If you plan to go ahead with what Chris has laid out check your area weld test facilities to see if they have a spectagraph to read the metal. If one is available this will give you an idea of the proper filler wire to use. Tig is a good choice but the reciever needs to be clean. Tig does not like rust and will not work over rust, the area needs to be free of it. If it is not you will inject porosity into the part and create another problem. The approach is sound if the proper steps are taken. Using the parent metal for filler is good. You need to find a good welding machine with fine current control. Our metalurgy guy took a job in Rhode Island somewhere so I can't bounce the idea off him, but the makeup of the parent metal would need to be known. Hope this helps, it would really not be feasable unless you have a lot of time and hope to learn from it. In that case I could be a great project.
Good Luck Eric.
I would suggest rust bluing when you are finished as opposed to hot bluing. It can be much more forgiving as far as all of the areas taking the bluing uniformly.
Douglas, I'm certain that the burnisher is the only one GRS carries. Also get the round 1/8" carbide blanks .... slightly round off the edge and polish.
Have to put it on my bucket list but maybe a brief tutorial on using a jeweler's laser to fill pits on a clunky old gun. I wonder how well that PUKIII mini TIG would work? Probably really well.
By the way ... if you can, try to get with someone who does both refinishing and engraving. As far as I know, JJ is the only one who teaches refinishing for engravers. You need to have the correct finishing files and shapes especially for the tight curved areas at the ends of flat sides. Other than using a tiny ball bur in an 850 rotary tool to clean rust out of the deep pits, steer clear of any other piece of equipment that can be measured in RPMs unless it runs on high octane gasoline and you can ride it.
Last edited by Christopher Malouf; 05-24-2012 at 08:38 PM.
That PUKIII looks like am awsome unit for for delivery of fine controlled heat. Never used one but looks good. Any idea on how it would work with ferous metals. I would guess it should do an outstanding job with less heat requirments that non ferous parts. If you could get a combo of JJ ,Chris , and the proper filler material together with that unit a new market could be opened in the resto business. Here again it will take the knowledge of the old hands with some new tech equipment and if all comes together right its a beautiful thing. This does look like a long slow process but usually the first one takes a lot of time, the ones that follow are usually easier. Restoring a gun I know nothing about, find the proper hand tools (old school stuff ) and get a plan together before proceeding. Good point to stay away from the high octane stuff,it can get you into trouble quicker than a file and take much more to repair. Keep us posted if it works well you could end up a busy man.
Eric
Eric, sure the PUKIII needs heat to weld, but it is just on one small area at the time, so I can weld next to pave setting to add wear of beads. I also use mine sometimes to weld anything that got broken in the kitchen. And it is even able to weld gold on steel, or Ti on gold.
Quite similar perhaps than a laser welder, only cheaper and in my opinion it works better.
Hey Chris I'd like to see that tutorial. I have a laser welder and have tried steel a couple of times but with poor results, usually crystallized metal that is very brittle.
Rod
Hey Eric, Arno ... thanks guys. Eric, definitely gotta get my own mini TIG here.
Rod, low carbon and mild steels are laser welded in millions of different applications and higher carbon content steels are not used because it cracks. Guns made in the mid 19th Century up to the point where higher carbon content steel and alloys were introduced (and case hardening was no longer needed) fit into the laser welding scenario best.
Lemme push my Harley back into the garage and cancel my cookouts. .. ;o) Seriously, I think there's something old around here to weld on ... I'll be at the jewelry store next week to pick up trophies.
Last edited by Christopher Malouf; 05-26-2012 at 09:30 PM.
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