# Making a rust box for bluing



## Sharps40 (Jan 3, 2015)

Well, trucks in the shop, it dropped OD so only 4 on the floor instead of 5.  Maybe home with all five gears early next week, but in the meantime.........

Making up a rust box for bluing.  It should work fine and will allow me to control the bluing, year round and not having to hassle with tubs full of water and temps, etc.  Free, since the Boy left a 4x8 sheet of 3/4" MDF laying out in the shop for a year and I have plenty of paint left over to spiff it up and make it water resistant.

But, here it is....in its new home, the under stairs closet.  Away from kids and no worries, steady temps and we'll control the humidity with a hotplate and a pan o water!

Just over 60" high so I can brown and blue muzzleloading barrels with long tangs too!







I trapped some outside air when bringin it in.  An hour later, its still reading almost 70% humidity inside.  Free cigar box humidity indicator installed in the door so I can monitor the moist.  Self closing hinges and the knob are from the junk box and used the last of the glue in the old bottle for assembly with some left over kreg screws.






Shelves are removeable and the bottom is drilled for a hot plate power cord.






By switching shelves around or removing them I can change the size of the humidity chamber.  Small for short projects and tall for long projects.






And joy of joys, there be power under the stairs in the closet....just gotta add a light with power outlet and I'll be in business.....well, after its painted and bolted to the wall stud, etc.....Guess I'll try bluing Mr. Belly Gun in here when the time comes.  It'll be nice not to have to wait for summer humidity in the garage and be out of sight and away from greasy exploring fingers that spot the finish, etc....


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## Sharps40 (Jan 5, 2015)

One project leads to another.....so.....

An alternate closet in the hall will be converted for hanging jackets.  This large understairs closet, since it has power, will be converted to a firearms work area.  Rust bluing, minor assembly, cleaning and maintenance.  GoodWife will be glad to have 90% of this work moved off the kitchen table.  

For now, the first coats of good kitchen and bath paint inside the rust box.






Next job will be to set up the additional closet for jackets and then measure this one, dung it out and get a blueprint made up for the lighting and work spaces as well as ample storage for ammo and supplies.


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## Sharps40 (Jan 6, 2015)

Some progress.

Carding bench.






Now I gotta work out the shelving plan to utilize the storage space further back and around the bench and rust box.


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## Sharps40 (Jan 9, 2015)

Another frigid NC day below 50F and I ain't goin outside cause its dayum cold.....so, repurposing supplies for the gun bluing and maintenance area under the stairs.  So far, so good.  Everything has been free, right down to the glue, screws, brackets and paint.  Can't beat that price!

Dunged out and the initial supplies shelfing installed next to the Rust box.  Finally, even a place for my cleaning rods and stocks/barrels, etc in the waiting.











Carding and cleaning bench with shelving for in use supplies, parts and I suspect I'll be adding peg board and task lighting on this wall.






Standing back a bit, plenty of overhead and shoulder room for me and I believe I have a good swivel stool that will make hobby life just grand.  Just gotta get rid of the kids junk from under the landing area and build up the rolling carts that I'll slip in and out of there for ammo and loading supplies storage......be nice to get some of the master closet back!


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## Sharps40 (Jan 10, 2015)

Spent the first money on the rust, maintenance and cleaning room today.

$13, Amazon for a Procter silex small crock pot.  $4.65 for a switched lamp plate with power outlet.  $13 for three battery powered LED Pucks for task lighting.

Started out with a test run of the damp box.  Sealed the door with left over stick on foam door sealer, installed the crock with a pint of water.  Started with ambient humidity, 35%.











While waiting on the humidity and temps in the rust box to come up, I installed the LED pucks above the work bench.  Nice, batteries, no additional wiring to run.  Quick and easy and 1/4 the price of three 110 volt pucks.






Overhead, I added a switched light fixture with power outlet.  I already have the wire run tubes to install and tidy up the wiring over to the crock pot.  I'll get that done after the rust box first test drive.






In under an hour, I had 75% humidity inside and opening the door, the inside was noticeably warmer than the ambient temps in the house.  I came back about 4 hours later and the humidity had stabilized at 92% and still plenty warm inside.  Opening the cabinet, the walls were moist but it was not raining inside.  Next I'll have to polish up and rust blue a hunk of old gun barrel and some other parts to see if there are differences in rusting speed and grain size from bottom to top.  I am predicting easy success!


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## rifleroom (Jan 14, 2015)

Man you got it goin on! That is nice!


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## returntoarchery (Jan 19, 2015)

sweet. gonna steal your design.


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## Sharps40 (Jan 19, 2015)

Its ready for a test run.  Going to try fume bluing on the Mr. Belly Gun pins and screws.....

Standard rust bluing on Mr. Belly Gun's action and Cylinder and the first long gun in there will be a Win 37 .410 in need of some TLC for the Grandbabies.


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## Steve762us (Jan 24, 2015)

Nicest use of under-the-stair space ever!

Do you anticipate any mold/mildew problems with the rust locker?


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## Sharps40 (Jan 24, 2015)

prolly..I used gloss paint and will clean with bleach to keep it mildew free


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## LawnStalker (Jan 24, 2015)

*Brilliant! Now I have another project to try!*

I actually already have everything i think but the chemicals and the humidor's humidity meter... And plenty of things to test it out on.

Got any advice on favorite chemicals or prepping of the items? I know grease is the enemy of even coats but anything else?

Again brilliant idea.


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## Sharps40 (Jan 25, 2015)

Go on to my avatar (statistics/started threads) and read up on the several threads where I refinished/customized rifles and handguns and muzzleloaders.  Most all are rust blued and detail processes and chemicals.


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## doublebarrel (Jan 28, 2015)

Wow,you are a true craftsman! BB


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