tube blackening

[Gary Beasley]

Is there an easy process for chemical blackening of the brass tubes? I'd like to try and get around some of the problems caused by the black paint not staying put. Would powder coating be a viable process for this work or is that overkill?

 

[skiprat]

I think Indy Pen Dance sell blackening stuff.

 

[leehljp]

"Brass Ager". I got some from Indy Pen Dance (before they were under that name) and it works great. They even shipped it to me in Japan - when I was there.

 

[wee willie]

gun blue

 

[schreiber]

Curious if liver of sulphur will work?

 

[Drstrangefart]

I think CeraKote may be the answer. You mix it for any color you want with regular mica powder, and it's good enough to use on a gun slide with no ill effects.

 

[avbill]

I use a black shoe dye. stains the brass tubing beauty

 

[A10GAC]

Check out Steve Ramsey's video over on Woodworking for Mere Mortals I'm a little unclear why he sprays the brass with water, but ammonia fumes will turn brass a blackish/green.

 

[Gary Beasley]

That should be an easy one to try. I wonder if the color stays black and doesn't go to the green patina normally associated with copper?

 

[frank123]

If you want to make them black you can use the Dupli-Color high heat ceramic paint and bake them in an oven for a half hour or so.

As high a temp as you want.

I've used this for gun finish and found it as good as any spray on gun finish and far cheaper and easier to use, and it's a very tough and thin coat when cured by baking.

Of course it is only useful if you want non glossy black (unless other colors have been added since last time I bought it. A single can goes a long way.).

 

[joefrog]

I'd check with your local craft store -- Michael's, Hobby Lobby, etc. They should have something!

 

[Lenny]

?

When using brass ager what is the prfered method?

I pour some in an old pill bottle and drop the tubes in for 4 or 5 minutes .... then pull them out to drain off. What next ? Rinse them off? Just let them set to dry on their own? Or wipes them with a paper towel? How long should you wait before gluing them into blanks?

Thanks!

 

[warthog]

I use a fat Sharpie marker...works great for me.

 

[Gilrock]

I used the Brass Ager from Indy-Pen-Dance and it worked great. Its been a few months but I don't remember leaving it in the solution very long. I put the tube onto something like a rubber stopper to hold it while I dipped it. I would just dip it for 5 seconds and pull it out and look at it. Repeated until I liked how it looked. I thought it was less than a minute...maybe 30 seconds. I'm not sure of the preferred method but it is being colored due to a chemical reaction so rinsing in water should help stop the reaction and then just dry it off and it should be good to go.

 

[Lenny]

I used the Brass Ager from Indy-Pen-Dance and it worked great. Its been a few months but I don't remember leaving it in the solution very long. I put the tube onto something like a rubber stopper to hold it while I dipped it. I would just dip it for 5 seconds and pull it out and look at it. Repeated until I liked how it looked. I thought it was less than a minute...maybe 30 seconds. I'm not sure of the preferred method but it is being colored due to a chemical reaction so rinsing in water should help stop the reaction and then just dry it off and it should be good to go.

So would allowing it to set without rinsing it off allow the chemical process to continue and thus darken a little more? I just used some for the first time yesterday and I haven't had time to experiment.

 

[Gilrock]

I used the Brass Ager from Indy-Pen-Dance and it worked great. Its been a few months but I don't remember leaving it in the solution very long. I put the tube onto something like a rubber stopper to hold it while I dipped it. I would just dip it for 5 seconds and pull it out and look at it. Repeated until I liked how it looked. I thought it was less than a minute...maybe 30 seconds. I'm not sure of the preferred method but it is being colored due to a chemical reaction so rinsing in water should help stop the reaction and then just dry it off and it should be good to go.

So would allowing it to set without rinsing it off allow the chemical process to continue and thus darken a little more? I just used some for the first time yesterday and I haven't had time to experiment.

I really don't know....I got my worst grade in Chemistry in college.

 

[IPD_Mr]

Lenny - It will get black black if you leave it in say, over night. The problem with that is there is not much difference between ten minutes and ten hours. The longer the brass is in the solution the more it wears the solution out rendering it innate eventually. Let the tube air dry after you are done then wipe it down with a paper towel. You may have to repeat the process depending on how dark it needs to be.

 

[Lenny]

Thanks Mike!
The last one I tried I did put back in a second time and it seemed to be more evenly colored.