Equipment for home Parkerizing?

The Heretic · Dec 29, 2015

I have three rifles that have cheap Chinese bluing on them.

I want to strip them down and Parkerize them (they are all steel).

Obviously I am going to need some containers to put the solution and parts into.

I found some stainless steam trays, but they probably won't hold the parts I want to Parkerize as their standard length is only 20" and I think my parts are longer than that.

Those of you who have done this, what is an inexpensive container that I can use for this task?

I intend to practice on some of the mags for the rifles first to make sure I do it right before trying this on the rifles.

Lightning · Dec 29, 2015

Google restaurant supply sellers.
I bought a stainless bar side-tray for barreled actions. The seams had to be sealed with good gasket maker.
Also bought a stainless warming tray for the smaller parts and made a basket out of a stainless colander for tiny parts like screws.
Prices are very reasonable
You will also need stainless wire to hang the parts, sold in most hardware stores.
Parts need to be bead blasted before Parking so access to a blasting cabinet is a good thing.

jbett98 · Dec 29, 2015

I was going to re park my WWll Remington Rand 1911 and after reading up on it and what it would actually cost me, I found that letting a pro handle it was a better way to go.
Velsey (Tim) did it for way less then I could have on my own and he showed me the whole process.
I would have had to replace all of the media in my sand blasting cabinet because it's
contaminated with grease and buy all of those stainless tanks, plus the chemicals.
His prices where very reasonable and the results were perfect.

The Heretic · Dec 29, 2015

Normally I would let a pro handle it as the cost and effort would be worth it.

However, these rifles are "off the books" and I very strongly do not ever want them to be "on the books". The way things are going - slowly edging towards registration, banning and then confiscation, I don't want to have to account for any firearm I owned before the BGC laws went into effect - especially those I purchased from private parties where there was no 4473 at all.

So I will do it myself - unless there is someone who will do it will I wait so it doesn't go into their ledger - and I doubt that is the case.

coop44 · Dec 30, 2015

Been parking handguns for years, goodwill pots and a hot plate.

Stomper · Dec 30, 2015

Home-brew parking is one of those things on my "to do" list!

Velzey · Dec 30, 2015

Here is what I have for home brew parking.

Size large Quincy air compressor, so I can run 100psi thru my blaster non stop for hours!

Manganese Phosphate parkerize solution, $90 a gallon with the hazmat fee
Sand blast cabinet, hobo freight $199
Dust collection system, hobo freight $150
Several types of blasting media. Hobo freight $30 per can
Size large 2 burner propane camp style propane cooker, $75
Custom stainless steel park tank, big enough for size large military belt feds..$200
Also have a few smaller park tanks for small items.
Steel prewash tank $65
Dicro clean 909 (this is the best stuff ever for degreasing during prewash) $30
A couple good thermometers so you don't get the park solution over 190 degrees. $60
Prewash tank also gets heated to about 160 degrees!
Rinse tank I use a bucket and running fresh water!

Metal prep is key for military quality parkerizing! You don't blast the parts hours or days prior to dipping. Rust can start within an hour on fresh blasted steel, so they go straight in!
Gloves!!!!!!!!!!!Critical on a freshly blasted part, I always have a helper. They hand me the part into the blast cabinet, then open the door with a clean gloved hand and set the part aside.

Nothing worse than using your hands, and then when that nice looking 1911 slide comes out of the park tank, you see a nice finger print in the side of the slide..The oils in your hands can etch metal in minutes!

So after all that, this is what you get, if you did everything correct, I finished this one yesterday!

Stomper · Dec 30, 2015

Velzey said:
Here is what I have for home brew parking.

Size large Quincy air compressor, so I can run 100psi thru my blaster non stop for hours!

Manganese Phosphate parkerize solution, $90 a gallon with the hazmat fee
Sand blast cabinet, hobo freight $199
Dust collection system, hobo freight $150
Several types of blasting media. Hobo freight $30 per can
Size large 2 burner propane camp style propane cooker, $75
Custom stainless steel park tank, big enough for size large military belt feds..$200
Also have a few smaller park tanks for small items.
Steel prewash tank $65
Dicro clean 909 (this is the best stuff ever for degreasing during prewash) $30
A couple good thermometers so you don't get the park solution over 190 degrees. $60
Prewash tank also gets heated to about 160 degrees!
Rinse tank I use a bucket and running fresh water!

Metal prep is key for military quality parkerizing! You don't blast the parts hours or days prior to dipping. Rust can start within an hour on fresh blasted steel, so they go straight in!
Gloves!!!!!!!!!!!Critical on a freshly blasted part, I always have a helper. They hand me the part into the blast cabinet, then open the door with a clean gloved hand and set the part aside.

Nothing worse than using your hands, and then when that nice looking 1911 slide comes out of the park tank, you see a nice finger print in the side of the slide..The oils in your hands can etch metal in minutes!

So after all that, this is what you get, if you did everything correct, I finished this one yesterday!

View attachment 270699

Dude, that's GORGEOUS!! I have an Ithaca USGI 1911A1 (with US Army markings, etc) that some gomer converted to a blued NM "race gun". The thumb safety detent needs some work, and I don't know enough to not make it worse by trying to fix it.

I don't mind the NM barrel and bushing, but I'd sure like to have the sights, and finish restored to USGI configuration.

What's a "ball park" estimate for something like that?

Stomper · Mar 13, 2016

I haven't forgotten this @Velzey ! I'm still chocking down the cost of four recently purchased round trip airline tickets to Perth Australia...

MrNatural · Mar 13, 2016

Don't miss a great opportunity while you're at it.

Do a spray-n-bake coating after parkerizing.

Brownell's will sell you MG Kote or several other bake-on coatings in spray cans in a variety of colors for a pittance.

Once your guns come hot out of the park tank, rinse them thoroughly in boiling water, let air dry and then spray with coating. Fresh out of the park tank the metal pores are clean and wide open. The coating finish penetrates deep. Then bake. Do a couple coats in high-wear areas like grips, mag release tabs, places where you grab, etc.

This will give you a finish that is damn near bulletproof for only a little bit of extra effort.

Plus you can do some useful stuff with colors. Camo, etc. I sometimes ruminate about having a hot pink AK with a Kalashnikitty logo on the butt. But I usually sober up the next morning.

The Heretic · Mar 13, 2016

I am still on board for this - I just have to get around and do it - make an appt., take the rifles out there and have him do it.

That said, does anybody do melonite locally?

That seems like a better solution than parkerizing.