Copper instead of brown???

[m-g willy]

Need help.
Trying to brown a barrel with Birchwood Casey brown.
The lock plate and hammer came out great.
But the barrel took on a copper color.
Went over it twice so far and it's still looks like copper.
Do I just keep going over it again and again till it turns brown?
Or do I strip it and start over?

 

[wildeagle]

Are you applying it to a cold barrel or heating the barrel before applying the solution? I've found that heat will give you a nice rich brown, but that is just my experience. BTW , make sure you have wiped down the barrel good, no grease ,oil, dust , grime,ect.

 

[Steve Blancard]

This is the classic result of the metal not being hot enough when the solution is applied. The little parts heat easily, but that big barrel takes more time.

 

[m-g willy]

I'm heating it.
Maybe not enough?

 

[m-g willy]

This is the classic result of the metal not being hot enough when the solution is applied. The little parts heat easily, but that big barrel takes more time.

Should I strip it and start over?
Or can I just heat it more and go over the copper color?

 

[StevePrice2]

I have used that product before and the barrel should be warm/hot enough to make the liquid sizzle during application. You may need to crank up the therms a bit. It it very toxic in the sizzling mode...as in burns soft tissue instantly. Your eyes, inside your mouth and nose. Use appropriate protection, please.

My barrel browned nicely after getting the technique down.

Good luck.

Steve

 

[Zonie]

If the metal is too cool, the copper in the solution will plate the steel.

If copper has plated the surfaces there is no alternative but to sand every trace of it off of the steel.
If will prevent any browning.

In order for Birchwood Caseys Plum Brown to work, the surface temperature of the metal must be between 260-290 degrees F.
That's quite a bit hotter than boiling water.

Because of this, it allows you to use the old Wives method of telling if her iron is hot enough to iron shirts.
She sticks here index finger into her mouth and wets it with saliva. Then she uses the wet finger to touch the face of the iron.
If it is hot enough, it will go PHITTT (steam) and not harm her.
If it is too cool it will just heat the wetness and burn her finger.

If you get the metal too hot and then apply the solution it will instantly turn to steam leaving a rather crappy bunch of dry powder on the surface.
That is not necessarily bad. Just wait a minute or so and try again. The dry powder will dissolve in the new solution and browning will happen.

I use Plum Brown on my small parts but I must admit that heating a barrel and using it is a challenge.

After your first coat of Plum Brown is applied it will be very streaky. Wash off the dry residue using water and clean paper towels. Then reheat the barrel and apply another coat.

I have had to apply PB as many as 4 times before it all evened out.

After the barrel looks good, sit it aside until tomorrow. Then apply a coating of gun oil or linseed oil and let it sit for another day.

This will even out the browning and cause it to turn darker.

I probably don't need to say it but do all of this browning outside or someplace where very good ventilation is available.
I know they removed the Mercury from it but the fumes still aren't good for you to breath.

 

[Steve Blancard]

Should I strip it and start over?
Or can I just heat it more and go over the copper color?

Yes - strip it off and start over. It is difficult to get the barrel hot enough. That's one reason I now use LMF for most of my browning needs. I'll use BC if I need a small part done quick, but LMF does not require heat. Just humidity and a little patience.

 

[m-g willy]

Thanks guys.
Just finnished browning it after stripping it back down.
Oiled, and will take a look at it in the morning.
If I don't like it I will try the LM .
Thanks all of ya for the input.

 

[zampilot]

Please let us know how it looks, I'm trying to decide which to use on my Vincent.

 

[halem5]

I use Plum Brown on my small parts but I must admit that heating a barrel and using it is a challenge.

I agree, the easiest way I have done this is with a butane torch. I use a large wool dauber (for dying leather) with the Plum Brown solution on it...took 4 times to even it out, but it did even out. You have to go in sections...take your time, and it comes out great.

Zonie is right about letting it sit a day then oiling it well, I used Ballistol the next day and wow...I'm in the process of swapping out the lock on said gun...I just browned the lock pieces last night, tonight I'll add the Ballistol. When I get her all back together, I'll post some finished pics of the browning.

+1 on the well ventelated area.

 

[m-g willy]

Wiped the barrel down today.
Looks good--WHEW!
Did three coats on it.Not counting the first two I had to strip back off.
So my recomendation is MAKE SURE you get the barrel hot enough.
And if you get a copper color -STOP !
So you don't have to go back and strip the whole thing.

Thanks for the info you all provided -AGAIN !!

 

[rafterob]

I concur with Zonie and Trail Chef. The only thing I can add from my experience is that it tends to "age" over a period of a couple weeks where you may get patches of roughness. You should very gently buff those down with 0000 steel wool and re-oil. I emphasize the very gentle part. It will mature into a very nice plum brown. After two weeks,I clean the oil off and finnish it with paste wax.