Nickel plate removal

[Bill DeShivs]

Tell the guy to simply turn the pressure down on the blaster.

[Ricklin]

I would think that many of the bad reviews of the Harbor Freight media blasters should be tempered by the fact that the user is probably also trying to use a Harbor Freight air compressor.
Abrasive blasters require serious CFM to perform, like a 5 HP compressor.

[Doc Hoy]

TO 44 AMP... Say....Wait a minute....Maybe I do need a dirt bike.


To Bill,

The more I talk to this guy, the more I realize I should be listening to you guys.

[Doc Hoy]

Recall the seemingly unending saga of bead blaster options?

HF cheap, HF not so cheap, Amazon no improvement, Used unit the size of a grand piano....

Well just yesterday evening a guy put this one on the Craigslist for 50 bucks.

It'll need some cleanup and probably a replacement glass. But that is within budget.

I'll shorten the legs and put some casters on it too.

[Doc Hoy]

Should not be in this forum. If it is moved or deleted, I understand completely.

I shortened the legs by four inches and added some metal wheel casters (adding back 2.5 inches). Now I can see inside without standing on my tip toes. (It is terrible to go through life as a shrimp.)

I will pretty up the welds later. (Paint hides a multitude of sins.)

Parts purchased for a new lamp and switched outlet for the vacuum.

The design of the door and viewing cover leaves some wide openings which I am sure will permit dust to escape the enclosure. Will close those up with some spacers and then weather stripping.

Put a larger plug (1 1/2 inch PVC) in the bottom of the hopper to get the beads out more easily.

Will make a cyclone from a Home Depot bucket. (Lowe's bucket will not work..... Just kidding.... Yes it will.)

As long as you are willing to tolerate this somewhat off-topic information, I will continue to post the progress and photos.

[Doc Hoy]

Some photos of the work.

New plug for the bottom of the hopper.

New LED lamp. 75 Watts

New switch controlling both the lamp and the outlet for the vacuum.

[44 AMP]

I don't consider information about how to make/modify tools for gunsmithing work to be off topic in the "Smithy" forum.

That being said, I don't think we need a detailed step by step manual as general info.

If someone asks, by all means tell them all about it....

[Doc Hoy]

Good point. Standing by to answer question (to the extent I am able).

[Unkl Chuck]

An alternative I haven't noticed is check with a small plating shop [antique repair, jewelry, etc.], they can usually 'de-plate' something. Years ago, I had it done to a project I was working on. Not terribly expensive.
Also, if you need to find out what is in a drain cleaner or such, get the MSDS off the web. That will usually describe the primary ingredients and how to handle.
Good luck.

[tangolima]

Originally Posted by Unkl Chuck

An alternative I haven't noticed is check with a small plating shop [antique repair, jewelry, etc.], they can usually 'de-plate' something. Years ago, I had it done to a project I was working on. Not terribly expensive.

Also, if you need to find out what is in a drain cleaner or such, get the MSDS off the web. That will usually describe the primary ingredients and how to handle.

Good luck.

Hmm.. I doubt it would work out nowadays. Many businesses don't want to touch anything gun. Rightfully so. Legally they can't take possession of a firearm unless they are ffl.

Say they don't have this issue. The way they do may not be gun friendly. Harsh chemicals may still get into the wrong places. They don't know as they are jewelers, not gunsmiths.

Maybe stating the obvious. Whatever method to use, make absolutely sure the serial number (if there is one) is not affected. It could become sticky.

-TL

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

[Doc Hoy]

I got the bead blasting cabinet working and have tried in on some scrap metal.

An O'ring was missing from the gun but once that was replaced, the system works great. It does not have a port for a vacuum but I will likely add that later. Right now, I am trying it without the vacuum. I don't like the creaming of the vacuum as a steady source of noise. But I may find that I have no choice. We have a dust collection system in the shop and I may try to use that. Much quieter.

Went over the revolver at 80 psi and that seems a little light. 100 PSI is (IMO) too heavy.

Will get back to it later today at 90 PSI.

[Doc Hoy]

I found the drain cleaner that would work but I am going to postpone, indefinitely, the use of drain cleaner or H2SO4.

If the blasting cabinet does not do the trick, I may resurrect the electrolysis method.

[Doc Hoy]

Here are the photos of the H&R .32 after about 20 minutes of bead blasting (80 grit glass) to remove nickel. I polished with light sandpaper backed up with a file. I followed that with steel wool and a fast wheel using red rouge.

You can see that more smoothing is needed. But I am thrilled with the performance of the bead blaster.

[Doc Hoy]

...that all nickel plating has been removed. I will likely blue the pistol with one coat and then look for blotches in the coloring. My thought is that, if it looks right, it is right.

[Unclenick]

Also, I note some rust on the grip frame and in the cylinder bolt/stop notches. The bead blaster should have removed that if it was strong enough to get all the nickel off. I can't tell if the nickel is completely gone, either. In your shoes, I might degrease the gun and dip it into some diluted cold blue and look at the evenness of the resulting darkening. If it skips some patches on the surface, those likely are where nickel is still present. The blue can be blasted back off pretty easily.

Another thought would be to submerge it in Evaporust. That will get the remaining rust and will darken the bare steel at the same time. Kill two birds with one stone, so to speak.

[Doc Hoy]

As I am just getting accustomed to the bead plaster, I am moving very carefully with it. I tried to avoid any sharp lines and especially the wearing and riding surfaces. Before I commenced stripping the nickel, the pistol locked up pretty well. So I stayed away from the ratchet ring. I will get to that at a later stage of the project.

The discoloration on the stop notches and grip frame is not rust but the residual red rouge from the fast wheel. Cleaning and smoothing this pistol as far from complete.

This cylinder was purchased on eBay since the original pistol came to me with the cylinder missing. It was in substantially worse shape than the frame of the pistol.

If I am ever able to make this pistol look much better than a sow's ear I will consider myself lucky.

I welcome your advice on a diluted cold blue test. I had a modified form in mind but did not know that the solution could be diluted.

Still learning. Still progressing.

Tnx,

Doc

[Doc Hoy]

That some nickel plating remains on the frame.

[Unclenick]

I was concerned that would be the case. Better to know before refinishing than after, though.

I've long diluted cold blue with 4 parts water by volume as a use-once, throw-away submersion solution for abrasive-blasted iron sights. The full-strength version is for wipe-on, full depth of color. In some brands, I find it too aggressive on the steel, and except for Oxpho Blue and Van's, which are a form of black phosphating, I've seen a lot of trouble with after-rust from the blackest cold blues. But the dilute stuff works less aggressively and causes less trouble if you neutralize the acids afterward and get it totally clean and then soak it in a water-displacing oil overnight.

[Doc Hoy]

I blew off more of the nickel only to find that I could have gone further. It is fortunate that this is a learning process on a pistol that was worth nothing and now might be worth something (a very little something).

I am satisfied to leave the pistol this way so as to mimic an old patina. I did not reach that deliberately but by pure accident.

[Unclenick]

Fascinating that it is actually starting to look like an old piece still in reasonable condition for its age. If you get into trouble with after-rust though (may be a couple or three months before you can tell), the satin surface is just fine for rust bluing, which is period authentic.

[Doc Hoy]

Good lead and I will keep my eyes on it. The internal condition of the pistol is good. I have about a dozen of these bicycle revolvers (if you include top breaks in the category) in various conditions. This one locks up as tightly as any of them. One of them does not lock up at all.