I had a 50 lb bucket of Brownells bluing salts get wet (soaked)..I now have a 50 pound brick!

The "technicians" a Brownells couldn't tell me if there was no hope, they might still work..nothing!


Any of you run into this?

quote:

Originally posted by Duane Wiebe (CG&R):
I had a 50 lb bucket of Brownells bluing salts get wet (soaked)..I now have a 50 pound brick!

The "technicians" a Brownells couldn't tell me if there was no hope, they might still work..nothing!


Any of you run into this?

Nope but I have a continuing problem with the salts crawling up out of the tank when not used for some time. Even do the soapstone rub along the inside of the tank.

I am about ready to dump and start over as I have two unopened 5 gallon pails of new Brownell's salts.

I would not toss out your 50 pounds, after all we mix it with water. Break it up and mix for your next solution. Once the water gets up to temp the salts should dissolve.


How did it get wet? Rain? Broken water line?

I have to use distilled water up here in Port Angeles as or water supply is from a reservoir that is treated with a algae killer containing copper. Makes white spots on the finished bluing.

Breaking it up into pieces small enough to fit into your tanks would salvage it. Once the heat hits it it will melt into solution. You need to do this outdoors with full body protection! This stuff will caustic burn the crap out of you if it hits moist tissue like eyes.

You could treat it like splitting stone. Score a line with a chisel and drill a series of holes along it to accept wedges. Drive in the wedges and the mass should split along the line.

Bubble, bubble, toil and trouble! I am sure Duane has a few hot salts scars.

Started bluing in 1983. Built my tanks: Salts tank 1/8" sheet metal, all other tanks 316 Stainless 1/16" TIG welded sheet metal.

6 tanks total.

At work below, salts tank is the ugly brown thing.

Tanks under a lean too behind the shop, 1 foot of gravel with pallets on top, horse stall rubber pads for standing on. Open on three sides for air circulation.

Thanks...Sink overflowed when I wasn't paying attention (A condition not unknown)

My gut feeling is to just get rid of the salts..but where?

I use caustic for small parts, screws, etc. a 50 lb bucket lasts me about 3 yrs..may not be worth the trouble trying to break it up..but thanks for the insight

quote:

Originally posted by Duane Wiebe (CG&R):
Thanks...Sink overflowed when I wasn't paying attention (A condition not unknown)

My gut feeling is to just get rid of the salts..but where?

I use caustic for small parts, screws, etc. a 50 lb bucket lasts me about 3 yrs..may not be worth the trouble trying to break it up..but thanks for the insight

Find someone that blues and give them away. I would take them if it was not an 8 hour round trip, besides, I would rather rust blue.

Brownell's sells a neutralizing kit but it is for the big batch of salts mixed and liquid.

Yes wear protection. The hot salts does make the skin " tingle"
Ask me how I know.

Duane,
Give it to the gov. to add to their Nuclear waste dump! or bury it in their back yard! Stick with me and you will be wearing diamonds as big as horse turds.

I assume the "brick" is not going to come out of the pail easily. But if you can get it out, put it in a heavy plastic bag inside a heavy burlap sack and beat it with a sledge hammer. If not then maybe a log splitting maul will break it up while it's still in the pail. Failing all that get a gas post hole digger and drill a very large hole down the middle. Use the chippings. Then break chunks into the hole.

quote:

Originally posted by Duane Wiebe (CG&R):


My gut feeling is to just get rid of the salts..but where?

Check with your local authorities to see if they have a hazmat disposal program. Many do, the powers that be dont want people willy nilly chucking hazardous waste wherever they feel like it. So they know they have to provide a means to get rid of it.