together my damp box (that does sound naughty, eh?) for rust bluing. I've located a carding wheel.

What is the recommended RPM for carding off the rust?

I have a garden variety Delta bench grinder that I could take the grinding wheel off, but I want to make sure I do this correctly.

Any advice/recommendations are welcome.

Muchos garcias (deliberate typo),

lawndart

bout 600 rpm worked for me. I used my variable speed drill press. The bench grinder may be to fast.

Lawndart

When I spoke to Jim Baiar about it he told me he uses an old washing machine motor with a very light wire wheel. I think he said he also sells those wheels. Anyway, when I rust blued a barrel a few months ago with the Half Moon Blue I used degreased steel wool and it worked very well. For a damp box I used the basement shower and that worked very well also. that blue is tough. it takes some extremely hard rubbing with steel wool before it starts to come off.

LD,
I used a washing machine motor with pulleys that have the brush at 1/2 the rpms of the motor so you end up at about 850. The arbor on mine has shafts and brushes on both ends.

My damp box has a AL (that is Aluminum - not Alabama) bowl in the bottom with a light bulb under it with a rheostat to regulate the heat. The bulb is approx 1 inch below the bowl and it provides moisture. Also a small fan to keep the air moving and a thermometer. Once you get it dialed in, you don't need to change it.

Speaking of the Alabama reference my daughter sent me an email this morning, I will copy and paste here. That is, if I don't get tarred and feather for being off topic. Screw it who cares. Here it is for you "gunsmithing" enjoyment.

The Pentagon announced today the formation of a new 500 man fighting unit called the

"United States Redneck Special Forces."



The Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Texas boys will be dropped into Iraq and have been given the only facts

About terrorists:



1) The season opened today

2) There is no limit

3) They taste just like chicken

4) They don't like beer, pickup trucks, country music or Jesus

5) They are DIRECTLY RESPONSIBLE for the death of Dale Earnhardt



We expect the problem in Iraq to be over by next Friday.

Good one Chic.

Washing machine motors? Hmmm... Looks like ill be scronging today

quote:

Originally posted by Customstox:
LD,
I used a washing machine motor with pulleys that have the brush at 1/2 the rpms of the motor so you end up at about 850. The arbor on mine has shafts and brushes on both ends.

My damp box has a AL (that is Aluminum - not Alabama) bowl in the bottom with a light bulb under it with a rheostat to regulate the heat. The bulb is approx 1 inch below the bowl and it provides moisture. Also a small fan to keep the air moving and a thermometer. Once you get it dialed in, you don't need to change it.

I have a moisture source too, it's called the Gulf of Mexico. It's free but it rusts a lot of stuff besides guns. My carding wheel is on a variable drill. What's a "washing machine"? For trucks? And where is the sign-up line for Iraqi chicken? Thanks in advance.

Thanks guys,

I like the washing machine motor idea. Those are cheap, and easy to find. I'll set it up so that the wheel is hanging out in space and easy to get at.

I'll probably use a computer cooling fan. The plans by John Bivins in the old Rifle magazine article are very nice. I did order the wet bulb/dry bulb hygrometer to monitor temperature and humidity. Pictures to come when it is done and more importantly, when it is working.

We need the Redneck special forces for sure. Also, tell some of us Westerners that the haji's are actually wolves, hawks and mountain lions, and that we need to shoot, shovel and shut-up.

In my damp box I use an old crock pot full of water and set on high as a moisture source. Also a light bulb on a rheostat and a small fan.

My Brownells carding wheel runs at about 500 rpm in my drill press.

Doesn't the diameter of the wheel come into play here or are all carding wheels the same diameter?


If not, larger wheels would need a lower RPM to have the same "surface speed" as a smaller wheel.

I like to run my wheels a little faster. I've got a 5" brush and run a 1725rpm motor with a larger pulley on the motor than the pillow block. The brush is so soft so if you use more RPM the wires will stand out more and do a more aggressive job of carding. If you run slower the wires bend over easier and the sides of the wires hit first and not the ends. Just takes longer to card.

I use the wide brush sold by Brownells. I find it works perfectly well mounted in a variable speed hand drill - either electric or battery. I vary the speed as needed. Slower where it might grab the edge of a dovetail or the end of the barrel, faster on the straight aways. BTW, it is worthwhile to switch directions every so often as the ends of the wires tend to roll a bit. Another advantage for most variable speed hand drills as they are generally reversable.

Unless you are doing a production run of barrels, I can't imagine a need to build a special motorized system to card a barrel.

Brent

Thanks for further information guys.

I had to trade off my drill press in early 2006 as "payment in kind." That would be handy to have right now. I can use a hand drill until I get the washing machine motor set up. Then I can play with pulley size if I want to fine tune the speed.

"Lois, honey, could you hold this barrel while I card it, puuullllleeeeeeeeze??"

LD