 |
 |
|
 |
|
| Author |
Message |
SCOFFMAN
Community Member
Joined: 23 Mar 2008
Posts: 126
Location: Spokane, WA
|
 Posted: Thu Feb 24, 2011 10:48 pm Post subject: |
 |
|
| racprops wrote: | I use pewter black to darken the silver looking pewter to that of raw steel.
And I get a highlighted lettering as the black tends to stay in the low lettering, note that on the real prop this did not happen.
I think they chemically cleaned the bluing off and it reached down into the stamping and lettering.
Rich |
I just tried using some ferric chloride on some of your pewter Rich and it came out pretty well. You probably don't recall or may have not even seen the thread, but several years ago I did a build of a SidKit and I used it on the barrel and the upper receiver and it gave it a nice weathered grey parkerized effect. Your pewter came out a bit darker then Sid's, but it still looked good. If you are interested you can take a look at my original pics and info here (towards the bottom of the page):
http://propsummit.com/viewtopic.php?t=158&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=60
Wow, I can't believe it's been almost 3 years since I did that build!
Anyway, all the ferric chloride does is essentially fast-oxidize the pewter, so if you don't like the effect it's very easy to polish off. As a matter of fact if you don't put either some gun oil or some soft of clear paint finish, it will rub off a bit if handled. It only takes a few seconds to achieve the results - the longer you leave the part in the solution the darker it will get up to a point.
Anyway, I just thought you might be interested. Ferric chloride can be purchased from most Radio Shack stores again (it wasn't available for a while) for $9.99 for a 16 oz bottle - it is not available for sale via the Internet. It is generally referred to as PCB etchant as that's what it's primary used for - to etch printed circuit boards. It also works great to etch copper, brass and bronze (pretty much any copper alloy) and stainless steel to some extent.
Advantages over acid etching:
not a pure acid; does not require dilution; is not as dangerous or tricky to use
resists are readily available and easy to use: permanent markers that are made for writing on plastic can be used as a resist, which allows for drawing and writing directly on the metal.
Photocopies, liquid floor wax and packing tape can also be used as resist:
fast working, clean bite
That's propbably more info than I really needed to include, but since so many of us do so many different things with this hobby, I thought it might be of use to someone.
http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2102868
_________________
Fiery the angles fell, deep thunder rolled around their shores, burning with the fires of Orc. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 |
|
|
|
|
| Author |
Message |
propsjonnyb
Community Member
Joined: 16 Jul 2009
Posts: 476
Location: Helmdon, Northamptonshire UK
|
| Posted: Fri Feb 25, 2011 5:59 am Post subject: |
|
|
Noeland , Yes you're correct , I was referring to the original gun parts , Styer receiver barrel and gunframe plus drum and arm , would have been gun blued or parkerized in their original form and the colour difference could be just what I'd expect to see if the three different parts were 'blued' at different times , it's almost impossible to tell which without examining the gun and making a couple of simple tests , but with KarlTates photos , Rich's recent set of shots ( HMS ) and the 'Profiles in History' ones you can clearly see the gun has been surface coated at some point particularly the gun frame internal shots , the barrel openings front and rear, and the upper receiver around the bolt and end caps .
I would have expected the gunsmith or armourer used to build the prop in the first place, would have tried to reproduce the gun blueing , even to the extent of 'lightening' or re blueing the gun , so it would look like a finished manufactured product, as we were told it was ,when it was delivered on set for the first time. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Author |
Message |
racprops
Community Member
Joined: 30 Oct 2006
Posts: 2450
Location: Phoenix AZ
|
| Posted: Fri Feb 25, 2011 7:30 am Post subject: |
|
|
Scoffman thanks, sounds very much like what I am already using, as it behaves just the same.
Is it light blue in color?
And it is milder that another pewter black I once used, the stink was bad, eye burning gas and I had to do it outside or else....
Rich
_________________
I never have enough time to do all I want to do! |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Author |
Message |
SCOFFMAN
Community Member
Joined: 23 Mar 2008
Posts: 126
Location: Spokane, WA
|
| Posted: Fri Feb 25, 2011 11:24 am Post subject: |
|
|
| racprops wrote: | Scoffman thanks, sounds very much like what I am already using, as it behaves just the same.
Is it light blue in color?
And it is milder that another pewter black I once used, the stink was bad, eye burning gas and I had to do it outside or else....
Rich |
No, it is brown in color and it actually smells like rust. The light blue color you describe sounds more like nitric acid that has some copper dissolved in it. Ferric chloride is much less toxic than nitric and sulfuric acids that are also used in etching of metals. You can generally neutralize the copper ions in solution after etching by adding sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) and then you can dispose of the spent solution down the drain. In darkening of pewter however, so few copper ions are transferred that you can simply reuse the solution. It doesn't take a lot of it to oxidize pewter.
It is still toxic however, and you should use appropriate eye and skin protection when using it. If you happen to spill some on yourself, simply washing it off will suffice - it will not burn you like acids will which is why it is generally preferred in the etching of copper based alloys - and there's no stink or gases put off if it's being used to darken pewter, and not much when it's being used to etch copper alloys.
Scoff
_________________
Fiery the angles fell, deep thunder rolled around their shores, burning with the fires of Orc. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
