How to Patina Copper Jewelry Like a Pro: This is the exact finishing process I use on my own jewlery
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- Опубліковано 29 чер 2024
- Today we're going to talk about how to patina copper jewelry like a pro. This is the exact finishing and polishing process that I use on my own wire woven jewelry. And it works just as well on silver, brass, and bronze wire jewelry as it does on copper.
Best of all, it only requires one smelly chemical, Liver of Sulfur (LOS), and an affordable jewelry tumbler. So, whether you're a hobbyist or a budding wire weaving pro working to grow your small handmade business, this simple 7-step patina and polishing process will work for you!
Download my FREE Patina and Finishing Process Checklist!
🔗 door44studios.ck.page/f982dbc924
What's included?
✅ A checklist to help you build your patina kit
✅ A checklist to help you build your polishing kit
✅ A step-by-step proven finishing process workflow
✅ My own recipes for Jewelry Cleaner and Neutralizer Bath
✅ Links to additional jewelry finishing resources
SHOP THIS VIDEO
🔗 door44studios.com/patina-wire...
⏱TIMESTAMPS:
00:00 - How to Patina Copper Jewelry Like a Pro
00:49 - Cleaner & Neutralizer Solutions
03:31 - Step 1: Clean Your Jewelry
04:41 - Step 2: Neutralize the Cleaner
05:56 - Step 3: Patina Your Jewelry
09:08 - Step 4: Neutralize the Patina
11:12 - Step 5: Burnish Jewelry to Restore Highlights
16:58 - Step 6: Clean Thoroughly Before Tumbling
18:38 - Bonus Tip: Keep Chains from Tangling in Tumbler
22:26 - Step 7: Load Tumbler Barrels
23:31 - Bonus Tip: Tumble at Least This Long for Best Results
26:07 - Bonus Tip: My Favorite Hand Polishing Products
26:32 - Troubleshooting Tumbler Finishing Problems
This video and/or description may contain affiliate links. If you click on a link and then make a purchase, I may earn a small commission (at no cost to you). To learn more, please see my full disclaimer: door44studios.com/disclaimer/
Do you want to master the art of creating jewelry with wire?
📙 Download my FREE Jewelry Wire Reference Guide! 📙
🔗 door44studios.ck.page/b142844773
You'll learn:
○ What types of wire work best for making jewelry
○ Why I use copper wire almost exclusively
○ Where to buy high-quality jewelry wire
○ How to choose the best wire gauges for each project
CONNECT WITH ME ONLINE:
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A rich patina and high-shine polish are the perfect finishing touches for your handmade wire jewelry. This process is simple, but missing one step can drastically change the outcome of your finish. So, be sure to download my free Patina Process Checklist today! door44studios.ck.page/f982dbc924
Patina download
@@toritori2285 did you have a question about the patina download? Let me know if you had trouble getting that PDF.
Hello, I'm having trouble downloading a PDF file. Thank you for teaching, you explain wonderfully what oxidation is all about.
@@maja-skraptworki1928 are you using the link I provided in the pinned comment? If so, be sure to check your spam folder for an email from me that contains a link that will allow you to instantly download the file.
@@Door44Studios I checked everything thoroughly, nothing. I downloaded twice, no.
You are so thorough and thoughtful in your tutorials. I loved this one because I am getting ready to patina several pieces, and thought I do know how it works, it is so much better and reassuring to go to the EXPERT first.
Thank you for going through the entire process. Now I can go forth and do every process correctly. I especially appreciated the way you keep your chain from getting tangled. 🙏🏼💗
So glad this tutorial is helpful. Thanks for watching!
Thank you so much for this awesome workshop/tutorials. It blows my mind, how much attention you spend on details, that is excactly the kind of info I was looking for a long time. I am very greatful and learned more than I thought was possible. Merci :))
Grtzz, Marion
You are very welcome! 🤗
Wonderful video Wendi!! LOL, where were you when I was learning to wire wrap? Love your instruction and tips on Patina and Polishing. Bless you for sharing.....thank you.
You're very welcome, Gaynor. It's wonderful to see you here!
ANOTHER GREAT VIDEO! THANK YOU!
My pleasure! 😊
Thank you! Wonderful lesson on patination. So many tutorials show you how to apply but not how to take some off again and then finally polish up the pieces.
I'm so glad you enjoyed this video! Please let me know if there's anything you'd like to see in more detail than you've found in other tutorials. I'm always happy to share the whole process, rather than just bits and pieces of it. Thanks for watching!
This video had so much information tips; thank you, thank you!!!
My pleasure. Thanks for watching!
See now I like the brighter copper look with just a tiny area of patina. I wouldn't use a tumbler. But of course that's me lol.. Your jewelry is very beautiful and thanks for the tutorial. The hearts in your other video are super pretty.
One of them things I love most about copper is that it's a metal of many colors. There's a shade of copper for everyone! Glad you're enjoying my tutorials. Thanks for watching! 😊
Thank you so much for all this info. Am so happy to have run into your site. You explain everything in detail and very well I must add. Looking forward to learning so much from you. God Bless.
Welcome to Door 44 Studios, Maria! Happy to have you along for the ride. 😊
Great demo.
Hope it was helpful. Thanks for watching!
Thank you once again!!! I wasn't to sure what steps went first. God bless!
