Rust Bluing - DIY Steam Pipe apparatus / Damp Cabinet

[Gadge]

I use neiders rust blue and went away from using a plastic tube for steaming as it melted, so I folded up a stainless steel box and it works perfect, I also use a wallpaper remover boiler/steamer

Yep, I've seen those steamers used in other projects similar to this one. Fine if you happen to have one on hand, but the frypan is a cheap way to go, if you don't.

I could see PVC meltdown being a problem if the pan boils dry, which is why I like this deep pan.
With a steam cycle time of 20 min, which is probably at least 10 min on the generous side, it gets through ~1/4 fill of water, on setting 5 of 10.
And it would be dead easy to hook up the pan through a timer, to prevent any problems.

Edit: to add setting info

[Gadge]

3 steam/card cycles is enough for this, I reckon.

Here's the finished product;
Before carding:

After 3rd steam, before carding

After carding

After brush carding

Carded and oiled with Boiled Linseed

Carded and oiled

These are now out in the sun to dry; boiled linseed dries faster if it's warmed a bit.

BTW, that pick head needed refinishing because I'd re-pointed it - the old time blacksmith's way.
That's using a forge, anvil and hammer to re-shape the point, without removing any metal. Then re-hardening and tempering the new point.

[MISSED]

Niiiiiiiiiiiiice

[Gadge]

G'day folks,
A quick update on a minor issue that has arisen, in the use of this setup.

The PVC pipe does soften a fair bit at boiling water temperature. Not enough to collapse, but sufficient that it won't support much more than its own weight.

So for heavier parts like barrelled actions, it's necessary to arrange an external suspension point, to support the weighty bits - like a length of wire; tied to a shed roof truss, and fed through a hole in the steam tube 'cap'. That arrangement worked for me...