Jeweling compression tubes

[RonC808]

Has anyone here jeweled (engine turned) their compression tube? Besides for looks I'm wondering if turning the entire tube has any side-benefit of lube retention. Or if just for looks is it better to turn just the part that is exposed.

[RonC808]

Someone on a UK forum shared that some opt to etch their compression tubes. I assume that involves a laser. I prefer polished and/or jeweled. But this blackened tube looks interesting to me.

[brewbear]

Someone on a UK forum shared that some opt to etch their compression tubes. I assume that involves a laser. I prefer polished and/or jeweled. But this blackened tube looks interesting to me.

Etching (the old way) involves covering the surface to be etched in a layer of wax, use a very sharp object to remove the wax in the pattern desired and then applying acid to etch the material not covered by wax.

[RonC808]

Etching (the old way) involves covering the surface to be etched in a layer of wax, use a very sharp object to remove the wax in the pattern desired and then applying acid to etch the material not covered by wax.

Wow, that sounds like an interesting process. When you click on the image of the blackened comp tube (above) you can see some very precise fine lines that make me think this one may have been automated. But I do recall other works that looks free handed. Maybe I'm getting engraving and etching mixed up. If so, etching looks like it removes less material than engraving. But back to compression tubes. Curious if anyone here has jeweled theirs up.

[brewbear]

Etching (the old way) involves covering the surface to be etched in a layer of wax, use a very sharp object to remove the wax in the pattern desired and then applying acid to etch the material not covered by wax.

Wow, that sounds like an interesting process. When you click on the image of the blackened comp tube (above) you can see some very precise fine lines that make me think this one may have been automated. But I do recall other works that looks free handed. Maybe I'm getting engraving and etching mixed up. If so, etching looks like it removes less material than engraving. But back to compression tubes. Curious if anyone here has jeweled theirs up.

These last pics are engraving but these days are several ways to etch other than the wax/acid method. YouTube is full of DIY etching videos. I know how to do both etching and engraving but I buy my air guns to shoot and I'm not vain enough to deface perfectly fine shooting vintage guns.

[A.G.R]

If I was a betting man and I am, I would say that was Don Blocksidge’s work there on both the bike and the Air Arms.
 Hey was one of the best engravers there was. He also loved to do it on bikes.

[RonC808]

If I was a betting man and I am, I would say that was Don Blocksidge’s work there on both the bike and the Air Arms.
 Hey was one of the best engravers there was. He also loved to do it on bikes.

What era was Don doing this? In the 70’s-80’s I recall seeing lots of show bikes in Street Chopper magazines with amazing, time consuming scrollwork throughout the entire motor. Or seeing commemorative pistols in old NRA magazines that had creative etching and engraving.   

[RonC808]

These last pics are engraving but these days are several ways to etch other than the wax/acid method. YouTube is full of DIY etching videos. I know how to do both etching and engraving but I buy my air guns to shoot and I'm not vain enough to deface perfectly fine shooting vintage guns.

I respect that. And many adhere to function over form (or all go no show) and that’s fine too. I know bling doesn’t do a thing for performance but I personally appreciate and geek out over cosmetic mods, craftsmanship and efforts to personalize things.

[Jason_Garvin]

Has anyone here jeweled (engine turned) their compression tube? Besides for looks I'm wondering if turning the entire tube has any side-benefit of lube retention. Or if just for looks is it better to turn just the part that is exposed.

No function other than looks, I have polished them in the past.  I have seen that kind done holding the comp tube and using a drill press and a small wire cup brush with some grit paste to get that look.

Jason

[Yogi]

Has anyone here jeweled (engine turned) their compression tube? Besides for looks I'm wondering if turning the entire tube has any side-benefit of lube retention. Or if just for looks is it better to turn just the part that is exposed.

No function other than looks, I have polished them in the past.  I have seen that kind done holding the comp tube and using a drill press and a small wire cup brush with some grit paste to get that look.

Jason

I thought that was the only way to do it!

OP, bling does not get you home, but it sure looks nice.
DO IT!  If you mess-up, buy another receiver and try again.

-Y

[Denby95]

I've restored a few 1950s craftsman drill presses which had that engine turning style on a few of the style components. Often it was rusted out and gone. The easy modern way to re-create it is buying sticks of 'cratex' which is a rubber compound with an abrasive in it. They're sold in sticks. So you can chuck up a stick of it in your drill press and do it that way. Cratex sticks can be a bit pricey though.

Heres a video on youtube of it.