Arcade Collecting > Restorations & repair
Centipede Mini Restoration
SirPeale:
I've got a better explanation.
The original bolts were blued, but either it was a hot process which has a better coating (likely) or the zinc coating was all over. Note that I had to remove the lettering on top, and as such stripped the top of zinc. AFAIK only the tops rusted, the rest is fine.
A temporary measure could be to lightly oil the bolts. That's how firearms are prevented from rusting.
And the place the games were was terribly humid and dank. I'm not surprised it happened, but it still irks me.
MaximRecoil:
--- Quote from: SirPeale on October 19, 2009, 04:39:59 pm ---I've got a better explanation.
The original bolts were blued, but either it was a hot process which has a better coating (likely) or the zinc coating was all over. Note that I had to remove the lettering on top, and as such stripped the top of zinc. AFAIK only the tops rusted, the rest is fine.
A temporary measure could be to lightly oil the bolts. That's how firearms are prevented from rusting.
And the place the games were was terribly humid and dank. I'm not surprised it happened, but it still irks me.
--- End quote ---
Bluing is a black oxide finish. When done to guns it is usually called "bluing". When done to other things such as bolts, it is usually called "black oxide". Bluing provides a small degree of rust protection; enough to prevent rust while just sitting around in normal indoor conditions; but it doesn't handle harsh conditions well (even repeated exposure to the salts in fingerprints will cause rust).
Keep in mind that a "cold blue" solution only mimicks the appearance of bluing/black oxide; it is not a true black oxide finish (it is a copper selenium compound), and has essentially no rust protection properties at all. Here is a link comparing the two processes.
Finding new carriage bolts with a factory applied black oxide finish (try here and specifically request smooth heads), or taking your existing ones to a gunsmith and having them properly blued would be the best options. However, you can also sand the rust off your bolts, reapply the cold blue, and then protect them from rust with an application of car wax (very durable) or a silicone cloth (wears off easily but quick and easy to reapply - get them from any gunshop or numerous places online).
Of course, you can use oil too, but that's messy. Both car wax and silicone residue from a silicone cloth are "dry" in appearance and touch. Car wax is often used on blued guns that are carried concealed a lot, because it doesn't get oil on your clothes and/or holster, and it doesn't need to be reapplied constantly like oil does.
Wade:
Keep the oil away from your games. Just resand the bolts and hit them with some rustoleum paint. Looks even better and they won't rust again. I have never had satisfactory results from bluing bolts, so I don't even try any more. I just paint them. Works great and never has worn or off chipped on any of my games.
Wade
Pac-Fan:
Just put a carriage bolt in a drill, sand with a foam black, then spray with a black epoxy (Appliance) primer and it will not rust again, and flaking will not be a prolem with the Epoxy coating. I do this with control panels, speaker grills, marquee brackets, coin doors and carriage bolts.
MaximRecoil:
Bluing looks different than paint (and better IMO); and I think that's the point. Bluing doesn't look like a coating, it looks like the steel itself is black to begin with; similar to the effect colored anodizing has on aluminum.
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