Yep. When I took the plunge years ago I was confronted with detailed instructions full of a lot of mumbo-jumbo involving lots of equipment I didn't have nor felt like buying. There's always a solution. For example: I didn't have a long steel pan and suitable heat source for boiling a barreled action in. I simply took a piece of PVC pipe long enough and big enough in diameter, capped one end, suspended the barreled action in it and filled it with boiling water from a big pan on the stove. Removed 5-10 minutes later, carded off the black "fuzz" with Liberon oil-free 0000 steel wool, re-rusted, repeated a few more times and ended up with a super looking job. Since then I've been able to afford a "proper" tank and fancy propane burner system but I didn't get it- I stick with the PVC pipe. Probably a dozen rifles and a handful of shotgun double barrels later it still works. Small parts get boiled in an old stainless steel sauce pan.
I had a choice between a nice soft carding wheel (not real cheap, from Brownell's) for use in the drill press, or a wad of cabinet grade oil-free steel wool. I went cheap with the steel wool and am still using it, and actually prefer it now.
Like I said before, and I bet others will agree, the act of actual bluing is a no-brainer. What makes a difference in the final product is the prep work- polishing- beforehand.
Last edited by gnoahhh; 12/02/19.
