Laser welding a SAA

[Southern Custom]

Now this one I may need a bit more help than I could find with the search button.
I have the ability to laser weld some pitting on the SAA i'm working on. I've tested techniques on the interior of the frame. Here is my concern. Matching the metal and the repercussions of bluing the gun upon completion. I'm very worried about mottled coloring or other complications.
One other issue is cutting in the areas I've backfilled. On some small spots I've tested the material is substantially harder after laser welding.
I did find the bread tie filler tip on a search. I'm curious if anyone here has experience with this. Particularly with regard to both cutting and later bluing.

 

[dlilazteca]

You can always cut strips from under the grip area and inlay it, will be the same metal so no problem when bluing, i dont know if you could then use that same materail to laser weld as ive never done it.

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[Razzydomino]

I agree with dlilazteca in regards to using the parent metal. Is there anywhere discrete you could remove enough metal to use as laser wire? Aside from potential pitting around the area you are filling, you should be able to sand and finish it well. I don't have any experience with bluing, though, so I don't know how it would react.

 

[John B.]

I have done a lot of pit repair using soft iron binding wire and/or twist tie wire and have not had problems with mixed bluing.
You're results could differ. Don't know about using it for laser welding. The old time fix used to be about any piece of old barbed wire.
Caution..... a lot of newer twist ties now have stainless wire inside so check with cold blue before using.

 

[John B.]

CAUTION.
I failed to say in my post above that all the subsequent bluing was hot dip, black oxide. Not rust blue.
Don't know if it would have the same result with rust blue.

 

[Southern Custom]

This job will likely go to Turnbull for charcoal blue. The last 1913 they did for me was astonishing. If I knew more about the process i'd do some tests with various materials. It's possible that I have all the equipment at hand but time is the one thing I have little of. May have to do a little research.

 

[rmgreen]

Layne, It is my understanding that you do not have to worry about different colors (as to welding using metal that is different than parent metal) with charcoal bluing. It is only the kinds of bluing that is a chemical coloring process like hot dip. Yes, Turnbull does an exceptional job of metal finishing.

 

[Tim Wells]

I have a first gen SAA that I laser welded the pits with bread ties. I just held em over an alcohol lamp to strip the plastic off and anneal them at the same time. Perfect size, I have yet to blue it but I've asked your same question to other FEGA masters and unanimously they have not had problems with color when blued. If you TIG it with the wrong filler it WILL goof it up and won't take blue.

Those old frames are just iron anyway so soft iron wire would be the perfect solution.

 

[Sinterklaas]

Even when laser welding the same metal you may get some discolouration. This is because the wire you weld on/into the frame will get hotter.

I laser weld jewellery quite often and use the same alloys for wire as the base metal. But you will see some difference but only under the right light and when looking close up.

After blueing I dont think you would see it as your chemically altering the metal.
Same as blackening silver. Dark on dark it is even harder to spot differences. If there are any.
So I say go for it.