[TheForge] more on patinas, etc.

[Cindy and James]

Yesterday (this morning actually) I posted an epistle on a bed, problems 
with patina going away when clear coated, etc.  An update...

I convinced the designer/artist to do the "right thing" and call the 
client for a consultation... see what SHE said about it.  If SHE liked 
it, it didn't matter what either of us thought as she is writing the 
check!!!  Well, she did, but first a drum roll.  Note, this was a big 
step for my designer as she has had FREE REIGN to design whatever for 
the client with no input from the client, just an occasional 'come and 
look' session.  There is a lot of stress in that type of work, I never 
knew that till I started working with her.

The artist went to her home and gathered up a bunch of stuff, bedding, 
exotic and expensive bed covers, etc., plus a huge mink throw.  I was 
left to construct a mock up box springs and mattress.  Did this out of 
cardboard, 5 gallon buckets, etc.  She put a dust ruffle, sheets, 
comforter, Battenburg lace (whatever that is) bedspread, several pillows 
(8 total), another silk comforter and the mink throw tossed on the 
corner.  She probably brought $5000 worth of bed covers.  Lighting was 
set as best we could in my shop.

You get the picture, all this white silk, etc. in a blacksmith shop.  
Looked good though, and this point is to be made:  You get one chance to 
make a good first impression.  The bed would NOT have shown as well 
without being "dressed".  Most people CANNOT see the whole from the 
parts, cannot visualize the end result.  You have to show them.  I have 
trouble with that as I am 98% technically minded.

Client came in at 5:15 pm.  She was speechless for about 30 seconds, 
then raved for a good hour and a half.  She was completely blown away.  
She insisted that she write the check for the agreed upon amount right 
then and said she would pay more when her finances got better.  (Money 
isn't a problem, this is just HER personal play money account.  She is 
building a multi-million dollar home.)  Said she would call her movers 
to come get the piece.  Now I need to put 2 or 3 more coats of urethane 
before they get there.

We felt a lot better.

I took the designer to dinner at a local cafeteria.  Need to find a 
bottle of Scotch...

But something I have learned the hard way about patinas that the rest of 
you probably know, and thanks to Grover for his reply to my first post.  
Yes, different metals react differently with various chemical formulas.  
Even using a steel brush on a grinder will cause odd things to happen, 
or nothing at all, which may be worse!  In my case, I had various metals 
from A36 to cast iron, cast steel and various weld deposits, some TIG, 
some Mig, some stick, some Nickel, etc..  But all of those were minor 
because my project was so big and the headboard so massive.  The 
headboard overpowered all the other differences and that is what was so 
scary.

As I said, I used mild steel hot rolled plate for the headboard (14 
ga).  If I do this again with hot rolled, I will prepare the steel while 
it is still in plate form, before cutting, etc.  I will descale it (get 
rid of the mill scale) by using an acid bath, probably 1/3 muratic and 
2/3 distilled water.  That may take a while.  Then, once the scale is 
gone, the chemicals will hopefully react with some semblance of what the 
bottle says will happen.

OR, I will use COLD ROLLED PLATE.  Cold rolled does not have the scale 
on it, so none of the problems inherent with the mill scale.  It costs 
more and is harder to find.

Of course, something else will come up.