Bluing Pan

American Watchmaker and Jeweler (1892)

A pan used for bluing screws and other small articles. It is sometimes very desirable to match the color of screw heads in a watch. By making the following described simple little tool you can very readily color your screws straw, purple, or blue, as the case may require, to match the other screws in the watch. Select a very large mainspring barrel, drill a hole in the side of the barrel the size of an ordinary pendulum rod for an American clock, cut a thread in this hole and also on the piece of wire and screw it firmly into the main-spring barrel, cutting off about four or five inches long, to which attach a neat piece of wood to serve as a handle. Now take out the head and fill the barrel full of fine marble dust or brass or iron filings and replace the head in the barrel, after which drill any number and size of holes in the barrel you wish, to accommodate all sizes of watch screws, and the tool is ready for use. Bluing pans, similar to the one shown in Fig. 38, can be purchased from material dealers, and are similar to the one described. After fitting the screw to the proper place in the watch, harden and temper in the usual manner. Polish out all the scratches or other marks, and selecting a hole in the tool to fit the screw loosely, press it down level with the face of the barrel and hold the tool over a small alcohol lamp flame until the color desired appears. Heat up slowly and the effect will be much better than if it is done rapidly. First blue the screws without any special regard as to uniformity of color. Should they prove to be imperfect, take a piece of clean pith and whiten the surface with rouge, without letting it be too dry. Pieces when thus prepared, if cleaned and blued with care will assume a very uniform tint. Soft screws are sometimes very difficult to blue evenly, but this difficulty may be overcome by finishing them with a slightly soapy burnisher. Bluing shovels, like that shown in Fig. 39, can be purchased from material dealers. Pieces that are not flat will rarely assume an even color when placed in a flat pan. To overcome this difficulty, sprinkle the bottom of the pan with fine brass filings or marble dust and press the article into it. The bluing pan or shovel should be thoroughly warmed before the articles are placed in it, in order that any moisture present may be dispersed. BOB. The metal weight at the bottom of the pendulum.