Laquering Brass

[DHutch]

Im cleaning up the old brass pillers off the handrails on the boat, first by geting them washed in nitric acid, and then buffing them on the school buffing machine.

 

- But once i've finshed i want to laquer them so they stay shiny and match the other pillers i have bought (which come laquered)

 

- I heard that certain laquers can discolour the brass and was wondering if anyone had any experence in what laquer give the best finish.

 

 

 

Daniel

[Amicus]

I was quite impressed by Plasti-kote clear acrylic, got it from Halford.

Never used it on brass tho so YMMV.

On the tin it says “Interior/Exterior, Metal/wood” etc

 

 

Edit; In a spray can, (cant spell aerosol)

Edited April 26, 2005 by Amicus

[Alan Saunders]

Im cleaning up the old brass pillers off the handrails on the boat, first by geting them washed in nitric acid, and then buffing them on the school buffing machine.

 

- But once i've finshed i want to laquer them so they stay shiny and match the other pillers i have bought (which come laquered)

 

- I heard that certain laquers can discolour the brass and was wondering if anyone had any experence in what laquer give the best finish.

Daniel

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I have no personal experience of it but a local Chandlery recommended 'Interlac', from International Paints. One of their customers aked if they could use it on the fiddle rails on the stove and the agent said it was OK to, I think, 400C!

 

Is nitric acid best? I was about to use hydrochloric.

 

Alan

[John Orentas]

Don't know about the acid but I have varnished with the stuff that is made for the protection of printed circuit boards, it comes in the form of an aerosol can, RS Components and others supply it. I have some components in my engine room that look ok after 10 years.

 

I have only used it indoors however how it performs outside I have no idea.

[dor]

Don't think HCl has much impact on brass, you need a dilute Nitric to take the patina off the brass.

 

The problem with laquering is that it doesn't prevent tarnishing for ever, especially outside, and when it does tarnish you have to remove the laquer before you can polish again.

 

In my experience, nothing will prevent brass tarnishing outside; it does work inside though, as John has found. Outside, sooner or later the brass goes dull, and you have to use paint stripper or emery paper to get the old coating off.

 

There is no substitute for Brasso and elbow grease! One tip though: if your brass is heavily tarnished, like it is after the winter, use "Barkeepers Friend". This is a mildly abrasive powder which will take the tarnish off a lot quicker than brasso etc.

 

(Is it me, or is Brasso more watery and less abrasive these days - I remember it more as a thin cream)

[Gary Peacock]

I have no personal experience of it but a local Chandlery recommended 'Interlac', from International Paints.  One of their customers aked if they could use it on the fiddle rails on the stove and the agent said it was OK to, I think, 400C!

 

Is nitric acid best?  I was about to use hydrochloric.

 

Alan

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I think maybe it's INCRALAC from RYLARD Indestructable Paint Co Ltd 0121 702 2485

 

Gary

 

Link on Rylard on here http://www.boat-painter.co.uk

 

GARY

[dor]

I would of course be delighted to be proved wrong if there is a laquer out there that really does keep brass bright.

[Bernie]

If you do use Incralac which the manufacturers say lasts up to 5 years, we will be trying it this year, if you have used a brass cleaner do make sure all traces are removed either with meths or white spirit first, otherwise it will not stay smooth and just sort of gel into lumps when being applied.

[John Orentas]

I would of course be delighted to be proved wrong if there is a laquer out there that really does keep brass bright.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

The best way to preserve polished brass outdoors.

 

Paint it.

[DHutch]

Thats for all your replys

- All the parts have been cleaned and buffed.

 

A friend of my grandad has had great success with geting brass parts power coated in clear. I would get this done only time does not allow.

 

- I think i have some of the Plasticoat spary (clear acrylic) so maybe i'll just use that for now.

 

 

Thanks, daniel.

[awatsonbcp]

someone told me that coca cola or tomato ketchup were good for getting rid of tarnish

[DHutch]

Yeah, ive heard that too. but the acid cleaing, and then buffing afterwards has worked a treat, and as far as im conserned, was free (other than 20mins of my time of the buffing machine)

 

- All i need to know now is what type of lacquer is best, and how to best prepare the items for coating.

 

 

Daniel

[Khayamanzi]

INCRALAC from RYLARD -amazing stuff AND really works but not cheap!

 

I have a tin and have laquered every bit of brass in site with great success. In fcat doing the mushy vents and the first coat was dry by the time I had finished and was ready for the 2nd coat. Things do need a good 3 or 4 coats though but I haven't had to polish a thing for years!

