posted
Hi- I have a customer that wants vinyl on copper faces he is having fabricated. He wants to have an "aged" look on the copper. Have any of you done this and with what? Hopefully whatever we do will leave a suitable base (temporary indoor display) for the vinyl. Thanks in advance!
------------------ Rick Cooper Sierra Sign & Award Lake Tahoe, USA www.engrave.pctrader.com $$$Letterheads Website Supporter$$$
"The early bird gets the worm but the second mouse gets the cheese."
Posts: 135 | From: Incline Village, NV, USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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I'm not sure about the patina vinyl for which you're looking. But if you'd like a different type of patina finish, try contacting this company, which was included a paint survey I recently conducted for our magazine:
Patina Finishes & Copper Coats Inc. San Diego (800) 995-9946 (619) 683-7401 Bulletin and lettering enamels: additives and specialty products, clearcoats, color topcoats, low-VOC products and primers Paints/finishes for metals and architectural signage: additives and specialty products, clearcoats, color topcoats, low-VOC products and primers The company offers bronze, copper, brass/gold and pewter/silver water-based coatings for all surfaces. In addition, the company offers patinas for all coatings and for natural copper, bronze, brass and steel.
Hope this information helps!
Take care and God bless, Jennifer Flinchpaugh Senior Associate Editor SIGNS OF THE TIMES Magazine www.signweb.com (800) 925-1110, ext. 304
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Posts: 31 | From: Cincinnati, OH, USA | Registered: Mar 2000
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posted
Thanks, jennifer- I'll check that stuff out. I should have been more clear though- the copper itself needs the aged or patina finish- probably some kind of acid bath or something. Then we'll apply regular HP vinyl lettering over that.
------------------ Rick Cooper Sierra Sign & Award Lake Tahoe, USA www.engrave.pctrader.com $$$Letterheads Website Supporter$$$
"The early bird gets the worm but the second mouse gets the cheese."
Posts: 135 | From: Incline Village, NV, USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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posted
If there is a Home Depot near you they carry a whole range of different aging effects in their "Decor" section, around $20 a bottle. Aaron Bros. (and probably any hobby or craft store) carry a small bottle of copper aging stuff that looks like green paint to me, I haven't used it. I mix up some blue green One Shot with some pale green & white and squirt it on with a small squirt bottle and let it drip down. Copper turns green as it oxidizes. For a temp. indoor job it's what I would use. I've made phony "stills" for props in restaurants and I spray them with copper paint and do the drip - it looks like a real, leaky old still.
------------------ "If it isn't fun, why do it?" Signmike@aol.com
posted
Ammonium water solution makes copper go green instantly Try put some vinyl on copper them floood it with ammonium and see if the vinyl still sticks, maybe you could even clear it Copper oxide is poisenious
------------------ Stein Sæther GullSkilt AS Trondheim
posted
If I were to do this job, I would clean the copper and apply the vinyl berore doing the patina (better bond). Most "craft stores" or Home Depot carry kits to "age" copper. You simply slobber it on and you get "instant aged copper"! Sounds like a fun job!
------------------ Si Allen #562 La Mirada, CA. USA (714) 521-4810 ICQ # 330407 "SignPainters do It with Longer Strokes!"
Brushasaurus on Chat
Posts: 8827 | From: La Mirada, CA, USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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THe choices are wide: 1. A simple ammonia/acid solution 2. Proprietry mix from a stained glass supplier or art/craft shop 3. If you want a particular color or effect, let me know and I'll post a recipe for it. There are MANY colors possible.
posted
hi rick.......i've done several background recently using patined copper , not with vinyl but with dimensional gold leafed letters...looks great ! my solution is : 2 cups white vinegar, 4 cups ammonia, 2 tbls salt... scuff copper with scotch pad first, then apply sloution (brush it, pour it ...get it on the surface, let it stand for awhile ..move it around with a brush let it stand some more.. wipe it off...and do it again or leave it alone...have fun and play with it ! caution !!!!.... strong aroma ( i like it, but it can get heavy so best not to spend too much time inhaling it)....
posted
Wow, great responses. I had to print this one out for my files.
I want to reinforce Si's advice to letter the copper BEFORE the patina. I have done enough of this to know that the green is mostly a powder that will rub right off. I've gotten paint to stick to it before after a little selective compressed air blowing, but the vinyl would never stick. You don't even want to handle this puppy after its treated cuz the green will come right off wherever its disturbed.
posted
Joe, you're right that the green is fragile. THis happens with many of the quickly developed patinas. It's just a superficial layer of copper nitrate.
If the verdigris is allowed to develop over a longer period, of several weeks or more. It tends to be much more robust.
Further, you can clear coat it or rub on some wax.
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