I'm doing a refurbishing job on an 80 year old steam pond yacht
at the moment. I'm half way through the repaint job which is going well.
This has lots of variously shaped brass fittings with all the black
oxidation from 80 years of exposure. I've given the bits a soak in
citric acid solution to get rid of the worst, but this has left me with
very coppery looking brass. Before I settle down to the Brasso and a lot
of fiddly hard work, is there an easier way?

In message , Capitol
writes
I'm doing a refurbishing job on an 80 year old steam pond yacht
at the moment. I'm half way through the repaint job which is going
well. This has lots of variously shaped brass fittings with all the
black oxidation from 80 years of exposure. I've given the bits a soak
in citric acid solution to get rid of the worst, but this has left me
with very coppery looking brass. Before I settle down to the Brasso and
a lot of fiddly hard work, is there an easier way?

Bowman? Lucky chap!

My inclination would be to throw the parts in a small tumbler with
nothing more than hot water and some washing powder, which always works
well with Hornby tinplate parts, Meccano, brassware etc. Failing that,
very fine wire wool, but that is laborious, and would still benefit from
Brasso afterwards.

--
Graeme

On Wednesday, 29 June 2016 22:40:23 UTC+1, Capitol wrote:
I'm doing a refurbishing job on an 80 year old steam pond yacht
at the moment. I'm half way through the repaint job which is going well.
This has lots of variously shaped brass fittings with all the black
oxidation from 80 years of exposure. I've given the bits a soak in
citric acid solution to get rid of the worst, but this has left me with
very coppery looking brass. Before I settle down to the Brasso and a lot
of fiddly hard work, is there an easier way?

Buffing wheel for electric drill/bench grinder takes some of the work out of it,

Capitol wrote:

I've given the bits a soak in citric acid solution to get rid of the
worst, but this has left me with very coppery looking brass

Does the acid dezincify the surface of the brass? We used to use lemons
with salt as a mild abrasive on coal-scuttle, probably not left on long
enough to have the same effect.

On 30/06/2016 06:26, harry wrote:
On Wednesday, 29 June 2016 22:40:23 UTC+1, Capitol wrote:
I'm doing a refurbishing job on an 80 year old steam pond yacht
at the moment. I'm half way through the repaint job which is going well.
This has lots of variously shaped brass fittings with all the black
oxidation from 80 years of exposure. I've given the bits a soak in
citric acid solution to get rid of the worst, but this has left me with
very coppery looking brass. Before I settle down to the Brasso and a lot
of fiddly hard work, is there an easier way?

Buffing wheel for electric drill/bench grinder takes some of the work out of it,

I've done small bits with a polishing wheel in a dremel with brasso. A
bit messy, but fast and good results.

On Wed, 29 Jun 2016 22:40:27 +0100, Capitol wrote:

Before I settle down to the Brasso and a lot
of fiddly hard work, is there an easier way?

"Vibratory tumbler" and "Rotary tumbler" are your friends.

Also "felt wheels" followed by something like a "spiral sewn buffing wheel" --
each will have an appropriate polishing compound bar, sold nearby.

Note that these are, in the best case, 12" diameter or more, and attached to a
large three-phase stationary motor, not a little Dremel. However, the brass will
gleam as it never has before in very little time.

(These tools will also break your arm if they catch and snatch, beware.)


Thomas Prufer

On Wednesday, June 29, 2016 at 10:40:23 PM UTC+1, Capitol wrote:
I'm doing a refurbishing job on an 80 year old steam pond yacht
at the moment. I'm half way through the repaint job which is going well.
This has lots of variously shaped brass fittings with all the black
oxidation from 80 years of exposure. I've given the bits a soak in
citric acid solution to get rid of the worst, but this has left me with
very coppery looking brass. Before I settle down to the Brasso and a lot
of fiddly hard work, is there an easier way?

Coca Cola works for me

Jonathan

On 29-Jun-16 10:40 PM, Capitol wrote:
I'm doing a refurbishing job on an 80 year old steam pond yacht
at the moment. I'm half way through the repaint job which is going well.
This has lots of variously shaped brass fittings with all the black
oxidation from 80 years of exposure. I've given the bits a soak in
citric acid solution to get rid of the worst, but this has left me with
very coppery looking brass. Before I settle down to the Brasso and a lot
of fiddly hard work, is there an easier way?

What has happened is that some of the metal has dissolved in the acid.
The suspended copper redeposits, but the zinc does not. The resulting
coating is thin, but polishing it off is probably the only practical way
to remove it.

A polishing machine or a polishing mop adaptor kit for a bench grinder
would reduce the amount of physical work. However, unless you have done
machine polishing previously, it would be best to start off practising
on some unimportant brass articles first.