[Gary Peacock]

Daniel,

 

If you want some Incralac I have rather a lot of it, message me and you can have a can for free we'll call it an experiment you can let us know how good it is.

 

Gary

[Alan Saunders]

The best way to preserve polished brass outdoors.

 

Paint it.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I believe gold plate is very effective and less expensive than you would imagine.

 

Alan

[Gary Peacock]

I believe gold plate is very effective and less expensive than you would imagine.

 

Alan

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

If your buying mushrooms (Boat ones that is) the gold plate ones are really worth the small difference in price.

[DHutch]

I've been talking to Geoff (my grandads freind) and he says that he can get the powered coat for me, and that all the brasswork he got done 4 yearsago looks as good as new. Unforntaly i would take about 20days to sort, and i dont really have that as we want start using it soon.

- He had some parts painted with Incralac, but he only did them just at the end of last season, so dont know how well they will last yet. (obvously) but thinks it looks promissing, and says i should give it a go.

- So i think i will!

 

- I'll keep you posted

 

 

Daniel

[Sir Nibble]

Humbrol "gloss cote" (made for models) works well.

[alan_fincher]

Again not on the preserving topic, but the cleaning one.....

 

Whilst we were out over the weekend another boater saw me trying hard to renovate some very tarnished brass with Brasso, (with only limited success), and he also pointed me at the tomato ketchup approach already mentioned.

 

Nothing ventured, nothing gained, we thought, and tried it. Smear it on, and leave it for a while.

 

Frighteninly effective. It makes me wonder what it does to your insides when you eat the stuff !

 

It does need to be washed off thoroughly, and then the Brasso will do the final finish.....

[maffi mushkila]

Frighteninly effective.  It makes me wonder what it does to your insides when you eat the stuff !

 

Nothing in particular. Stomachs contain quite a powerful acid to begin with a little acetic acid wont make any difference.

[g0n]

(Is it me, or is Brasso more watery and less abrasive these days - I remember it more as a thin cream)

17690[/snapback]

 

I thought Brasso had changed as well - one of my chores as a kid in the 70s was polishing the brass at home, and the stuff you buy nowadays doesn't seem the same. I guessed that some solvent or other had been removed for safety reasons. Apparently not however:

Brasso

Edited July 5, 2005 by g0n

[David Schweizer]

Again not on the preserving topic, but the cleaning one.....

 

Whilst we were out over the weekend another boater saw me trying hard to renovate some very tarnished brass with Brasso, (with only limited success), and he also pointed me at the tomato ketchup approach already mentioned.

 

Nothing ventured, nothing gained, we thought, and tried it.  Smear it on, and leave it for a while.

 

Frighteninly effective.  It makes me wonder what it does to your insides when you eat the stuff !

 

It does need to be washed off thoroughly, and then the Brasso will do the final finish.....

24883[/snapback]

 

The antiques trade have used salt dissolved in vinegar for years to clean heavily tarnished brass. I guess that it is the vinegar and salt in ketchup that is doing the job. Just one word of warning, leaving it on too long can pull the zinc out leaving a copper surface. That is railway modellers do to brass chimney castings to get the genuine copper effect for GWR locomotives

[David Schweizer]

I thought Brasso had changed as well - one of my chores as a kid in the 70s was polishing the brass at home, and the stuff you buy nowadays doesn't seem the same. I guessed that some solvent or other had been removed for safety reasons. Apparently not however:

Brasso

24891[/snapback]

I am not sure that Brasso has changed that much, it is still basicly Spanish Whiting suspended in Amonia, but the difference may be the length of time the stuff is on the shelf before it is sold. The whiting remains suspended in the ammonia for a good while but will eventually settle, it then require vigorouis shaking for quite a long time to unsettle the solids. I sometimes stir the bottom of the tin with a thin stick to get it moving. Eventually you wil get the fairly thick liquid that your mum made you apply to the doorstep plate every Saturday morning. However my mum alway swore by Bluebell Polish (I still have a tin in my workshop for old time sake) They were taken over by Reckitt and Colman ( who make Brasso) about twenty five years ago and the brand name has now disapeared.

[maffi mushkila]

(Is it me, or is Brasso more watery and less abrasive these days - I remember it more as a thin cream)

 

Yes it is thinner these days.

 

Quote fron Brasso site:-

 

The recipe for the polish has basically remained the same throughout the last hundred years apart from a paste being replaced by a liquid.

[Richard Bustens]

What about that stuff that the man sells at all the boat shows? that is wipe on wipe off with no rubbing.