Home Repair (alt.home.repair) For all homeowners and DIYers with many experienced tradesmen. Solve your toughest home fix-it problems.

Reply
 
LinkBack Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
  #1   Report Post  
Posted to alt.home.repair
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 16
Default Making new brass look old

Hello. My house was built in 1924 and has many brass switch and outlet
plates. I need to put a brass plate on a new outlet. Polished brass
just looks too new. Antique finished brass doesn't look old at all.
Is there a way to make a new brass plate look like its been in use for
80 years??

Any thoughts are greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

  #2   Report Post  
Posted to alt.home.repair
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 12
Default Making new brass look old

"dave" wrote in message
ups.com...
Hello. My house was built in 1924 and has many brass switch and outlet
plates. I need to put a brass plate on a new outlet. Polished brass
just looks too new. Antique finished brass doesn't look old at all.
Is there a way to make a new brass plate look like its been in use for
80 years??

Any thoughts are greatly appreciated.

Thanks.


If you like I could send my little kids over there for a few days....that
would do it.


  #3   Report Post  
Posted to alt.home.repair
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 467
Default Making new brass look old

I would polish the old stuff to make it look new.

  #4   Report Post  
Posted to alt.home.repair
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 16
Default Making new brass look old

I like the old look...

wrote:
I would polish the old stuff to make it look new.


  #5   Report Post  
Posted to alt.home.repair
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 747
Default Making new brass look old


Bury it in the flowerbed for a while.



  #6   Report Post  
Posted to alt.home.repair
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 1,934
Default Making new brass look old


"dave" wrote in message
ups.com...
Hello. My house was built in 1924 and has many brass switch and outlet
plates. I need to put a brass plate on a new outlet. Polished brass
just looks too new. Antique finished brass doesn't look old at all.
Is there a way to make a new brass plate look like its been in use for
80 years??

Any thoughts are greatly appreciated.

Thanks.


The new polished brass has a coating of something on it to keep it from
tarnishing for years. I suppose if you used an abrasive polish or had a
polishing wheel with rouge, you may be able to remove the coating and the
plate should tarnish naturally like the originals do.

  #7   Report Post  
Posted to alt.home.repair
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 1,392
Default Making new brass look old

dave writes:

Is there a way to make a new brass plate look like its been in use for
80 years??


You don't need sucker-priced patina kits. Just pack it in slightly
dampened Miracle Gro for a few weeks. Rinse well, dry, buff and apply a
clear spray lacquer.
  #8   Report Post  
Posted to alt.home.repair
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 1,300
Default Making new brass look old

Richard J Kinch wrote:
dave writes:


Is there a way to make a new brass plate look like its been in use for
80 years??



You don't need sucker-priced patina kits. Just pack it in slightly
dampened Miracle Gro for a few weeks. Rinse well, dry, buff and apply a
clear spray lacquer.



Remove any lacquer from the plate with paste paint stripper, then wipe
it with "Liver of Sulfur" solution which you should be able to get at an
artist supply store.

http://www.dickblick.com/zz605/05/

Works for me....

Jeff

--
Jeffry Wisnia
(W1BSV + Brass Rat '57 EE)
"Rudeness is the weak man's imitation of strength."
  #9   Report Post  
Posted to alt.home.repair
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 151
Default Making new brass look old

Picasso would have kids pee on new statues to age them, worth a try.

"dave" wrote in message
ups.com...
Hello. My house was built in 1924 and has many brass switch and outlet
plates. I need to put a brass plate on a new outlet. Polished brass
just looks too new. Antique finished brass doesn't look old at all.
Is there a way to make a new brass plate look like its been in use for
80 years??

Any thoughts are greatly appreciated.

Thanks.



  #10   Report Post  
Posted to alt.home.repair
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 5,154
Default Making new brass look old

On Mon, 17 Jul 2006 18:13:59 -0400, with neither quill nor qualm, Jeff
Wisnia quickly quoth:

Richard J Kinch wrote:
dave writes:


Is there a way to make a new brass plate look like its been in use for
80 years??



You don't need sucker-priced patina kits. Just pack it in slightly
dampened Miracle Gro for a few weeks. Rinse well, dry, buff and apply a
clear spray lacquer.


Remove any lacquer from the plate with paste paint stripper, then wipe
it with "Liver of Sulfur" solution which you should be able to get at an
artist supply store.


Strip it, dry it, pee on it (OK, use vinegar) for a lovely green tinge
of corrosion, then liver it to further darken it.

Respray with lacquer if wanted.


http://www.dickblick.com/zz605/05/

Works for me....


Ayup.



================================================== ========
Save the ||| http://diversify.com
Endangered SKEETS! ||| Web Application Programming
================================================== ========


  #11   Report Post  
Posted to alt.home.repair
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 2,575
Default Making new brass look old

dave wrote:
Hello. My house was built in 1924 and has many brass switch and outlet
plates. I need to put a brass plate on a new outlet. Polished brass
just looks too new. Antique finished brass doesn't look old at all.
Is there a way to make a new brass plate look like its been in use for
80 years??

Any thoughts are greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

I would use paint remover to take off the clear lacquer protective coat.
It will tarnish in no time. If brass plate, you may want to coat it
again so the brass doesn't pit - new brass plate is usually very thin.
If you are impatient, put it in a dish with a boiled egg )
  #12   Report Post  
Posted to alt.home.repair
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 831
Default Making new brass look old


dave wrote:
Hello. My house was built in 1924 and has many brass switch and outlet
plates. I need to put a brass plate on a new outlet. Polished brass
just looks too new. Antique finished brass doesn't look old at all.
Is there a way to make a new brass plate look like its been in use for
80 years??

Any thoughts are greatly appreciated.

Thanks.


Ammonia:

http://www.whitechapel-ltd.com/tech/antique_brass.shtml

  #13   Report Post  
Posted to alt.home.repair
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 429
Default Making new brass look old


"Jeff" wrote in message
...
Picasso would have kids pee on new statues to age them, worth a try.



I tell my wife that I'm making a Picasso when I take a leak in the snow
while at the cabin. She's not impressed.


Reply
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules

Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Fast Brass Antiquing [email protected] Woodworking 2 December 19th 04 05:38 PM
How do they make worry balls? Ray Metalworking 31 July 19th 04 05:54 PM
melting brass padlocks mongke Metalworking 4 January 25th 04 10:33 AM
Brass drill bit (for lead) Alaric B Snell Metalworking 18 September 30th 03 10:33 PM


All times are GMT +1. The time now is 02:56 PM.

Powered by vBulletin® Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright ©2004-2024 DIYbanter.
The comments are property of their posters.
 

About Us

"It's about DIY & home improvement"