Dale told me the way he prevented weeping and ruining the work completed was to wax the barrels twice, blow compressed air into the sight and vent holes if they are present. He spent about 20 minutes with a heat gun muzzle to breach, 20 seconds every two inches, both sides to remove any moisture under the ribs.

I use compressed air and heat gun methods, which he told me about as well. I still find that some barrels trap moisture between the braces, and even after blowing them out, the fluid boils out whatever the nearest void is. I'll try the wax angle, but the barrels would need to be quite dry for the wax to adhere well enough to stop what boils out.

Bill, your Lefever barrels are beautiful. When you say you rust until no pattern is visible do you not card between rusting? You steam rather than boil. Do you place the barrels in a box with a humidifier? Do you etch with ferric chloride or sulfuric acid?
Thanks,
Harry

Hi Harry. Thank you for your comments.

I converted the rust and carded just like I would a fluid steel set. The rusting solution (Laurel Mtn Forge) is diluted to 1 part solution to 5 parts distilled water.

I do not have space for tanks, so I used a schedule 40 4" PVC pipe over a perforated stock pot lid, with a stock pot on a propane burner. The barrels are suspended by wire and a chromed automotive breaker bar.

I have an old 6' school locker that has been sealed inside. A compact crock pot rests at the bottom.

I used ferric chloride, I think somewhere around 15%, in the same PVC set-up. I have not had an issue with the vertical approach, except that I cannot see the activity. I submerge and remove and rinse quickly enough to not experience significantly uneven etchings. That said, if I had the space available, I would at least etch in tanks so I could see and test the etching while it is underway. As it is now, I have to etch and rinse outside with a garden hose.

Great information! Thanks. When I apply the rusting solution (C-26 (X-8)) with a 1" foam brush that I saturate, squeeze dry, and blot on a paper towel. I apply in 1/4 turns going around the barrels three times. Sometimes it looks as if I hadn't done a thing, but sure enough I get a good rusting. I hope this might help with the build up of solution at the ribs.

Thanks Larry. I'll try that. Dale recommended that to me as well. After trying it once, I wasn't confident in the coverage due to the brush being so dry. Do you ever re-wet the brush midstream?

Also, I'm not following you in the instructions you've assembled about the quartering of the barrels in to top/bottom, left/right, etc. sections. What does that accomplish? I understand alternating muzzles up and down.

No, once I start I keep going and do not re-wet in mid stream. Dale told me to prevent having to much rust at either end of the barrels to alternate everything. One rusting start at the top rib side and from the breach, next rusting start on the opposite side at the muzzle, next rusting the top rib side from the muzzle, next the opposite side at the breach. I alternate how the rest in the rusting cabinet. Muzzle up, breach up, plus change the direction the top rib faces. I could be wasting time keeping track, but apparently Dale had a problem somewhere along the line. Each new set of barrels I start fall in synch with the others I have going. That way I am only doing things one way on a any given day.

Oh, as I 1/4 around the barrel if I have started at the breach I keep applying at the breach all the way around. I do not apply going up then back down.

So you apply around the circumference in sections rather than along the length with strokes from breach to muzzle?

I'm sorry Bill. I'm even confusing myself. If I start at the breach I do an even stroke all the way to the muzzle. Then another stroke from breach to muzzle a 1/4 turn around the barrel. Two more strokes from breach to muzzle completes that barrel. I wait about 15 minutes then do the other barrel from breach to muzzle with a foam brush freshly saturated, squeezed, and blotted. I rinse my brushes in deionized water to use again.