Andrew,


I'm using 1018 for the cylinder, leaded stock is nice but I'm not crazy about its unheatreated wear characteristics. To be fair I've never used it for a model engine cylinder, but we used to use allot of it at work and it needed some heat treatment to wear well. Cast iron for the piston, Durabar by trade name, its centrifically cast and lathe roughed to size tight grain grey iron, really nice stuff. I've been working off the same 1" bar for 25 years. I had to buy 20 feet of it so Dad got a 6 footer too. 14 feet of cast iron will make allot of pistons.

The finish is liquid Birchwood Casey gun blue. I get everthing polished and bright, do a naptha rinse, blow it off dry and dip. This one took 2 applications to get the darkness I wanted. I also use a gun care product called Sheath, its a liquid preservative that dries to a gooy grease to seal out moisture. I apply it by dipping if the part will be setting a long time. Otherwise I wipe it down with a Sheath soaked rag. It rinses riight off with thinner or naptha. I like it because it dosen't migrate with gravity like oil does, it stays where you put it.

Try to email me and lets see if your ISP is done with there maintenance.