*
Whoa, David! I saw your post below, under the “turning copper green” listing. To take a turn here, you mentioned “varnishing” it after
mottling the color. Whatever the process to attain desired result,
my question – hopefully of value to others – is, WHAT DOES ONE USE TO
SEAL/VARNISH THE COPPER!!! I’ve been burning mine over a flame to give
those beautiful rainbow colors, but know that in time, it will oxidize
and turn drab brown. Can you find out from your friend with the horse
manure what he uses to “arrest” the progression of color? Anyone else
know about this?
Kris
In Alaska
On the Bluff
Looking over Palmer Hayflats Refuge
‘Can see Ptarmigan Head from here
Maybe we can see each other’s porch lights! LOL!
P.S. Personally, Skip, I like YOUR suggestion best. :>)
Replies
*
kris.... if it's brightwork... we spray with a clear finish like krylon... or a marine varnish..
but none of them last and three years later (if that ) you have to start all over again...
one of the advantages of the green patina.. or any patina is that that is the natural surface color the copper (brass) takes on in the normal atmospheric conditions.... so hopefully , nothing more will have to be done to it....
b and so it goes
*Kris: Unfortunately, I saw those "varnished", hot-horse-pooped copper handrails were at a friend's of a friend's house. ("As long as you're in Port Townsend, WA to buy kayak kits, you ought to stop by and see my friend who did a copper kitchen countertop".) So I don't have contact info. But if you're ever in Port Townsend, WA they've got plaster over hay bale fencing and were trying to get approval to build a hay-bale main house - shouldn't be hard to spot. They didn't coat the kitchen counter and it would slowly patina until citrus got on it which would leave it bright and shiny in that spot. They decided they liked the temporal and spatial variations.Like Mike, I'd go for an automotive or marine finish. Spar vanish has been pretty tough on my wooden kayaks. The over-representation of Alaskans on this board is understandable during long winter nights, but why are we posting in the summer? Dipnetting season just started down here, time to fill the freezer with reds. (That's sockeye salmon to those of you "Outside".) How's your bluff doing? Our's averages a foot of loss annually. So we built our house 200 feet back, figuring that gives us LOTS of time. -David
*
Gee, guys. Thanks for the tips. What I'm getting from all this, is that no matter what I do, without me there, say, five years from now, any piece of artwork I sell to someone with this beautiful rainbow patina - varnished/sealed or not - will turn that dull, flat brown. Oh, dear. The tough lessons we learn! What probably torques me most, is that I was inspired by a program on HGTV awhile back, showing in detail how an artist applies this process of flaming the copper sheeting to get the colors, with never a mention as to the fact that later, clients will slowly watch their beautiful piece of artwork fade...... hmmmm.......I wonder if she knows.......
I haven't given up yet.....but I'm close. Thanks.
As for our bluff - we're about 20' from the edge - a glacial moraine bluff would be my guess - our shovels are visible proof that under us is a fine rock farm!
So far, we feel pretty secure, but then, every time we have a teensy weensy "shaker", the phone rings, and it's my mother worried that we've slid off the edge. 'Love our new nest. 'Love our location. No guarantees in life. If there's no answer, just come lookin'. Then, take my ashes up top of Curry Ridge.
You're right, David. Now's our time a'plenty. I think we should try this dipnetting - seeing as how we gave up "combat fishing" long before it was declared a sport!
So, all, if ever there's a solution to this "de-oxidation" problem, please send it my way. Thanks!
Kris
*
Whoa, David! I saw your post below, under the "turning copper green" listing. To take a turn here, you mentioned "varnishing" it after
mottling the color. Whatever the process to attain desired result,
my question - hopefully of value to others - is, WHAT DOES ONE USE TO
SEAL/VARNISH THE COPPER!!! I've been burning mine over a flame to give
those beautiful rainbow colors, but know that in time, it will oxidize
and turn drab brown. Can you find out from your friend with the horse
manure what he uses to "arrest" the progression of color? Anyone else
know about this?
Kris
In Alaska
On the Bluff
Looking over Palmer Hayflats Refuge
'Can see Ptarmigan Head from here
Maybe we can see each other's porch lights! LOL!
P.S. Personally, Skip, I like YOUR suggestion best. :>)
*
kris... i didn't mean to discourage you...
if you 're talking about art work.. and you can hang it or display it inside out of the weather and especially out of the ULTRA violet of the sun... then those finishes should do the trick...
what do the museums do ?
it's only the exterior stuff that will just not stand up
b but hey, whadda i no ?