--
--

Colin Bignell

On Thu, 30 Jun 2016 09:31:46 +0200, Thomas Prufer
wrote:

Note that these are, in the best case, 12" diameter or more, and attached to a
large three-phase stationary motor, not a little Dremel. However, the brass will
gleam as it never has before in very little time.

Only for about 2 nanoseconds as it does Mach1.4 past you left ear as
it seeks out the far corner of the workshop never to be seen again.

On 6/30/2016 8:07 AM, Andy Burns wrote:
Capitol wrote:

I've given the bits a soak in citric acid solution to get rid of the
worst, but this has left me with very coppery looking brass

Does the acid dezincify the surface of the brass? We used to use lemons
with salt as a mild abrasive on coal-scuttle, probably not left on long
enough to have the same effect.


That was my thought too, but polishing should help restore the colour.

On 30/06/2016 09:40, Nightjar wrote:
On 29-Jun-16 10:40 PM, Capitol wrote:
I'm doing a refurbishing job on an 80 year old steam pond yacht
at the moment. I'm half way through the repaint job which is going well.
This has lots of variously shaped brass fittings with all the black
oxidation from 80 years of exposure. I've given the bits a soak in
citric acid solution to get rid of the worst, but this has left me with
very coppery looking brass. Before I settle down to the Brasso and a lot
of fiddly hard work, is there an easier way?

What has happened is that some of the metal has dissolved in the acid.
The suspended copper redeposits, but the zinc does not. The resulting
coating is thin, but polishing it off is probably the only practical way
to remove it.

A polishing machine or a polishing mop adaptor kit for a bench grinder
would reduce the amount of physical work. However, unless you have done
machine polishing previously, it would be best to start off practising
on some unimportant brass articles first.

I've used:
http://www.barlisuk.com/lakeone/lakeone-deoxidiser.html
to rejuvenate tarnished brass letterboxes and door knockers.
It was recommended by someone responsible from such brasswork on a large
Cambridge College.
"contains Hydrogen Chloride apply with pad of woodworkers polishing
cotton, allow to stand for 2 or 3 mins and agitate with No0000steel
wool. Rinse and polish with metal cream "

On Thu, 30 Jun 2016 10:41:40 +0100, Jim Chisholm wrote:

On 30/06/2016 09:40, Nightjar wrote:
On 29-Jun-16 10:40 PM, Capitol wrote:
I'm doing a refurbishing job on an 80 year old steam pond
yacht
at the moment. I'm half way through the repaint job which is going
well.
This has lots of variously shaped brass fittings with all the black
oxidation from 80 years of exposure. I've given the bits a soak in
citric acid solution to get rid of the worst, but this has left me
with very coppery looking brass. Before I settle down to the Brasso
and a lot of fiddly hard work, is there an easier way?

What has happened is that some of the metal has dissolved in the acid.
The suspended copper redeposits, but the zinc does not. The resulting
coating is thin, but polishing it off is probably the only practical
way to remove it.

A polishing machine or a polishing mop adaptor kit for a bench grinder
would reduce the amount of physical work. However, unless you have done
machine polishing previously, it would be best to start off practising
on some unimportant brass articles first.

I've used:
http://www.barlisuk.com/lakeone/lakeone-deoxidiser.html to rejuvenate
tarnished brass letterboxes and door knockers.
It was recommended by someone responsible from such brasswork on a large
Cambridge College.
"contains Hydrogen Chloride apply with pad of woodworkers polishing
cotton, allow to stand for 2 or 3 mins and agitate with No0000steel
wool. Rinse and polish with metal cream "

I used Rustins Brass Restorer (basically phosphoric acid). It worked very
well.



--
My posts are my copyright and if @diy_forums or Home Owners' Hub
wish to copy them they can pay me £1 a message.
Use the BIG mirror service in the UK: http://www.mirrorservice.org
*lightning surge protection* - a w_tom conductor

Where is duraglit when you need it..
I used to find the big issue with brass was that it got pitted and looked
awful.
Brian

--
----- -
This newsgroup posting comes to you directly from...
The Sofa of Brian Gaff...

Blind user, so no pictures please!
"Capitol" wrote in message
o.uk...
I'm doing a refurbishing job on an 80 year old steam pond yacht at
the moment. I'm half way through the repaint job which is going well. This
has lots of variously shaped brass fittings with all the black oxidation
from 80 years of exposure. I've given the bits a soak in citric acid
solution to get rid of the worst, but this has left me with very coppery
looking brass. Before I settle down to the Brasso and a lot of fiddly hard
work, is there an easier way?

