From: suppanz
Subject: Re: Blue/green patina on copper
For
patina, I have used Modern Options "Patina Blue" or "Patina Green".
They are available in arts and crafts stores like "Michael's".
From: Denyce
Alberts <o4281@yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: Blue/green patina on copper
A very
strong mixture of sea salt and water will turn copper. Mix the sea salt with
warm water in a bucket; dip the copper tubes in the brine. If you live near
salt water (i.e. ocean) get a bucket of seawater -- it works just as well, but
more slowly. This method takes a couple of weeks to generate a full effect.
For deeper
and/or faster effect, save the brine and dip the copper several days in a row.
After dipping, don't hang wet tubes over your lawn or concrete – the sea salt
will kill the grass and corrode concrete. It's also a good idea to
rinse the
tubes in clear water after the patina has developed so that any residual salt
is removed (rain, snow, etc. will cause residual salt to run off).
You're right that most woods don't stand up
well to the weather, but there are some that hold up well to the elements. Here
are the woods that are naturally weather resistant:
Cedar
Redwood
Cypress
White Oak
(NOT red oak, which drinks up water like a straw through its long, open pores)
Black
Locust
Teak ($$$)
Ipe
Mahogany
Purpleheart
Iroko
From: Denyce Alberts <o4281@yahoo.com>
I have made
windchimes from several "clay" materials. I've used stoneware,
ironware, and china clays. To make tubes, I used an extruder. I've also made
flat pieces by rolling out the clay with a rolling pin and cutting strips. You
need to cut or punch the holes while the clay is still wet, or use a
tile/ceramic drill bit to drill the holes in the cured material.
When using
the materials that I used, you need to file the chime pieces in a kiln in order
to get a pleasing tone. If the pieces aren't fired, the chime pieces don't
"ring," instead they "clank." But when fired, the sound
produced is very nice and reverberates very well, especially china.
Two HUGE
drawbacks to using these materials: weight and fragility. Whether you use china
(which is considerably lighter) or stoneware, the tubes and/or flat pieces are
quite heavy. When assembling your chime, you need to use chain or something
that can handle the weight. I used 150lb. woven-wire deep-sea fishing line.
Kinda expensive and hard to find where I live. Also, your chime pieces are
fragile, especially china. Heavy wind gusts will send fragments tinkling all
over your yard. My dad hung the set I made for him inside the porch. To me,
this defeats the purpose of windchimes. However, of the 20+ sets I made, this
is the only set still in existence.
In short,
ceramic/clay chimes are beautiful. I glazed most of those I made. There are
some wonderful pearlized glazes that are absolutely beautiful in the sunlight.
But the life span of these chimes is quite short.
From: "John
Ekes" <ats@mia.net>
Subject: Powder coated tubing
You asked
about powder coating tubing. I just happen to have knowledge in this area, yet
I haven't made a chime using it. I have the same idea when I start making my
chimes. In my real life I sell powder coating systems and equipment, so I have
a reasonable amount of knowledge.
You should
have no problem powder coating tubes, just be aware that you won't get the
powder very far up inside the tubing ends. Any type of tubing can be powder
coated (alum. copper, steel, etc. almost any metal) one of things you need to
be careful of is the type powder that is used. As we know the coating has to
standup to weather and sun, so the type powder is critical. You will need a
powder that is UV resistant, so be sure the application is mentioned and the
powder is the correct one. The finish of the powder can also be varied, any
were from a very high gloss to a flat or from a satin or wrinkle.
You should
be able to find a powder coating job shop in your area that can do the
cleaning, application of the powder and the baking of the powder. You are going
to want the tubes ready to hang without any plastic grommets or what ever in
them, since the baking process is done at approx. 375 deg. F. You may also want
to ask what colors the job shop may have in stock of the correct powder, so he
doesn't have to order something special in a very small quantity (lots of $ or
no interest).
From: Denyce
Alberts <o4281@yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: tubing
Flat black
spray paint. Rustoleum and Krylon are widely available and inexpensive. For
outside applications such as this, you might consider going to an auto supply
or ranch supply store and getting a can of tractor or automotive spray paint.
