RC10Talk - The Net's Largest Vintage R/C Community

sandkil wrote: ↑Tue Feb 19, 2019 4:11 am The plan is to paint it, but I had thoughts earlier of leaving it bare.

Wow that is some really fine work! It is already brass / gold naturally. What would a metalized buffing coat of some "metal" type and then a clear coat of appropriated finish look like?

There's a chemical called " liver of sulphur " that surface blackens copper / brass in a nice metallic way , I've used it on my replica airsoft guns from time to time , you put about a tea spoon full into 1.5 pints of hot water and dip the item in and watch it change to the colour you want , then remove and rinse in cold water , very easy but does smell of rotten eggs while you do it .

TRX-1-3 wrote: ↑Wed Feb 20, 2019 5:09 am

sandkil wrote: ↑Tue Feb 19, 2019 4:11 am The plan is to paint it, but I had thoughts earlier of leaving it bare.

Wow that is some really fine work! It is already brass / gold naturally. What would a metalized buffing coat of some "metal" type and then a clear coat of appropriated finish look like?

Its though as hell just finishing upp after the brassing. The flux makes everything dull and redisch in color. With all the nooks and crannies it is very hard to get to. My plan is to media blast the hole thing once everything is brassed and then prime and paint.

Dadio wrote: ↑Wed Feb 20, 2019 5:25 am There's a chemical called " liver of sulphur " that surface blackens copper / brass in a nice way , I've used it on my replica airsoft guns from time to time , you put about a tea spoon full into 1.5 pints of hot water and dip the item in and watch it change to the colour you want , then remove and rinse in cold water , very easy but does smell of rotten eggs .

Now we are talking!
I might have to check this out. Thanks for the tip (y)

Its also very cheap and if you don't like the finish it will come off with media blasting or just paint over .

Dadio wrote: ↑Wed Feb 20, 2019 5:31 am Its also very cheap and if you don't like the finish it will come off with media blasting or just paint over .

Hey Dadio, Do you know how the solder joints react to these chemicals?

No I'm afraid I don't know for sure but it will probably do nothing or make it black , i don't think its going to eat it , the process it to fast and the chemical to mild . I'd try it for you but the little I have left is probably inert by now , it has a shelf life that's fairly short and its years old .

Dadio wrote: ↑Wed Feb 20, 2019 7:19 am No I'm afraid I don't know for sure but it will probably do nothing or make it black , i don't think its going to eat it , the process it to fast and the chemical to mild . I'd try it for you but the little I have left is probably inert by now , it has a shelf life that's fairly short and its years old .

Thanks man. It's all good. I will order Birchwood brass black and try on some scrap pieces with some solder on there.
Tried upload some more pics, but won't let me. Says they are too big. 115 kb has never been too big before

Birchwood Casey brass black is rubbish , I've tried it , my other hobby is WW2 Airsoft Reenactment and I custom build rifles so I'm constantly using these type of products , the Birchwood Ally black works and their perma blue for steel works but the brass black never works for me , that's how I found the liver of sulphur . If you've already ordered the Birchwood stuff then I hope you have better luck than I did but you might find it frustrating .

I just did a test with the old liver of sulphur i have on lead and copper , it seems to clean the lead nothing else .Both pieces are treated on the left and natural on the right ,dipped for 20 seconds and lightly buffed.


Hope this helps , i should have tested it for you before sorry .

Dadio wrote: ↑Mon Feb 25, 2019 10:58 am I just did a test with the old liver of sulphur i have on lead and copper , it seems to clean the lead nothing else .Both pieces are treated on the left and natural on the right ,dipped for 20 seconds and lightly buffed.


Hope this helps , i should have tested it for you before sorry .

Thanks for all the help Dadio.
I have not yet ordered any solution.. I have read trough threads on different solutions from Brichwood, liver of sulphor to Jax products.. Looks like Jax might be the way to go. Just need to find someone that is willing to ship it here.
Thank you once again for taking the time and helping me out. Greatly appreciate it man

Your very welcome , its sharing what we know that makes a great forum , I just hope you find a product that does justice to your work .

Steering prototype no. 1

that stuff is INSANE

I love it!

Very cool, sandkil. That cable tension adjuster is really trick!!