Brasso ?

[DRW]

Can anyone suggest a really good method for bringing back the shine to a bronze rubbing band on the gunnel of Ratafia?

This band is about 70 foot long, an inch and a half wide, sits on mahogany, and has been painted over with the same sort of varnish or wood preparation that the gunnel was painted with some time ago. It has kind of become camouflaged now not really noticeable, but it would be great to bring a shine to it.

If I use brasso and elbow grease, I will probably make a pigs ear of the wooden gunnel, run out of enthusiasm and cover it with Burgess Hydrosol like the wood it now sits on and have wasted a couple of days hard rubbing.

What does the forum think? There has to be a better way…………

 

[Peterduck]

I think that eventually you'll run out of steam with the polishing. The weather will get the better of you in the end - the only question is; how quickly will it do it? Find a way of accepting that bronze will be covered in verdigris except where it has been rubbed off by some wharf or other. 'Taleisin' is an extremely well-found yacht, and all the bronze has been allowed to weather to verdigris and the teak to a pale silver. It looks just fine.
Peter.
Peter.

 

[rogerthebodger]

First remove the varnish or wood preparation with either paint remover of abrasive paper.

The polishing of any kind os metal (I polish alot of stainless steel but bronze is the same process)

1) I use a small angle grinder with 120 grit sanding disk to remove all cause marks.

2) I then use 120 grit flap wheel in a drill or 6000 rpm die grinder to remove sander marks

3) 240 grit flap wheel to remove 120 flap wheel marks

4) 320 grit flap wheel to remove 240 flap wheel marks

5) I have a big 2000 watt angle grinder with polishing mop and polishing soap. this soap for polishing bronze

It is quite a process but this will get you a mirrow finish if you do not run out of steam.

Brasso only after this (Brasso is a very very fine abrasive polish only to get a very fine finish.

I only use this on ny brass wall closk in my cabin

Any kind of polishing your rubbing band will make pigs ear of the wooden gunnel so if you go that route be prepaired to fix damage to mahogany supporting it

 

[DRW]

Re: Brasso?

Thanks for the replies guys.

I haven't used those flapper discs before, but that certainly seems the way forward - possibly not with the polishing compound as that will make a mess of the surounding wood, as you pointed out - but it sounds like these discs will let me just get the metal and not touch to much wood.

Then once all the painty stuff is off and the bronze is nicely exposed I can sit back and let it mature properly (and let the Mrs give it an annual polish).

 

[old_salt]

Get to a chrome-plater and polishing shop or suppliers and beg steel or borrow or buy some small polishing mops and felt wheels with emery grit 2 or 3 grades and the glue.
A couple of large screws say 4/5 ins X 14s or bigger cut down to make "arbours", role the mops in the glue and them the grit let them dry over night, them you have your own endless supply of grit and polishing wheels best used with a mains drill cordless don't like the sideways force put on them. I also have an old fan motor 3000 rpm brench mounted with a picador spindle and some old /new felt and mops up to 8ins dia and do all my own polishing it saves £££s.

 

[rich]

Re: Brasso?

Try unscrewing and take it off /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif
I tried to polish it once, it stayed shiny for about a week!

 

[srp]

Re: Brasso?

The proper finish (ask any reputable antiques restorer) for brass and bronze on a classic boat is not polished - leave it to oxidise naturally.
Using metal polish in-situ will fill the surrounding mahogany grain with white polish residue and look bl00dy awful. Coating polished bronze with lacquer or varnish won't work - within 6 months you will have discoloured patches and the problem of having to strip it all off again.
Don't waste your time.

 

[pugwash]

Sounds silly but try vinegar. My old brass cabin lamp came up a treat. WHen you've got it shiny enough, rub over with furniture polish tokeep the air out and the shine will last longer. But vinegar did not work very well on my old brass compass. WOrth a shot though.

 

[Capn Pugwash]

My wife discovered a really good method of "renovating" brass/bronze. Equal quantities of lemon juice/vinegar/salt. The salt gives an abrasive quality while the lemon juices provides a bit of "oomph"! Try it on a little piece first (don't 'alf pong a bit though!)

 

[DRW]

Re: Brasso?

Taking it off ?!?! You taking the ?!?! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
Thanks Richard, Sean has some new photos of her.