Denyce
From:
"michaellagae" <lagae@zipmail.com>
Subject: Re: Any Ideas On "Coloring" Copper?
--- In windchimeconstruction@yahoogroups.com,
"bmh1944" <
bmh1944@y...>
wrote:
So, does
anyone have any suggestions or experience with common, readily available
chemicals, household products, or easily mixed solutions which can be applied
to the surface of copper to give a nice, "quickie", variegated color
pattern like exposure to Los Angeles or Pittsburgh air can do? I'd appreciate
any information or suggestions that anyone wishes to share along this line.
To get a
green/bluish patina on copper, try suspending the copper item over a solution
of ammonia and salt for several
days.
The best
book on this subject is "The Colouring, Bronzing and Patination of
Metals" by Richard Hughes and Michael Rowe,
ISBN
0-8230-0762-6. Rather pricey, but well worth it if you're looking to patina
copper, bronze, brass or silver.
From:
"bmh1944" <bmh1944@yahoo.com>
Subject: Copper Coloring
The
salt-water idea sounds like something to pursue for now; but I think I'll try
BS's thought of the spray bottle thing.
My wife's
extremely important input says the different, variegated, streaking patterns
that might be produced by numerous spray applications (while the tubes are
vertically suspended) would be more aesthetic as an end result than the more
consistent color that resulted from complete immersion of the tube or a
one-time application of any color-producing medium. Brent
From:
"Rick" <slakk2001@yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: Results of copper coloring ‘experiments’
A few months ago I ran across an article that
described using a mixture of salt with copper nitrate to produce verdigris. I
just located it again. Here’s the link.
http://www.anythingicando.com/season1/proj_24/proj_24.htm
Rick
From:
"bmh1944" <bmh1944@yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: rust
Linda;
Rust (of
ferrous-based metal) is something one must accept as an eventuality; the best
we can do is to temporarily prevent the process by one means or another. The
best solution is to use aluminum chain, rod, tubing (when possible) which
doesn't rust. For ferrous metals, a "clear coat" of polyurethane
(either spray or hand application) will work for a year or two in keeping rust
away (and/or the tarnish/dull corrosion of copper, brass, and aluminum). When
any rust or corrosion is noticed, the old coating can be removed with either
lacquer thinner or paint remover; then (after cleaning the surface),
another
application of clear-coat will keep things looking good.
Hanging
things out of the direct sunlight, sheltered a bit from the weather, in a
less-humid environment, and/or under a porch overhang will all help to slow the
rust/corrosion process and maintain the "clear-coat" longer; but,
since nothing works forever, a little maintenance every year or two will be
necessary. Brent
From: Brew <brewmeister999@yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: rust
Linda and Brent, I make the majority of my
chimes from steel EMT (conduit). It has a protective zinc finish
that
prevents corrosion. At first I was lightly sanding and steel wooling thinking
it would make the paint bond better. I noticed that everywhere I had cut,
drilled or sanded would begin rusting almost immediately, especially in this
Georgia humidity.
I asked a
paint specialist for his recommendation, and he said to clean them thoroughly
with alcohol, and then begin with a good automobile primer. This bonds well to
the anodized zinc finish, and then whatever color you choose will cover much
better. I use a gray primer when I plan on painting them silver, and black when
painting a darker color.
So far, so
good! People seem to like the different colors, especially flat satin finishes
like dark green and I even had a couple orders for flat black. Brew
From:
"bmh1944" <bmh1944@yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: Copper Patina
Robin;
Bill is
correct in the fact that we had quite a lengthy exchange of different ideas a
few months ago here; so, if you scroll back through past messages, you'll find
everything we managed to come up with. While there was a lot of information and
a couple of books available (for about $25) on the subject of deriving a nice
patina color on metals, I don't think anyone actually found a commercially
available product for copper.
