[TheForge] Patina on steel, PROBLEM

[Cindy and James]

Sculpt Nouveau sells DVD's on patinas.  I've ordered all 3, we shall 
see, hopefully... as we are pretty much in the dark right now.  No joking. 

A series of public domain patina formulas can be obtained by entering 
"patina" in Google.  I took 3 college courses in chemistry about 40 
years ago.  I remember enough to know that some of this stuff can be 
seriously harmful to your health.  be careful.

Here's my dilemma.

I have worked for some time to create a king size bed for a client.  It 
was designed by a professional designer/artist.  The artist is not 
terribly concerned with my difficulties in obtaining the look that she 
wants in the final product.  That being said, I am being well paid so I 
am not complaining too loudly.  But first, a general description.

It is all steel and weighs around 500 lbs.  The posts and feet are 4" sq 
tube layered on the corners w/ 2 sizes of angle iron, other dimensions 
at the top and bottom form capitols and feet.  Topped with cast iron 
Fleur-de-les.   The headboard is a multi layered sheet of 14 ga mild 
steel plate w/ multi layers of various dimensions at the top.  The sheet 
was heavily textured using a "small 8 lb sledge".  In the center of the 
headboard is a crest.  It looks like a coat of arms with a Fleur-de-les 
at the top, a steel back, a dome about 10 or so inches long that is 
heavily textured with age (I found it buried under a defunct (removed) 
factory where it had been for many years) with a letter B formed out of 
1/2" square bar (solid).  Bed rails and supports are 2x3x1/4 angle.  
Held together w/ 1"x3/8" fine thread cap screws and grade 8 bolts.

We (the designer/artist and I) and have spent several days working to 
obtain the "look" she wants.  She has to be involved as I don't know 
what she wants and these patinas, etc. especially the chemical ones, may 
appear at one moment and be gone the next depending on what you do.  We 
had it down yesterday, finally, she was thrilled.  The bed had been 
"rusted" with various colors and had a very "Baronial" or Medieval 
look.  Generally, it looked as if it came from a castle in Germany.  All 
was good.

Then I clear coated it.  Oh, I should say that we used various chemicals 
trying to get the "look", but we followed the instructions.  The clear 
coat was a Minwax spar urethane, clear satin, applied with a sprayer.  
Well, the urethane left the patina on the posts pretty much alone, some 
darkening.  But the headboard turned DARK and it seemed to absorb all 
the patina.  It certainly did lose most of the 300 year old look.  My 
designer is sick.  So am I, we had a home run but have been ruled out at 
home plate!

We will look at it this morning after sitting all night.  Maybe some of 
it came back or is visible.  If not, back to square one.  Likely will 
have it sandblasted or paint with paint remover and pressure wash.  
Start over.

Any ideas on what happened?  What we did wrong?  What we should have done?

I have one thought here... what about the mill scale on the 14 ga 
sheet?  Could that have caused part of the problem?  we did not remove 
it as she liked the way it looked in the background.

James Allcorn
Blacksmith, Paris Texas

> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Today's Topics:
>
>    1. RE: Interesting site for patinas (Mark A. Pesetsky)
>   
>
>  More:
> http://www.sciencecompany.com/patinas/patinaformulas.htm
>
> http://chemistryfortheimagination.com/sculpt-nouveau-universal-patina/
>
> Mark
>
>
> Hey Everyone,
>
> I came across this site. IT covers a wide range of chemistry, safety,
> and patinas......
>
> http://www.dedalusenviro.com/
>
> Check it out!
>
> Ray Miller
> Cincinnati
>
>
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