Jonathan wrote:
On Wednesday, June 29, 2016 at 10:40:23 PM UTC+1, Capitol wrote:
I'm doing a refurbishing job on an 80 year old steam pond yacht
at the moment. I'm half way through the repaint job which is going well.
This has lots of variously shaped brass fittings with all the black
oxidation from 80 years of exposure. I've given the bits a soak in
citric acid solution to get rid of the worst, but this has left me with
very coppery looking brass. Before I settle down to the Brasso and a lot
of fiddly hard work, is there an easier way?

Coca Cola works for me

Jonathan

Rot, if it does so would lemonade or soda water.
People used to tell me that but I put a penny and a sixpence in
different fizzy drinks and they all did the same, I then tried to solder
with coke and had no success.

Peter Parry wrote:
On Thu, 30 Jun 2016 09:31:46 +0200, Thomas Prufer
wrote:


Note that these are, in the best case, 12" diameter or more, and attached to a
large three-phase stationary motor, not a little Dremel. However, the brass will
gleam as it never has before in very little time.

Only for about 2 nanoseconds as it does Mach1.4 past you left ear as
it seeks out the far corner of the workshop never to be seen again.


Earlier this week I was doing a recovery job on the nose pads
of a pair of spectacles. These were retained by very miniature screws.
Yes,in the course of 20 minutes, I managed with the aid of a magnetic
screwdriver and a pair of tweezers to lose both screws somewhere on the
desk. Fortunately I have a stock of clapped out reading glasses, so I
was able to find replacements and finish the job but the ability of
small things to vanish is a constant source of amazement!

Capitol wrote:

the ability of small things to vanish is a constant source of
amazement!

Rather than trying to catch them, or see where things go (not likely if
I've taken my glasses off for close-up work) I find better results from
listening to where they go ...

newshound wrote:
On 6/30/2016 8:07 AM, Andy Burns wrote:
Capitol wrote:

I've given the bits a soak in citric acid solution to get rid of the
worst, but this has left me with very coppery looking brass

Does the acid dezincify the surface of the brass? We used to use lemons
with salt as a mild abrasive on coal-scuttle, probably not left on long
enough to have the same effect.


That was my thought too, but polishing should help restore the colour.
Yes the acid had pulled out the zinc locally just leaving copper, that
has to be rubbed away but it is only atoms thick so brasso should do the
job.

Bob Minchin wrote:
newshound wrote:
On 6/30/2016 8:07 AM, Andy Burns wrote:
Capitol wrote:

I've given the bits a soak in citric acid solution to get rid of the
worst, but this has left me with very coppery looking brass

Does the acid dezincify the surface of the brass? We used to use
lemons
with salt as a mild abrasive on coal-scuttle, probably not left on long
enough to have the same effect.


That was my thought too, but polishing should help restore the colour.
Yes the acid had pulled out the zinc locally just leaving copper, that
has to be rubbed away but it is only atoms thick so brasso should do
the job.
I discovered that some of the discolouration was in fact
varnish, which had been applied after the fittings were mounted.
Fortunately it was shellac, so some meths removed most of it. The small
fittings have now been refurbished using a combination of brass wheel
in a Dremel type drill and a felt pad wheel coated with a liberal supply
of Lidl sink cream cleaner as my Brasso supply appears to be exhausted.
So it's onto some of the larger fittings tomorrow.

On 30-Jun-16 10:24 AM, Peter Parry wrote:
On Thu, 30 Jun 2016 09:31:46 +0200, Thomas Prufer
wrote:

Note that these are, in the best case, 12" diameter or more, and attached to a
large three-phase stationary motor, not a little Dremel. However, the brass will
gleam as it never has before in very little time.

Only for about 2 nanoseconds as it does Mach1.4 past you left ear as
it seeks out the far corner of the workshop never to be seen again.


If it shoots past your left ear, you are running the mop in the wrong
direction ;-)

--
--

Colin Bignell

Nightjar wrote:
On 30-Jun-16 10:24 AM, Peter Parry wrote:
On Thu, 30 Jun 2016 09:31:46 +0200, Thomas Prufer
wrote:

Note that these are, in the best case, 12" diameter or more, and
attached to a
large three-phase stationary motor, not a little Dremel. However,
the brass will
gleam as it never has before in very little time.

Only for about 2 nanoseconds as it does Mach1.4 past you left ear as
it seeks out the far corner of the workshop never to be seen again.


If it shoots past your left ear, you are running the mop in the wrong
direction ;-)

Or holding it in the wrong place.

On 30/06/2016 11:04, F Murtz wrote:

Rot, if it does so would lemonade or soda water.
People used to tell me that but I put a penny and a sixpence in
different fizzy drinks and they all did the same, I then tried to solder
with coke and had no success.

No idea how successful colas might be, but they do contain phosphoric
acid so are very definitely different to lemonade and soda water.

--
Rod