[TheForge] Welding advice

[Bruce Freeman]

Andy,

I presume you meant "red oxide film".

I am not familiar with gun bluing or browning.  As I understand them
they produce stable finishes on steel by means of chemicals and maybe
heat, but do not actually use a paint- or varnish-like coating.

You apparently want a red iron oxide finish.  The red oxide itself is
very stable, but would need "something" to keep it in place.  A drying
oil would be an obvious choice, but the result would be paint.

I have a book on bluing and browning.  If you'd like to stop by some
evening, we can review what it says and see about extrapolating to red
oxide.

BTW, there is ALSO a read LEAD oxide, Pb3O4, which might be more
suitable as a stable finish, but you can expect an associated toxicity
issue.

Bruce
NJ

>>> osan at netlabs.net 3/1/2005 8:09:11 PM >>>
AHA! Corroboration... I guess that makes me a genius.

Bruce, I have another quesiton for you (or anyone that may know):  do 
you think it is possible to "red" a gun barrel, which is to say,
produce 
a red oxide file instead of blue, black, or the usual brown?

Bruce Freeman wrote:
> As I understand it, alloys are produced by adding alloying elements
to
> the mix.  Thermite produces excess heat, sufficient to melt other
metal
> powders present.  The obvious limitation on this is that you would
not
> want to choose metals that would be consumed by the reaction (as is
the
> aluminum).  I doubt that's a severe limitation.
> 
> Bruce
> NJ
> 
> 
>>>>osan at netlabs.net 3/1/2005 12:26:23 PM >>>
> 
> f
> 
> Ron Childers wrote:
> 
>>Maybe thermit? That's what is used for rr rails.
> 
> 
> 	I'd considered that.  The only way I can see this as viable,
> would be 
> to dope the thermit with alloying elements that would, presumably 
> produce a filler with the right structural properties, lest the welds

> become weak points.  Thermit produces ultra-hot pure iron.  I cannot

> imagine that pure iron would be nearly strong enough for the duties
to
> 
> which a battleship would be subjected.  Just think of the stresses
due
> 
> to the sheer weight of the vessel.  Forget about withstanding the
> forced 
> of a torpedo or artillery shell.  The welds are the weak link.  And
how
> 
> would the iron be carburized to the correct level?
> 
> 

-- 


	-Andy V.

Trust I seek, and find in you
Everyday for us something new
Open mind for a different view
And nothing else matters


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