Coverplates - Working on a couple of new projects

[HowardR]

I have a project in the works and another one on my mind, that includes dobro coverplates......I am so done with chrome hardware and while there are some other options available that would work......I want something that is unique and possibly has not been previously done.....I can't help it, that's how my mind works.....not sure if it's a blessing or a curse......but enough about me.......what do ya'll think of my coverplates?.......

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[Bill McCloskey]

Those are amazing Howard.

[Howard Parker]

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Something new......

Actually, the hardware has been around for a while. Not identical to Howard's but... similar vibe.

[Glenn Wilde]

Those look awesome!

[Bill McCloskey]

So cool Howard. Are you making these for other people?

[Howard Parker]

Who is "you"?

HowardR, HowardP or..?

It's a Beard coverplate in my photo.

[Bill McCloskey]

Ha. I meant HowarR.

[HowardR]

So cool Howard. Are you making these for other people?

I've just made these for myself,...for my projects........but I don't see why I couldn't if there was an interest......

[Jonathan Scherer]

Very cool, HowardR,
some of my favourite colors!

Looking forward to seeing them on the resonators.

J

[Greg Forsyth]

Very cool looking cover plates, Howards. I too am so done with chrome. HowardR, do you care to share your process?

[HowardR]

Sure,....I'm happy to share......

Sculpt Nouveau is a company in California that supplies all kinds of patinas & metal coatings......for these coverplates I used their Rainbow patina which involves heating the metal before applying and after you apply it......you're going to have to experiment and if you have brass scrap you can avoid screwing up a coverplate......when you're heating (I use a torch but you can also use a heat gun) the brass will first develop blues & warm colors......the more you heat it the darker it will become and you will begin to lose the blues......you will then have an antique brass/bronze coloring......so it depends what you want........I also used their Torch patina, which is just a brush on that does not require heat........I showed 2 coverplates......one has more brass/gold color which was just the Rainbow patina.......the other has a combination of color plus antique brass/bronze and that was using a combination of the two patinas......first, I hot patina'd the coverplate with Rainbow to give me color and then rinsed it in water (you do this with most patinas to stop to process when you have what you want) then, I coated the brighter brass areas with the Torch patina and let it sit for a while until it reached the duller colors that I wanted......I was very happy with this result because I was able to keep the colors and add the antique look without losing them.......also.......Sculpt Nouveau sells "Color Loc"........when you spray a clear coat on the finished patina, you lose some color......Color Loc will lock in the colors and then you can top that with a clear coat.......have fun......

[Greg Forsyth]

Thanks for your detailed response HowardR. Were your coverplates brass to start with? I have an extra chrome coverplate and am wondering if i can do a similiar process to the chrome.
I'll check Sculpt Novuea website for info,

[HowardR]

I used brass cover plates.......There are other metal coatings & stains that you can use instead of patinas if you rough the surface of the chrome......otherwise you'd have to remove the chrome by sand blasting & then soda blasting for a finer surface.....there are chemical methods as well......even some common household items combined can remove chrome to some extent but that takes more time.....

[Greg Forsyth]

Would probably be best to sand blast the chrome

[Andy Volk]

Cool look, Howard.