Protective topcoat over blackened brass?

[Mike_In_RI]

I have blackened brass hoops for assorted whaleboat line tubs and buckets. They look fairly uniform and have been washed, rinsed and polished.  I'm about to mount the hoops but need advice before that about if/what fixative layer and assembly sequence I should use. i.e .. mount the hoops then varnish the hoops along with the tubs? ... wax the hoops and mount them after the tubs are varnished? etc. I also have several harpoons and lances that would need the same treatment.

Any help would be much appreciated.

Mike

[barkeater]

I have used Testors Dulcoat. As the name implies it does not give a shiny surface. Some people don't use any coating but I do feel it helps maintain the blackenig.

[wefalck]

Shellac, lineseed oil, or acrylic varnish would be options. It depends on what degree of shine you anticipate. You may want to give the wood a treatment with wood filler, rub it down with steel wool and then put on the bands. The final treatment then could be any of the previousl mentioned or, indeed, nothing.

[Mike_In_RI]

Thank you both barkeater and wefalck for your help. The tubs & buckets are also ready for final coating. It sound easiest to just mount the bands and shellac/varnish everything in one go once I settle on the grade of finish.

 

weflack: Would shellac also be a reasonable solution for adhering the bands to the tapered tubs so they don't drop off? I had been gearing up to drill and pin them.  I just happen to have leftover shellac flakes from a French Polish project years ago.

 

Thanks again,

Mike

 

 

[wefalck]

Shellac is a traditional glue, used by many trades ...

[Mike_In_RI]

Great... back to the project and thank you again.

[Bob Cleek]

On 7/29/2020 at 3:55 PM, Mike_In_RI said:

Would shellac also be a reasonable solution for adhering the bands to the tapered tubs so they don't drop off? I had been gearing up to drill and pin them.  I just happen to have leftover shellac flakes from a French Polish project years ago.

Shellac is a decent enough adhesive for such purposes, but I'd opt for a dot or two of Duco or CA adhesive. I would not "drill and pin them." While barrel and bucket hoops were sometimes riveted and then driven on, I believe most were forge-welded hoops. They are driven down onto the barrel or bucket with a mallet and a "hoop driver." If they were nailed into the barrel, the barrel would likely leak in time, or at least have weak spot in the stave.

 

Hoop driver:

 

 

See: https://cooperstoolmuseum.com/coopers-tool/

 

While others' mileage may vary, I'm of the opinion that models are better off left with as little coating as possible. Paints and varnishes are necessary, of course, but I prefer a light rubbing with a 50/50 mixture of boiled linseed oil and turpentine or a coating of thin shellac for unpainted wood and a coating of thin shellac and paint for painted areas. Frankly, I think the plethora of proprietary varnishes, clear coats, and other gunk on the market today is really just a lot of marketing hype. At the end of the day, the first thing that seems to "weather" on a model is the paint and varnish and the thicker it's applied, the faster and worse it goes to pot, not to mention that the thicker the coatings applied, the more fine detail is lost. Scale is important in paints and varnishes as much as in anything else, and perhaps even more so. In judging model quality, poor painting and varnishing is perhaps the most frequent demerit.

[Mike_In_RI]

Hi Bob. Thank you for the input. With my whaleboat project, I'm trying to take the time to get the correct practices worked out before moving on to the next model. So, I really appreciate the help I get including historical content. That cooper tool museum link was great. Speaking of the hoops, here is one you may like... The sixth generation cooper works on a hoop at 16:05. It's a long but fascinating video.

 

https://sydneylivingmuseums.com.au/2018/06/14/centuries-old-coopers-craft-proves-evergreen

 

Mike

[wefalck]

Shellac is being used, e.g. by watchmakers to glue parts for turning operations onto flat discs, so-called wax-chucks. It is quite strong, as long as you don't jerk or bang it. It has the added advantage that you can take it off with a drop of alcohol, if you are not happy with the result.

[Mike_In_RI]

Quote

Shellac is being used, e.g. by watchmakers to glue parts for turning operations onto flat discs, so-called wax-chucks. It is quite strong, as long as you don't jerk or bang it.

Yes. That sounds similar to the barrel hoop application. i.e adhesion in the shear directions. I'll mix up a 4 pound cut today as a feeder batch to be thinned for this and other uses i.e. knots, surface prep, etc. The flakes are quite old so may not desolve.

Thank you again, Mike

[Boxbuilds]

I have limited experience with shellac.  On a few past woodworking projects shellac has yellowed. I found mast verathane more sustaining.  As long as the wood and any underlying paintwork is completely dry, this option has been lasting and strong.  Might be worth a try. 

[wefalck]

You must have used bad shellac then. Good quality shellac does not really yellow. Or, some stain from the wood has diffused into the shellac ?