Thank you Stu
HMS Discovery 1789 scratch build in 1:48
- Thread starter Don Case
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I tried urine on a test piece and it didn't work. I think the cooper I got has some kind of coating. I think I'll try lightly abrading it and pee on it again 
Do you see some CA marks that I don't? I hardly used any CA in the build.
misunderstanding. I cleaned up mine because of CA glue and I suggested that the alcohol and wire wool removed any coating that may have stopped the urine from being effective.
Kurt Konrath
Kurt Konrath
Your getting some folks peed off with your methods of aging copper.....
Let us know if it works, like tar pitch, worked well but smelt awful for a while.
Let us know if it works, like tar pitch, worked well but smelt awful for a while.
I got distracted building a ships yawl. I'll get back to peeing on the copper next time I go.
Speaking of going. I got looking at the head again and I just couldn't figure out how a man could safely climb off the forecastle down to the seats. In the first picture you can see that when he's standing on the bowsprit the rail is in is armpit. It would be very tough to climb up. (especially with no arms ) Climbing down would be risky. So I started measuring. I discovered that somehow I had made the rail 2 feet to tall. I have no idea how I did that. I don't drink any more so I can't blame that. So to fix it I had to pull out all the timberheads. They were pinned in 3/16", it took a lot of soaking with alcohol before they came out. I only broke two and I had three spares. Then I had to soak off the rails back to the hance. It took a while but it wasn't difficult. The holes from the timberheads allowed the alcohol to get under the rail. Then it was just a matter of filing off the excess and putting everything back. I took some before and after pics. You can see now that the rail is just below his hip. It took about six hours but it makes it more believable.
) Climbing down would be risky. So I started measuring. I discovered that somehow I had made the rail 2 feet to tall. I have no idea how I did that. I don't drink any more so I can't blame that. So to fix it I had to pull out all the timberheads. They were pinned in 3/16", it took a lot of soaking with alcohol before they came out. I only broke two and I had three spares. Then I had to soak off the rails back to the hance. It took a while but it wasn't difficult. The holes from the timberheads allowed the alcohol to get under the rail. Then it was just a matter of filing off the excess and putting everything back. I took some before and after pics. You can see now that the rail is just below his hip. It took about six hours but it makes it more believable.
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Thanks for the likes. I'm really liking the looks of the ship better now. The bow doesn't look so blunt or something.
Thanks for posting your build Don,
I hope the armless sailor has received some treatment after losing his arms, at least a good pint of rum.
Cheers,
Stephen.
It was rum that caused the loss of his arms 
I use Liver of Sulphur for aging the copper.
Liver of Sulphur, XLGEL is a Gel Liver of Sulphur to Patina Metal, Ships Tomorrow, Use on Silver Copper Bronze Brass Metal Leaf and Clay - Etsy Canada
FLAT RATE Shipping MOST Orders and we ship fast! XL GEL - gel liver of sulphur Extended life gel in your choice of: - one ounce bottle - two ounce bottle - four ounce bottle Use one teaspoon in 12 ounces of water so you can see this will last you several uses. choose the size desired from the drop
www.etsy.com
How do you use it? Is it a paste or liquid?I use Liver of Sulphur for aging the copper.
Liver of Sulphur, XLGEL is a Gel Liver of Sulphur to Patina Metal, Ships Tomorrow, Use on Silver Copper Bronze Brass Metal Leaf and Clay - Etsy Canada
FLAT RATE Shipping MOST Orders and we ship fast! XL GEL - gel liver of sulphur Extended life gel in your choice of: - one ounce bottle - two ounce bottle - four ounce bottle Use one teaspoon in 12 ounces of water so you can see this will last you several uses. choose the size desired from the drop
Actually I have it in the state of a green paste that I dilute with some alcohol, apply it on the cotton pad and lightly apply to the copper. I do not have the one I posted above. Looks as they say it is in a form of gel. I imagine it should work same way.
One should be very careful using this stuff as it can make your copper tarnish very dark in no time.
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Did you tried the ammonia/ salto technique? The verdigris technique.
Sea water (salto water) does the same thing to brass or copper. In the 17th century they use this blue corrosion to make blue paint.
And here is a video with a lot of ways to colour metals
And here is a video with a lot of ways to colour metals
Nothing seems to affect my copper. It seems to have a coating of some kind. I've rubbed it with no effect. I'm leery of using sandpaper or such as I'm afraid of catching corners. It's possible that it is tarnishing but it's so slow that I'm not noticing. I'm just in the transition to rigging. Very steep learning curve going from three dimensional parts to parts that almost have one dimension. I'll try to get some pictures up here soon. 50th wedding anniversary coming up on Thurs so I've been busy prepping for that.