I've got items of door furniture (letter box, knocker etc) that are made of solid brass but they've not been polished for years so they're pitted and looking very tired.
I've tried Brasso and lots of elbow grease but I'm just not getting down to a level where it would make a difference.
So I'm looking for the best way to get them all buffed up by using something that I can attached to my drill.
Any guidance would be much appreciated.
VT
if its a smooth surface - or was, simply emery it down to get level, then start on fine emery and T-cut or jewellers rouge or valve grind compound, THEN finish with brasso.,
The letter box is flat/smooth so I guess the emery paper is OK but what grade would you suggest and could I use this with an orbital sander?
The knocker however is a big ring with twisted sort of ribbing (sorry there must be a more appropriate description) so it might need different treatment. This is a real challenge.
VT
Solvol Autosol (from Halfords) and a mop attachment for your drill.
Funny you should say that. I just purchased some Solvol Autosol (brought back memories of the late 60s and motorbikes) and I have a Dremel with suitable attachment. For exactly this purpose. I just don't have the circular tuit right now.
In message , Bob Eager writes
And, by coincidence, I've just found half a tube of it which must be what, 30+ years old
Those were the days eh?
As long as you had a tube of solvosol, grease and hermatite, what more did you need ?
The Brass stuff will have originally been epoxy laquered, whose remnants are still as tough as old boots. I usually burn it off with a gas torch etc, before starting with the abrasives.
Garryflex blocks, in a range of (coloured) grits. Also sold under the Roebuck name.
Webrax / 3M / Mirka pads (like pan scourers with grit in) in brown (very fine) and grey (ultra fine) grades
Rouge or tripoli block on a cloth or powered cloth wheel / Dremel felt bob.
Lacquer with a methacrylate lacquer, nothing else on brass. (Rustins)
Tilgear, Axminster et al sell this stuff.
Don't use Autosol, it's expensive and too hard for brass. Don't use anything with ammonia (including Brasso) as it'll be shiny today, dulled tomorrow.
As always, finish one grit before moving finer. Skipping grits too quickly is a waste of effort.
Use the right lacquer.
Put a magnet on it first, and feel the weight... Lots of 'brass' these days turns out to be plate when you get it (Screwfix for example did solid brass electric sockets for a while, but continued advertising them as the same when they were made of plate.). The pits are often holes that go down to the iron underneath on old stuff, and, on new stuff ally, and you don't want to rub the plate away getting down to the bottom of the pit.
Assuming it is solid brass then you may first need to go over it with nitromors as it is often lacquered, and even if it isn't this will get off the ground in skin and grease too. If you do adopt chemical or heat methods watch out for the core metal of some of the old knobs: I got a shock when the grey metal (presumably zinc/magnesium) that took the square turning rod of one of mine melted and ran out - took a lot of fiddling to make a replacement - when I was trying to hurry old lacquer off...
Then as TNP says, there really isn't much option but to choose the minimum grade of emery/wet or dry, that will enable you to rub down past the pits. Deep ones you may even have to start off with riffler files. Keep the scratches all going the same way with the first grade, then rub these scratches away by going at right angles with the next grade down; then at right angles again, and so down through the grades. When you have got down to 600 or 1200 - 1400 - depending on how much of a perfectionist you are - T-cut or similar metal polish in a circular motion will rub out the fine scratches that are left. If your pieces are easily detachable you may find it easier to polish with wet and dry under the tap with a dash of wash-up liquid now and again. In preparing metals for microscopic examination a polishing sloping surface with water running over several grades of wet or dry was used, followed by a final burnish on a diamond lapping wheel.
Brasso and Autosolve and similar products don't really polish: they just fill in the finer scratches: which you can prove for yourself by wiping a so 'polished' surface with paraffin, which wipes the 'shine' back off. It is better to polish properly - by reducing scratches to the minimum acceptable size - and then oil your product, rather than go for a brilliant finish that will mark and pit after the first fingerprint or raindrop.
For a real brilliant finish you will need a proper polishing mop or buffing wheel, for which you can get several grades of cutting 'soap' and jewellers rouge. But it would still be best to wipe the surface with an oily rag regularly afterwards. (Oh and it'll get v hot on a buffer so leather gloves are in order.)
The irregular shape of your knocker would probably be best tackled with various grades of brass brush wheel, but you will need (as with the buffing wheels) to find a way to clamp your drill securely, or get a bench grinder/buffer - which is always worth having. Once you have cleaned it with the brush wheel, then you go on to the polishing soaps on the buffing wheel again. Keep different mops for different grades of buffing soap.
*Don't* whatever you do, be tempted to use an iron brush wheel.If you don't want to tackle the mops and such, you can achieve a fair bit on irregular surfaces with, say, strips of towelling or bootlaces. and various grades of grinding paste. Hold the knocker in soft vice jaws and work the strips of cloth 'shoe shine boy fashion' through it with one end in each hand: you may actually find this easier than a pukka buffer in fact.
Sounds hard, but it is actually satisfying producing a good polish: rather like getting that perfect sharp edge on a chisel or scythe.
S
A motorbike, and a patient girlfriend.
Still got the bikes (enfield and BSA)
seem to have got through a number of girlfriends since then, though
Superb article. Should be in the wiki.
Not polish: wipes off with paraffin and if you don't oil it you end up having to grind off the marks made next time it rains. I ruined the finish on my Ducatti with the stuff before I realised, and went for anodising and wax instead.
S
Yup, but watch out for those melty centres - see below...
S
All seconded, save the lacquer bit: always looks better polished and wiped over regularly with oily rag. Or you'll be repeating the whole process again before long.
S
If there's one thing that I like It's a burn up on my bike A burn up with bird up on my bike
Please excuse my ignorance: what causes pitting in brass?
Don't really know, but these are the original bits that have been on the front door since 1928 so maybe chemical corrosion from London pollution?
VT
I used it on alloy casings.
OK, I did the magnet thing and there was no attraction and going by the weight, it feels like solid brass.
VT
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