[Arisaka San]

Hey guys,

I want to park some small parts and hate to lug out my big tank n' all out and set everything up..
So a SS pot on the stove is what I'm looking at.. but since it'll be inside, are the vapors from parkerizing harmful?
I'm using an Allegheny kit.

AA kits make no mention of vapors, just ingestion warnings..etc

Is it safe to use indoors?

 

[Dave B - Great Lakes Arms]

The vapors are that of phosphoric acid so I'd say they are not safe.
I usually have a very raw throat and upper nasal passage after parking in my garage so I believe the vapors are casutic from experience. If you have a range (overhead stove) fan it may help to exhaust the vapors outside.

 

[BAinMO]

Green

Well they will turn the nice brass knobs of your cabinets green. So yes phosphoric acid fumes are not the best thing for you health. Don?t ask about the cabinets, I?ve got a new kitchen now and no one knows of the green knobs in the past! This was with a Jenn Air grill sucking most of the fumes away.
BA

 

[DOUBLE8]

BA i was waitin for you to chime in on this one LOL, learned a valueable lesson.

 

[iRIGHTi]

Green knobs! LOL

If it ain't air, you don't want to breath it if you can help it Ari! Use a coleman under the park pan outside and boil h2o on the stove in another pan for the rinse (outside). Much happer lungs!

 

[BEFU]

I have done it

When I need to park a few small parts, I use the stove method with AA park setup. Have not had any problems yet and do not notice any odor. Have also parked a 1919 in full size tank in the basement.

When on the stove, I use a small 8" SS pot. Bring the solution up to about 180-190 and keep it there. Very little steam also that way. Drop in a few parts, stir and pull them out in 10 minutes. Stove is natural gas, glass top with SS trim so no problem there. Microwave above it does not ahve any damage, no knobs on the oak cabinets. Fan not running on range. Wife doesn't even complain and she complains about the mice farting at the neighbors house.

If you get the park solution to hot, I figure the fumes would get a lot worse. Keep it in the 180-190 range and I have not had a problem. Turns out great.

Fumes are one of those things that can almost knock one person out but someone else will not notice them, so be careful until you know how they affect you. this is just my experience.

Brian

 

[rjnied]

The gas bubbles themselves are completely harmless. But when the bubbles break on the surface of the park solution, they eject microscopic aerosol particles of park solution into the air. The phosphoric acid in this is an irritant if you get too much in your throat and lungs. The more serious issue in my view is the Managanese in the mist. This element can have some long term nasty effects.

It is really important to park in good ventilation. If that is not an option for you, a dust mask will reduce your exposure quite a bit.

 

[Armorer]

Parkerizing vapor

I agree with BEFO. I have been parkerizing small parts on the kitchen stove in a stainless bowl for 20 years and have not even noticed a smell other than a slight "wet sand smell". I usually open a few windows. I let the temperature get to where I see steam and have never used a thermometer. Maybe a heavier concentration of solution might cause a problem, I believe mine is quite weak. I use a blueing tank for larger stuff and do that outside. The tank is steel (not stainless) and has long since been coated with phosphate so it doesn't use much solution. With the temperatures we are dealing with I think a tank could probably be painted on the inside and still work. I recently did two tripod legs with this tank and it worked great. I preheated the solution and poured it over the legs and let it sit for five minutes.

It may be better to have a little more safety consideration than I have been using however.

I understand their is a chromate solution that you are supposed to use as a fixer imediately after parkerizing. I have nerver been able to find any. They say this will make the finish last much longer. Any suggestions on this?

 

[Armorer]

BEFU sorry about the misspelling. I usually check my spelling to or three times before I post it, I then immediately spot two or three errors after it is sent.

 

[jack]

Some materials may not be as harmful as others, But Allegheny Arsenal park agent is strong stuff! Thats all I use but there is no way Id use it in the kitchen. I use it in the basement with a big fan pulling the fumes outside. I use a turkey cooker and propane with a big stainless seel bowl from wally word and I can fit 3 sets of internals in at once. I wouldnt advise the kitchen.