Steel - surface patterns, colors & chemical treatments

Following are a number of patina tests on steel. Please click on any image to see a larger version.

The first three samples demonstrate the lovely quality of transparent colors on etched steel.


Solvent Dye colors	Solvent Dye Colors	Solvent Dye Colors

Next 4 - The first one, Jax Copper, has limited promise. Its an acidic process, so you have to neutralize the acid quickly with baking soda. Some rust spots remain. The remaining three show that acid just creates various rust patterns on steel.


1. Steel - flap wheel grind Jax Copper - 10 seconds drain then baking soda to neutralize acid rinse then dry Incralac lacquer Note - a few orange spots indicate slight rusting	2. Steel - flap wheel grind Jax Copper plate drip drain no rinse for 24 hours rinse then dry Incralac Note - the rinse helped bring out the color	3. Steel - 3M pad Jax Copper plate - 10 s quick drip drain spray baking soda solution and rinse 2x Vista Patina Rust dry then Incralac this continues to rust under lacquer	4. Steel - 3M pad Jax Copper plate - no rinse Powder blue patina dry then Incralac Note: better results would have been achieved with a baking soda bath Note - keeps on rusting after lacquer

Next 4 - Jax Copper, then ammonia has some interesting effects. Clearly it works best when the acid is fully neutralized with the baking soda first.


5. Steel - flap wheel Jax copper plate - drain Baking soda bath - spray ammonia while still wet - then dry - Incralac	6. Steel - flap wheel Jax copper plate - drip drain - spray ammonia while still wet -dry then Incralac Note - should have done ammonia bath to neutralize acid better	7. Steel - 3M pad Jax copper plate - drip drain - spray ammonia/copper/salt - rinse after 60 minute - dry - Incralac	8. Steel - wire brush clean Jax copper plate - drip drain - spray ammonia - no rinse - dry - Incralac

Next 4 - salt or acid on steel makes rust.


9. Steel - flap wheel spray on solution of ammonia/salt/copper dry - Incralac note: rust yellow is actually red Note - perhaps an epoxy coating with a polyurethane coating on top of that would stop moisture from further rusting	10. Steel - flap wheel clean Jax copper plate - baking soda bath - dry - spray with solution of ammonia/salt/copper - dry - Incralac Note - salt and acid really attack the metal - they will probably keep on eating away at it in the slightest condition of humidity	11. Steel - 3M pad clean Jax copper plate - no rinse - Vista Patina Blue - dry - baking soda bath - rinse - dry - Incralac	12. Steel - 3M pad cleaned Jax copper plate drip drain- spray baking soda - rinse - dry - powder blue patina - dry - sprayed on gray primer on top half by mistake! - wiped it off with acetone - Incralac Note: greens, blues, black and red rust against steel & copper try again

Next 4 - salt or acid on steel makes rust.


13. Steel - flap wheel clean Salt water spray - dry - Incralac	14. Steel - 3M pad & acetone Tiffany Green patina rinsed off after 30 min - dry - Incralac	15. Steel - flap wheel Jax copper plate - rinse - dry - pour on Dye Oxide Blue - dry - Incralac Note how transparent the dye is Note: yellow color is actually copper color	16. Steel - wire brush Jax copper plate no rinse - dry - Universal Blue - dry - Incralac Note : Universal Blue develops a much better color on porous patina

#20 is interesting - Copper B coating on steel, then an acid patina - no rust


17. Steel - 3M pad clean Jax copper plate - rinse - Tiffany Green Patina - 3o minutes then rinse - dry - Incralac	18. Steel - 3M pad Jax copper plate Tiffany Green patina - no rinse - dry - Incralac	19. Steel - flap wheel clean Tiffany Green patina - no rinse - dry- Incralac	20. Steel - flap wheel clean automotive primer - copper B coating 2X - Tiffany Green Patina - dry - Incralac

Next 4 show promise - Copper B coating over steel, then an acid patina over that - no rust. 22, 23 and 24 show good strong color.


21. Steel - flap wheel Automotive primer copper B coating 2X Clear ammonia then mylar square placed for 1 hour then removed, all resprayed - dry - Incralac	22. Steel - flap wheel automotive primer copper B coating 2X Traditional Blue Patina dry - Incralac	23. Steel - flap wheel automotive primer Copper B coating 2X Powder Blue patina dry - Incralac Note: this has several shades of blue in it	24. steel - flap wheel Automotive primer Copper B coating 2X Vista Patina Blue dry - Incralac

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