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Offline GGaskill

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Bronze coating
« on: May 25, 2011, 12:10:00 PM »
Someone posted a reference to a bronze coating process and I cannot find that post to add this followup, but I emailed the vendor for further information and this is what they said:

Yes, our bronze and all our metals develop patinas naturally over time.  We
can also apply patinas on the base metals to create and antiqued, oil-rubbed
or verde finish -really any look you want.

Our process is a cold-sprayed metal, so any substrate can be coated: wood,
plastic, acrylic, metal, etc. The metal is very durable and will not wear
off.

All the metals are the same price and we typically charge by the square
footage of surface area to be coated at $120.00 per sq/ft., and we have an
$85.00 minimum.

We have all metal types and can mix them together to make custom metal
alloys. If you would like to send some pieces for us to coat with the
different metals we can make a sample set for you.

Let me know if you need pricing, samples or literature.

Feel free to call if you have additional questions or to discuss your
project.

Thanks,
Wendy

Wendy E. Scheck
President
 
Liquid Metal Coatings, LLC
7015 West 16th Avenue
Lakewood, CO 80214
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Offline seacoastartillery

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Re: Bronze coating
« Reply #1 on: May 25, 2011, 12:38:57 PM »
     It sure is a small world, George.  Liquid Metal Coatings is only six blocks away from where Mike and I set up our very first rifle-making and gunsmithing shop in 1977.  We will check this place out tomorrow or the next day.  We have always wanted to turn a nice 3/4 scale 1841 6 pdr.  out of steel and have it plated, but this sounds like it might be more doable and certainly less expensive.  Any idea how many square feet there are on a full size 1841 Bronze 6 Pdr.?

We will try to get some samples on a piece of 1018 with a typical cannon muzzle config.

Tracy and Mike
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Smokin' my pipe on the mountings, sniffin' the mornin'-cool,
I walks in my old brown gaiters along o' my old brown mule,
With seventy gunners be'ind me, an' never a beggar forgets
It's only the pick of the Army that handles the dear little pets - 'Tss! 'Tss!

From the poem  Screw-Guns  by Rudyard Kipling

Offline GGaskill

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Re: Bronze coating
« Reply #2 on: May 25, 2011, 02:19:45 PM »
Order of magnitude estimate would be 10" dia x 66" cylinder (10x3.14x66/144=14.4 ft2.)

Since it's tapered smaller than 10" dia, the true area would be less.  Pretty expensive at $120 per square foot.  One would think plating would be cheaper.

Didn't notice the "3/4 scale" til just now.  (7.5x3.14x50/144=8.2 ft2)
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“If you're not a liberal at 20, you have no heart; if you're not a conservative at 40, you have no brain.”--Winston Churchill

Offline gunsonwheels

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Re: Bronze coating
« Reply #3 on: May 25, 2011, 02:42:32 PM »
I have talked to Wendy but a few weeks ago and I am sure she quoted me  $100 a square foot.  Wonder what it'll be next week?  I have a 3/4 scale 1841 and a Verbruggen on order from SBR that I have been thinking of getting one or both done with this process.  Denver doesn't appear to have anyone doing bronze plating.  Hope the Broomfield guys find out more for us and ask Wendy about the price increase.

George/GunsOnWheels
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Offline GGaskill

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Re: Bronze coating
« Reply #4 on: May 25, 2011, 02:51:47 PM »
Might check with the artist community to see if there is anyone doing bronze plating.
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“If you're not a liberal at 20, you have no heart; if you're not a conservative at 40, you have no brain.”--Winston Churchill

Offline rampa room artillery

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Re: Bronze coating
« Reply #5 on: May 26, 2011, 02:03:03 PM »
well it just so happen that i have been looking at a plating kit.   mostly nickel but brass also , not bronze  but i dont think it will be any harder,  just have to use bronze anodes.   its looking like 300 to 400 dollars to get set up .  so after 5 or 6 jobs  it would pay for it self.  I have a original  UCV gallager that the nickel plating needs to be redone , it is almost all gone. and would look great to bring this gun back to life. as a show peice.   i am surprized no one here has a plating kit yet.     I was trying to get my hot blueing tank going but the chemicals are rediculasly pricy  its cheaper to gold plate something. then to hot blue it.

 rick bryan
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Offline dan610324

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  • bronze cannons and copper stills ;-))
    • dont have
Re: Bronze coating
« Reply #6 on: May 26, 2011, 04:30:48 PM »
why by a kit for a lot ov money when you probably got most of the stupp at home already ??

a car battery
a plastic container big enough for what you are plating
a few feet electric wire
a small piece of the alloy you want to plate it with

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Dan Pettersson
a swedish cannon maniac
interested in early bronze guns

better safe than sorry

Offline rampa room artillery

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Re: Bronze coating
« Reply #7 on: May 26, 2011, 04:37:36 PM »
I guess you got a point  but isnt there some acids??  i need to do some more research on this idea.

  rick bryan   
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Offline dan610324

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  • bronze cannons and copper stills ;-))
    • dont have
Re: Bronze coating
« Reply #8 on: May 26, 2011, 04:44:25 PM »
water and baking soda will do

search     DIY PLATING  on youtube and I guess you get a few hours video watcing on how to do it
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Dan Pettersson
a swedish cannon maniac
interested in early bronze guns

better safe than sorry

Offline seacoastartillery

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Re: Bronze coating
« Reply #9 on: May 26, 2011, 05:31:05 PM »
    Mike and I visited Liquid Metal coatings in Lakewood, Colorado today at lunchtime.  We met and talked to Wendy Scheck, the company's President at length.  She seems to think this surface treatment would work on cannons.  I'm not sure.  The process is a sprayed on coating of real metal flakes (so small they look like powder).  They claim the metal and the carrier, polyester, can withstand a 1,500 Lbs adherance pull test.  The finished product is typically .010" to.012" thick.  Looking at some samples, I would say that is accurate.  The luster we saw ranged from what you would expect a fresh from the investment look to a highly polished, Infantry Training Center cannon look.  They had one bronze cast horse that was highly reflective and was what Wendy called their finely abrasive polished look.  I think it was buffed too which is fine as long as you have got it past the point of seeing 600 grit scratches.  I previously thought this shiny finish was only in the realm of plating. 

     The price is $100 per square foot. 

Mike and Tracy
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Smokin' my pipe on the mountings, sniffin' the mornin'-cool,
I walks in my old brown gaiters along o' my old brown mule,
With seventy gunners be'ind me, an' never a beggar forgets
It's only the pick of the Army that handles the dear little pets - 'Tss! 'Tss!

From the poem  Screw-Guns  by Rudyard Kipling

Offline gunsonwheels

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Re: Bronze coating
« Reply #10 on: May 27, 2011, 10:31:54 AM »
I reconfirmed the price also and we both have the same number now...

From my understanding paint or metal powder coating are just as dependent on surface prep for their bonding as are adhesives.  From a research paper my brother did years ago that bonding can be increased by up to 700% with proper prep... solvent cleaning and acid etching are at the top of the list.

And I haven't discussed this with Wendy...  but I will before and if I use their services.

George/GOW
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