Chuck's
insight was very correct in the fact that merely hanging copper or brass
outside to "weather" can produce a nice blue-green patina if you live
in a major city with extreme air pollution or near the coast where there's a
lot of salt in the air; but, if you live in a rural area with little or no air
pollution, the oxygen and moisture alone in clean air will do little more than
"age" copper and brass to a dull rusty-brown color because it's the
acidic and corrosive elements (working with moisture and oxygen) which produce
the nice color.
I haven't
managed to find time yet to explore all the various methods suggested in the
past postings here; but the two I have tried with success both involve
different applications of a salt, acid, oil, and water solution.
1. You can
make an inexpensive containment trough(s) from a piece of plastic home
guttering. Using available end caps on both ends and sealing them with silicone
rubber or other waterproof sealant, the trough can be filled with solution so
the tube(s) can be totally immersed for a few days. This will give a fairly
uniform patina that looks very good.
2. You can
hang the tubes outside and use a spray bottle filled with the saltwater
solution to frequently spray the tubes four or five times a day for a few days.
This method gives a very nice variegated pattern of streaks and runs that total
immersion doesn't do.
For anyone
who's ever been in the military and had to frequently polish brass, one of the
things that produce the quickest and very nice colored "patina" is
the human fingerprint. Just one touch on a piece of shiny brass or copper will
start showing a nice color in a matter of hours - LOL. So, using that concept,
I came up with something that combines the principle elements of a fingerprint:
water, salt, oil, acids, mild caustics, and amino acids.
If you're
interested, here's Fred Flintstone's recipe for the mixture I've used with very
good success - for about 1.5 gallons of mixture:
1. One
gallon of water
2. One cup
of filtered bacon grease thinned with about 1/2 cup cooking oil (amino acids
and oils).
3. Two cups
of sea salt (aquarium salt from Wal-Mart or pet store).
NOTE: Sea
salt works much better than table salt because it contains many other reactive
elements that enhance the oxidation process.
4. One
quart of white vinegar (mild acid).
5. Liquid
dishwashing soap (mild caustic and wetting agent).
Mix the
water and vinegar (acid) together; then begin stirring in the sea salt. Keep
adding salt in small quantities (amounts will vary with water quality) and stir
it in well to make sure it all dissolves. Add more salt and stir it in well
again. Stop adding salt when the water becomes completely saturated and a
little undissolved salt starts falling to the bottom of the container when you
quit stirring for a few seconds. The bacon grease (amino acids and oil) should
be thinned with only enough cooking oil so that it is not solidified at room
temperature. Without stirring the mixture, simply
pour the
bacon grease/cooking oil mixture into the solution (yes, I know it won't mix).
Now, begin adding liquid dishwashing soap just a little bit at a time as you
gently stir it into the mixture; continue adding a few drops of soap at a time
(while stirring) until the layer of oil "mixes" with the solution.
The object here is not to create a sudsy mess, but only to add enough
dishwashing liquid (as a wetting agent) until the oil becomes part of the
solution instead of floating on top. Brent
From:
"Archie" <archie97@earthlink.net>
Subject: Re: Painting Chimes
I made some
chimes out of EMT using the info from this group and they sound great but the
look of EMT tubes leaves something to be desired, at least in my opinion. If I
paint them then I think the paint will wear off where the striker hits them.
Any suggestions?
What do you
guys do? Special kind of paint?
Thank you
I used the
same material for mine, and just sprayed them with cold galvanizing compound.
It is
weatherproof, takes abuse ok, looks the same as original EMT, and is relatively
expensive. (About $6. a can for the good stuff).
From: Ballou
Family <ballou.family@verizon.net>
Subject: Re: PAINT !!!
Painting
aluminum is a four step process:
1 - Etch
the surface -
You can use
phosphoric acid to chemically etch the surface.
You can use
sandpaper to mechanically etch the surface.
2 - Treat
the surface with an alodine solution
3 - Spray
it with FR Primer
4 - Paint
it.
Anything
less and you are wasting your time, as the paint won't last.
Links:
Making Wind Chimes by Jim Haworth
Windchimeconstruction
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Updated 3-24-05