Browning BAR
- Thread starter rhenrichs
- Start date
don't know for sure about this beast in particular. but have hand engraved my share of anodized aluminum. never aware of alloy numbers, but it all was highly "resistive" to cutting. it just seemed to "well up" in front of the graver and to defy forward graver progress ! the stuff was way more difficult to cut than ms, i mean way more.
Roger, you have two problems here. The anodized surface is probably hard compared to the rest of the aluminum. The other problem is that aluminum tends to be "gummy" and builds up a false surface on the front of your tool rather quickly. This makes cutting straight (or curved) lines right where you want them difficult, they will tend to drift off one direction or another and cutting one line close to another will end up falling into the existing line. It is difficult but with patience and a good vocabulary you can get it done. I much prefer steel! I have not done the gun you are asking about. S
FL-Flinter
Elite Cafe Member
I haven't tried to engrave anodized aluminum but I have had to drill, tap, saw, ect. Anodized poses problems with any kind of cutting process because it is gummy and tends to smear rather than cut freely. With other cutting processes, there are two products I have personally used that help prevent gumming and smearing: "Tap Magic" brand "Aluminum" and "Tap Free" brand "Alum Tap". Both are about the same stuff and work equally well, a thin clear non-staining lubricant. The tend to be fast drying, I found the best way to apply it is with a pump type oil can putting a drop on the work and also on the tool. It is a solvent type material so if you draw the design on before you grave, it has to be done in pencil as both of these liquids will wash off Sharpie, ink pen & layout fluid.
Aluminum Receiver
Hey Thanks Guy's
I intend to remove all the anodizing prior to engraving. I have in the past engraved some aluminums that cut like sterling silver and then I've run into some that are gummy or crumbly and you wish that you had never seen it. Attached is a photo of one of three knives I did a couple of years ago which are aluminum and cut like sterling
Roger
Hey Thanks Guy's
I intend to remove all the anodizing prior to engraving. I have in the past engraved some aluminums that cut like sterling silver and then I've run into some that are gummy or crumbly and you wish that you had never seen it. Attached is a photo of one of three knives I did a couple of years ago which are aluminum and cut like sterling
Roger
Attachments
-
folder1.JPG
you just think you're going to remove that"finish". anodizing is more than just a finish. it's a process that totally revamps the mollecular structure of the aluminum. the bad news is, that restructuring may be far deeper than you think. you may not be able to remove it. i think a call to the factory is in order. look before you leap.
Richard Hambrook
Member
- Joined
- Jul 29, 2007
- Messages
- 22
Roger,
I am an engraver for Browning here in Arnold, Mo. Engraving a Anodized BAR is not a problem at all. It should not cut any different than the knifes you did. If you have cut alluminum before you have already won half the battle. Just sand blast the anodizing off and your ready to go. Your biggest challenge will be the protection after engraving. I suggest what we do and use a baking lacquer.
Good luck,
Rich
I am an engraver for Browning here in Arnold, Mo. Engraving a Anodized BAR is not a problem at all. It should not cut any different than the knifes you did. If you have cut alluminum before you have already won half the battle. Just sand blast the anodizing off and your ready to go. Your biggest challenge will be the protection after engraving. I suggest what we do and use a baking lacquer.
Good luck,
Rich
fegarex
~ Elite 1000 Member ~
Richard,
Not to hijack this thread but how easy do the barrels come off of these or the steel ones? I've done some restoration on the "older" BARs and if I remember the barrel removal was not easy. Don't have one here right now but it didn't look like it was threaded as a normal action/barrel.
Thanks,
Rex
Not to hijack this thread but how easy do the barrels come off of these or the steel ones? I've done some restoration on the "older" BARs and if I remember the barrel removal was not easy. Don't have one here right now but it didn't look like it was threaded as a normal action/barrel.
Thanks,
Rex
My 2 pennies on aluminum, not from an engraving perspective so much as a metallurgist.
I don't think that there is another metal with as many vastly different alloys as aluminum. It can be alloyed with copper, silicon, and magnesium being the primary alloys. Each of these vary wildly in strength, hardness, machineability, and by extension, engraveability. Anodizing makes it worse, as the anodize layer is really a thickness of aluminum oxide, which is the exact same abrasive used in most grinding wheels. If you've got a graver continuously plowing through a layer of anodizing, it'll probably dull very quickly. I'm thinking carbide is almost a must.
The harder alloys such as 7075 handle much like mild steel, and probably will be decent objects to engrave. But other alloys may cause problems as noted such as the gumminess, built-up tool edge, and other problems. If it's a firearm, it's probably a pretty hard alloy, but use caution and try to do some test cuts first.
I don't think that there is another metal with as many vastly different alloys as aluminum. It can be alloyed with copper, silicon, and magnesium being the primary alloys. Each of these vary wildly in strength, hardness, machineability, and by extension, engraveability. Anodizing makes it worse, as the anodize layer is really a thickness of aluminum oxide, which is the exact same abrasive used in most grinding wheels. If you've got a graver continuously plowing through a layer of anodizing, it'll probably dull very quickly. I'm thinking carbide is almost a must.
The harder alloys such as 7075 handle much like mild steel, and probably will be decent objects to engrave. But other alloys may cause problems as noted such as the gumminess, built-up tool edge, and other problems. If it's a firearm, it's probably a pretty hard alloy, but use caution and try to do some test cuts first.
Richard Hambrook
Member
- Joined
- Jul 29, 2007
- Messages
- 22
Roger,
The barrels on a alluminum recievers. Not recommended to remove. You really run the risk of stripping the threads on the reciever. Sorry I haven't responded earlier I've been a little busy. Take everyones suggestions to heart, they all have good points. All I can say is I have engraved these guns with no problem. I do suggest doing a practice cut somewhere it can't be seen. Some people don't care for cutting alluminum.
Best of luck,
Rich Hambrook
The barrels on a alluminum recievers. Not recommended to remove. You really run the risk of stripping the threads on the reciever. Sorry I haven't responded earlier I've been a little busy. Take everyones suggestions to heart, they all have good points. All I can say is I have engraved these guns with no problem. I do suggest doing a practice cut somewhere it can't be seen. Some people don't care for cutting alluminum.
Best of luck,
Rich Hambrook
Sponsors
