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camwynProbably should've done photographs while I was working my way through making the ring, but that slipped my mind. So here, you get to see pictures of me testing two different means of applying a natural patina.
The ring is a size 11 per the client's request (if I don't hear back from him, oh well, the ring is available for sale to anyone with a finger that will fit it). He wanted the green patina of the infinity ring I showed you. I figured I'd try the basic salt-and-vinegar process first - I didn't have a bag of chips available...
That's the 'before' picture. 18 gauge copper wire ring, 26 gauge copper wire wrapped for the band, all freshly washed in a free-n-clear dishwashing liquid since you have to remove all skin oils from the piece before patinating it. I then went on to dose it with baking soda and scrub as best I could with that brush in the background, but forgot to photograph that step. Not that it made that much difference, ah well.
White vinegar and kosher salt and a jar to soak the ring in. Simple enough, when it works.
You're supposed to let the copper piece sit in the salt and vinegar solution for at least half an hour, so I gave it extra time.
'Sprinkle salt on the copper piece and let it dry in open air'. I may have overdone the salt a bit.
Well, by the time I went to bed it had developed some color, but....
That was taken this morning while waiting for the bus. I was not impressed. So I bought a bag of salt and vinegar chips, rinsed the ring off, scrubbed it with dishwashing liquid, and tried again...
Same ring, post rinse, pre-chips. I did not photograph the process of smooshing the potato chips up in the plastic container or wetting the crumbs with vinegar, but rest assured I did that, then poured the rest of the chips over the ring, sprinkled some more vinegar on, and sealed it up. Some time later...
Let me reiterate this: I dosed that thing with a solution of vinegar and salt and left it to air dry and got next to nothing in terms of coloration despite overnight drying and extra salt to catalyze the reaction. This is the result of less than two and a half hours of time in the salt and vinegar potato chips.
Two hours later I decided to pull the ring out of the chips entirely and let it air dry.
(Didn't feel like going all the way to the microwave.)
So, yeah. There you have it: copper infinity ring with rather nice patina. It's still drying and when I like the finished color I'll seal it up properly for safe wearing.
The ring is a size 11 per the client's request (if I don't hear back from him, oh well, the ring is available for sale to anyone with a finger that will fit it). He wanted the green patina of the infinity ring I showed you. I figured I'd try the basic salt-and-vinegar process first - I didn't have a bag of chips available...
That's the 'before' picture. 18 gauge copper wire ring, 26 gauge copper wire wrapped for the band, all freshly washed in a free-n-clear dishwashing liquid since you have to remove all skin oils from the piece before patinating it. I then went on to dose it with baking soda and scrub as best I could with that brush in the background, but forgot to photograph that step. Not that it made that much difference, ah well.
White vinegar and kosher salt and a jar to soak the ring in. Simple enough, when it works.
You're supposed to let the copper piece sit in the salt and vinegar solution for at least half an hour, so I gave it extra time.
'Sprinkle salt on the copper piece and let it dry in open air'. I may have overdone the salt a bit.
Well, by the time I went to bed it had developed some color, but....
That was taken this morning while waiting for the bus. I was not impressed. So I bought a bag of salt and vinegar chips, rinsed the ring off, scrubbed it with dishwashing liquid, and tried again...
Same ring, post rinse, pre-chips. I did not photograph the process of smooshing the potato chips up in the plastic container or wetting the crumbs with vinegar, but rest assured I did that, then poured the rest of the chips over the ring, sprinkled some more vinegar on, and sealed it up. Some time later...
Let me reiterate this: I dosed that thing with a solution of vinegar and salt and left it to air dry and got next to nothing in terms of coloration despite overnight drying and extra salt to catalyze the reaction. This is the result of less than two and a half hours of time in the salt and vinegar potato chips.
Two hours later I decided to pull the ring out of the chips entirely and let it air dry.
(Didn't feel like going all the way to the microwave.)
So, yeah. There you have it: copper infinity ring with rather nice patina. It's still drying and when I like the finished color I'll seal it up properly for safe wearing.
no subject
Date: 2019-01-12 08:53 am (UTC)