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images of patina on Low melt alloy sculpture
Francis Baker -
Tuesday, July 29, 2008 - 4:43pm
cuperic sulfate | low melt alloy | patina Here are some images of the patina I achieved using Cuperic sulfate on Low 281, a low melt alloy of bismuth and tin. I got some 3M abrasive cloths to clean up the whitish dull surface I was getting. Then I went and treated the surface to more Cuperic sulfate. This time there was less whitish dullness. I had to clean up the surface with the sanding cloth, but not as much. I also used an ultrasonic cleaner on them. This caused slight chipping of the patina surface on one of the hearts. On the outside of the hearts, there is a patina of antiquing solution.  Why did you use this low
visitor -
Tuesday, July 29, 2008 - 9:10pm
Why did you use this low melt alloy? What did you use to make the molds? marilyn  Low melt alloy
Francis Baker -
Wednesday, July 30, 2008 - 1:07pm
Low melt alloy is an alloy of bismuth and tin, this particular formula has no lead. I picked it because I wanted to make a cast. My casting skills are somewhat rudimentary. I am good at making resin and rubber casts. Silicon will take a temperature of about 600 f. Originally, I wanted to use Lead. Lead has a long history in Artwork...(well since the 60's). Richard Sierra did his thrown lead pieces and Anselm Kiefer did his Lead wings and Lead airplanes. I thought a lead heart would be significant, both in terms of weight and concept. The only thing is that I could not make a rubber mold to take the heat of lead. Add to that the toxicity of lead and I was out searching for some other substance. Low melt alloys come in a bunch of varieties, some melting as low as 120! But the lower the melting point, the higher the cost. I found the low 281 (melts around 281) and it suited my needs. It has the weight of Lead, yet shines up like silver and is harder than lead. I love this stuff. The unfortunate part is that the cost almost tripled in the last couple of months. The molds were taken from an anatomical heart, with some alterations that I made. cheers, Francis www.francisbaker.com That was a good answer. I
visitor -
Wednesday, July 30, 2008 - 1:21pm
That was a good answer. I like the idea of "lead" weight and hearts. Thoughtful. Keep us posted on how you do this, supply sources etc. You may start something. marilyn |
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ArtMetal
Low melt
Francis, welcome to Artmetal. Those are some very interesting pieces!!! Nice patina inside and out. So what is low melt alloy?
How are they cast............sure are neat looking?
warren
http://www.metalrecipes.com