Replies

1. 
   poorsh | Jun 17, 2004 07:12am | #1

   Bob

   Go to your local stained glass vendor. They have various patinas to change the colour of solders. Some are nasty but will change the colour.

   Mac

2. 
   caseyr | Jun 17, 2004 07:38am | #2

   This subject has been broached several times.  If SEARCH is cooperative, you may find some rather long posts on the subject.  One that comes to mind was to put horse urine on it, but I don't remember if that turned it green, brown, or some other color.  Of course, there is the problem of getting the horse to pee in the right spot...

1. 
   metameme | Jun 17, 2004 02:43pm | #3

   try

   http://www.tri-esssciences.com/Patina%20formulas.htm

3. 
   DANL | Jun 17, 2004 03:03pm | #4

   In art class when we did copper tooling, we used "liver of sulfur" (sounds lovely, doesn't it?) and as the name implies, it stank. I think we put it on hot, and it darkened the copper a lot. Probably an art supply or hobby store would have it or something like it. Or look in Brownells (gunsmith supplies)--they have stuff for copper, brass and steel that will turn it just about any color you can think of. Hitting copper with a torch will give it rainbow colors (but I don't know how permanent they are. Good luck.

4. 
   jpainter | Jun 17, 2004 04:23pm | #5

   Bob:

   I believe copper will respond in the same way as brass to the technique of using ammonia fumes.  For small items I suspend the hardware (or whatever it is) from a wire in a metal can with an inch of ammonia in the bottom and a cover on the top.  Give it a few hours or overnight and it will look a hundred years old. 

   J Painter

5. 
   WorkshopJon | Jun 17, 2004 04:43pm | #6

   "Is anyone aware of a product that will hasten the aging of copper so it takes on the dark brown color quicker than mother nature will?"

   Bob,

   is this for an artistic endeavor, or to disguise recent plumbing work?

   Jon

1. 
   SamT | Jun 17, 2004 05:45pm | #7

   But, Ocifer, I didn't connect the hot water to the gas line. It's always been like that.

   SamT

   Arguing with a Breaktimer is like mud-wrestling a pig -- Sooner or later you find out the pig loves it. Andy Engel

2. 
   Brookhill1 | Jun 18, 2004 03:51am | #8

   Workshop,   I'm proposing a new deck rail utilizing 1/2" copper pipe for the balusters for a customer of mine.  Since the railing will be stained a medium to dark brown she's concerned about the time it will take for the copper to reach the aged dark brown.  There will be about 150 30" balusters.

6. 
   Dryrot | Jun 18, 2004 05:19am | #9

   Bob... Sounds like this is the link you need: http://www.patinausa.com/patina.asp
   given the amount of copper you are talking about.

    --- BRICK

    

   "They say that there is a fine line between genius and insanity. I like to color outside the lines...and then eat the crayons." ~ Me