My first set of production castings arrived today, and everything looks good. Not the best pictures I’ve ever taken, but its raining outside so I had to make do with shop lighting.
The cost will be around $35 a pair. They will come assembled.
I would like to figure out how to blacken them. Anyone have suggestions?
What kind of metal are they? Would “black-in it” work? Those look really nice, I might have to save up some of my poor teachers salary and buy a few.
They are brass, but I don’t know what flavor. They are very yellow, and seem a little softer than other brass parts I have.
I’ve had a few inquiries about using my couplers on other rolling stock. My couplers are designed to work with a Kadee #1 scale coupler box (http://kadee.com/htmbord/page1920.htm). So, if you can mount a Kadee coupler box on it, my coupler should work with it.
After searching, Blacken-it seems to be discontinued. If someone has a source, or substitute, I’d be willing to give it a try.
Something else that just crossed my mind: would it be possible to anodize brass, or plate it with something black?
I use this product from Rockler Woodworking to age brass. It doesn’t turn it black – just darkens it to a nice patina.
There is Brass Black though I have no experience with this particular brand.
Here’s the direct link as my imbeded links do not appear to work on this site’s new forum software.
Great project Burl. Love seeing new items come to market. As for anodizing of brass, it doesn’t look like a possibility according to this wiki article:
I just ordered some of the Birchwood Casey Brass Black.
I also tried Liver of Sulpher this afternoon. I must have done something wrong, because it had no effect what so ever.
Does anyone have any experience with gun paint, like DuraCoat?
Would powder coating add thickness? I’ve got the tolerances on my trip pin tight enough that I’m afraid it would jam up if it were any thicker.
Burl Rice said:
Would powder coating add thickness? I’ve got the tolerances on my trip pin tight enough that I’m afraid it would jam up if it were any thicker.
Not even a consideration… powder coating will add considerable thickness.
Give the Birchwood-Casey a try.
I used barrel stain (for colouring the barrels of guns) to make the brass tension rods on my bridge brown. Maybe that kind of stain would work for your couplers. The black stain I beleive they call blueing.
Hi Burl
I have not used any of these
http://www.sciencecompany.com/Do-It-Yourself-Patina-Formulas-W12C672.aspx
so no idea if they work.
Mick
Very interesting link, but my chemistry background is not strong enough to know what I’m getting into!
Burl Rice said:
After searching, Blacken-it seems to be discontinued. If someone has a source, or substitute, I’d be willing to give it a try.
Sadly, the guy who owned the Blacken It company, and his wife, were killed by a hit/run driver a few months ago.
Try this place, they have some great blackeners:
[url]https://ecommerce.epi.com/Antiquing_Oxidizing_s/43.htm/url]
Ray, thanks for the info. Do you have any product in particular you’d recommend?
Reading online it seems vinegar and salt should do it. Urine also works.(http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-laughing.gif) Seriously!
Back when I served as a Company Aid Man (Corpsman) with the Marines, we would blacken the brass on our web gear with a product called 'M NU. It worked quite well. 
“Blacken It” used to be sold by Micro-Mark, but has been discontinued and is no longer available.
Here are two good articles from the model ship building world on the subject:
From John Caughey’s Therad: “BTW that’s liver of sulfer (blacken it) on the exhaust pipe”
Here is his thread so you can see it: John’s Thread
Mybe search liver of sulfer?
L of S is not very durable, your fingers can rub it off. In jewelry it’s used to darken back grounds that don’t get wear polished.
If you heat the metal a tad it gets darker faster as it dries. Stinky tho’ don’t breathe it.
John
