Steel FX / Copper FX Issues..

[Oggjay]

Can someone tell me what I am doing wrong here.. We've watched all the videos and following the instructions yet we get the same turnout..

[skiwithnoskis]

I am a beginner with the steel fx, but it looks like you aRe not drying fast enough. And it is flash rust

[Oggjay]

I am applying patina, rinsing and then compressed air drying with in seconds... Can't do it any faster..

[steelfx]

If you have any other photos, especially of your steel prior to applying the COPPER F/X, I'd like to see them.
The speckles are definitely flash rust. Can't tell 100% from the photo, but it looks like your steel needs to be
a little more polished before applying the COPPER F/X.

TIP: Spray the COPPER F/X on the steel after you've flushed off all the grinding dust w/ water. Blow off the excess water, but leave the steel wet. Apply the COPPER F/X quickly, making sure you don't go over the same area/s more than once.

Maximum recommended time of contact with the COPPER F/X prior to neutralizing: 5 seconds.

With the COPPER F/X you need to have your patina sprayer in one hand and your garden hose in the other hand.

Kind of a "wax-on/wax-off" thing. (The Karate Kid)


thanks,

Bill

p.s. my emil is bill@steef-x.com
phone # is: 1.800.710.1273
cell is: 435.668.7244 if you need to send a photo by text.

bw

[Oggjay]

Thanks Bill for your input.. The only thing I think we are not doing enough of is polishing. We will try polishing more and see if that helps. Where we are, we have a lot of heavy iron in our water.. Could that be causing issues??

[steelfx]

Thanks Bill for your input.. The only thing I think we are not doing enough of is polishing. We will try polishing more and see if that helps. Where we are, we have a lot of heavy iron in our water.. Could that be causing issues??

That could be part of the problem, but I think the level of polishing is the main issue. If you happen to get the same results after a shinier polish, you might want to do your final rinse/neutralizing with distilled water. You could put some in a pump sprayer & try that. Let me know how it goes...

thanks,

Bill

[dustywill]

OggJay,
I am by no means an expert. I've been at this less than a year, but I can tell you of my experience. I have found that all traces of the original surface have to be gone. If not, that portion has a small amount of oxidation on it and it turns brown/black when the copperfx hits it. It also seems to flash rust faster.

[Oldsarge]

One thing I have learned which is important especially on larger pieces.... Once you spray on your patina and move on to another section, do Not let Any overspray settle into a finished area. When I do a base of copper, I spray from one side to the other and use my water spray to create a "curtain" between the finished and unfinished areas. Once you spray copper and it's exposed to the air, it seems that Any subsequent contact with any patina in the form of overspray will cause effects like yours. After I get a good base of copper, I do my highlights up close and with a heavier stream to prevent a fine misted overspray, while still working the water to protect previously finished areas. When I get the colors I want, then it's a good long session of clean very dry air to dry it off quickly and thoroughly as possible. As far as polishing goes, I actually need areas to be rough and swirling to achieve the effects I want. Think of patinas like oil painting.... You don't just grab a brush or knife and start laying on color. A canvas is usually given a base of titanium white or whatever that is built upon layer by layer. This allows subsequent layers of color to mix, blend, interact... So it is with metal. I start with a"base coat" of sanding the entire piece to a grit that I'll use to build on. Then depending on the piece I'll Swirl, grind, dimple or otherwise "texture" the surface of the piece to get what I want in the way of "physical texturing" before I start with any color. Once you start spending more time doing this prep then you'll start to tie it into color and how the two relate to the final product.

Hope this helps some!

Oldsarge

[oldsoulmetal]

I would try rinsing with distilled water. would take your home tap water impurities out of the equation....