Where the
world gathers for metal finishing
Q&As since 1989


-----

Town artist needs antique patina on very large steel pieces?

Thanks for the information on rusting metal. I'm about to embark on a large scale community art project. I will be cutting out approx. 26+ figures (3/4 life size) of cowboys and cattle from 1/4 plate steel. I'm trying to recreate a cattle drive down the center medians on Main street in this old western town. We want the metal figures to look very rustic. Our first thought was to let the pieces rust naturally, but we are in a very dry climate. And it may take a hundred years for this to occur. Besides the technique that Mr. Anderson describes; does anyone else know of a way to give very large steel pieces a vintage look? I need the pieces to have a patina that appears to be a rusty worn weathered look OR a forged darkened look. It sounds like the technique used by Mr. Anderson requires a special area to drain all those chemicals? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Brenda Christian
picture framer, artist - Cottonwood, California, USA
2004

---

You can use 50 gm iron chloride/1 lit water solution! You must lacquer or wax it!

Good luck!

Goran Budija
- Cerovski vrh Croatia
2004