Got some cast iron brackets heading my way. Problem is they look too new for what I had in mind and was curious as to various ways I could age them. I was thinking verdigris but that copper.
They will be used indoors for 3 seperate shelves. These 3 shelves are glass, 2 metres long, 6mm thick and of various widths.
I want them to look aged but still servicable.
Any suggestions.
N
Do you want black or just very rusty? Blacking can be done by heating and oiling with linseed oil, ala blacksmith. For really rusty, bury in a cat box for a couple of weeks... For pitting, leave longer.
Stan
Finally, a use for a cat!
Cats can replace booze, recreational drugs, Prozak and pyschomeds. Cats are purr machines that need little care, only a modicum of attention and really DONT think you are God, just staff..so cats are marvelous for reevaluating your location in the grand scheme of things.
And cats seem to instinctivly understand when you are having a bad day..and try to cheer you up by allowing you to pet them and become a lap warmer
Lots of uses for cats.
Not to mention..if things ever get really tough..cat is the other white meet.
Gunner
The aim of untold millions is to be free to do exactly as they choose and for someone else to pay when things go wrong.
In the past few decades, a peculiar and distinctive psychology has emerged in England. Gone are the civility, sturdy independence, and admirable stoicism that carried the English through the war years . It has been replaced by a constant whine of excuses, complaints, and special pleading. The collapse of the British character has been as swift and complete as the collapse of British power.
Theodore Dalrymple,
"Gunner" wrote: (clip) Not to mention..if things ever get really tough..cat is the other white meet. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Gunner, you were doing so well, and then you had to add that last part. BTW, what is a "white meet?" A segregated track and field event?
And they fertilize the flower beds, especially those that you weed by hand :-)
Mark Rand (next door's cats _really_ don't trust me, but I'm happy to be allowed to live in _their_ neighbourhood) RTFM
Typo. Sorry. Its pushing 110F out in the shop, the 3' fan is only pushing hot air around and I had to come inside to cool down and take a Cat Nap. Which unfortunately lasted 3 hours. Now I feel like shit.
Gunner
The aim of untold millions is to be free to do exactly as they choose and for someone else to pay when things go wrong.
In the past few decades, a peculiar and distinctive psychology has emerged in England. Gone are the civility, sturdy independence, and admirable stoicism that carried the English through the war years . It has been replaced by a constant whine of excuses, complaints, and special pleading. The collapse of the British character has been as swift and complete as the collapse of British power.
Theodore Dalrymple,
And, they make excellent dog food. :)
Are they painted or just bare metal ? If they're not painted, you might try slightly blacking them with heat & oil (as Stan sugested), and then, in order to obtain the aged look, remove some of the black with some steelwool, a fine metalic brush or something like a scotchbrite pad (insist on the areas that would be subject to wear, like edges & stuff, leaving the recessed areas darker. You might want to apply a finishing coat of wax or lquer, but that's optional.
I think they maybe black already but I think that might be from the dip tank speedy style factory painting method.
Well, if they're painted black, that's very different from the black obtained by the heat/oil method, and won't allow this sort of treatment. If the paint isn't very glossy, you might try a slightly different thing: I used in a similar situation some sort of aluminium powder (that is mainly used in giving a nice finish to old stoves). If you can get such a thing (I don't know how is it named in English), use a little ammount on a piece of cloth and rub it onto the same areas that have to "stand out", then you could set it in place with a coat of matte clear (that shouldn't be too glossy either).
Okay, so I'm late and catching up, but Gunner wrote on Mon, 10 Jul 2006 20:34:11 GMT in rec.crafts.metalworking :
Some where around here I have an article about "gold plating the old fashioned way" which called for concentrated urea as a component. This the "alchemist" obtained by replacing the cat little with something non absorbent, then feeding his kitties all the salted herring (and water) their gluttonous hearts (and stomachs) would hold. (Why cat urine? More concentrated than human urine.) His experiment was a success, but due to the price of gold, he hasn't repeated it. But his cats have indicted a willingness to do their bit again if called upon. :-)
tschus pyotr
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