Happy to help. Thanks for watching!
I just want you to know how much I appreciate all the hard work that you are putting into all this new technology so that we can learn from you. When I started working with wire, it took me a very long time to figure certain things out, most of which you covered here. And as always, one can always learn something new. So thank you so very much and keep up the good work.
I struggled to figure things out on my own in the beginning, too. That's why I do what I do! I believe it's true that knowledge is power, but only when it's shared. Hoarded knowledge is wasted knowledge. Also, I'm convinced that only way to grow this wonderful craft is to make it more accessible for beginners. So, that's my mission!
Amazing video. Your pendants turned out beautiful.
Thank you so much! Glad you like them. And thank for watching! 😊
The chain ‘bone’ is a brilliant hack! Thanks! Learned so much practical info in your video. Can’t wait to put them into practice!
You're very welcome. Thanks for watching! 😊
So glad I found your channel! Those are the most gorgeous pieces of jewelry I’ve even seen! Love the copper with the turquoise colored beads! 🥰🥰🥰
Thank you. And welcome to Door 44 Studios!
Excellent. Thank you
You're very welcome. Thanks for watching!
Thank you ! I was doing the steps but not good enough! It is amazing at how just a little thing can make such a Hugh difference. I love the extra that you give in your tutorials. Makes a huge difference in the final results.
Yes! Missing just one step can make a huge difference. There are parts of the creation process where you don't have to be super carful to follow each step, but finishing is not one of those parts. Take your time, and you'll end up with a much nicer finish!
This was an informative and easy video to follow. Thank you so much!!!
My pleasure! ☺️
Thank you for sharing your knowledge, thanks to you, I gave a higher quality finish to my copper and electroformed jewelry, and I learned new things, thank you, new follower
I'm so glad my content has been helpful for you! Thanks for following and welcome to Door 44! 🤗
What a great video! I found your channel while looking for "tumbling time" information. After following your tips, I just unloaded the most beautiful batch of copper wire links! I compared a previous batch, and there really is a huge difference. Longer neutralizing time, longer tumbling. I had to jump back on and say thank you! 😊
You're very welcome! I love hearing that you saw a difference in your results with just a few little tweaks to your process. Thanks so much for sharing your experience!
Thank you especially for the safety tips!!!
My pleasure, Mary. Thanks for watching!
Hi, new to your channel and to wire work. Your tutorials are very informative and clear, easy to follow. Thanks so much. PS I hope you get paid for ALL the ad's UA-cam puts in here in Australia.
Thank you. I'm so glad my tutorials are helpful for you. Also, thank you for enduring the ads. I know they can be frustrating but UA-cam does share the ad revenue with me and it does help make it possible for me to keep my channel and my blog online.
Wendy, I’m so glad that I found your UA-cam channel! Thanks so very much for sharing your skills with us….. I worked over thirty five years as a licensed aircraft mechanic and did a lot of metal work and am familiar with work hardening of metal. We had to anneal the sheet metal during our processes too. Best Wishes…….
That's cool, Gary! I learned much of what I know about metalwork while working as an automated equipment mechanic at Eastman Kodak many years ago. I worked with some old school machinists who taught me everything they knew. ☺️
@@Door44Studios I too learned from a lot of old school mechanics……..
Thank you wonderful tips🤩🤩🤩💖💖
You're very welcome. Thanks for watching! 😊
Thank you so much! I am new to jewelry making and haven't tried wire weaving yet, but you make beautiful pieces. I wasn't sure what kind of tumbler was being used. I was only familiar with rock tumbling which didn't seem correct for jewelry! I thought maybe it was a vibratory tumbler or some special machine for jewelry, but it' a rotary tumbler! Without the grit, lol. Very interesting!
Yes, the Loretone tumbler that I use can also be used for rock tumbling. The tumbling media is what makes the difference. So, if you already have a rock tumbler, all you'll need to buy is some stainless steel jeweler's shot. Also, make sure you clean your barrel really well before tumbling jewelry because any trace of the harsh grits used to polish rocks can scratch the metal and gemstones in your jewelry.
I’m brand new and have not even started making anything but I’m excited to get started. I just hope I don’t lose your videos on UA-cam.
Welcome to Door 44! Be sure to hit the subscribe button. That way you'll always be able to locate my channel when you need to find my videos. ☺️
Thank you I have that liver of sulphur but haven’t tried this yet I have some dried chucks I used previously I don’t know if it’s still good prob 6 yrs old at least I used a little crock pot to put the liver of sulphur because I heard it worked better to heat it. So I’m really glad you made this video.
Hi, Barbie. I'm so glad you found this video helpful! Heat does help, but I don't bother with using a crock pot. Hot water straight from the tap works well. The dried chunks of LOS do have a shelf life, and they go bad pretty quickly if they're not stored in an airtight container at a pretty consistent temperature. The nice thing about the gel LOS is that it's shelf stable and will last indefinitely. So, you'll get a lot more use out of that type. You'll be able to tell if your dried LOS is good if you put it in water and it turns a deep clear amber color. If the water looks muddy and the color is basically the color of the dried LOS, it's gone bad.
I’m learning so much from you. Thank you 🙏. I just have one question. I can easily find antique copper coloured pins, earring hooks and findings but I cannot find antique coloured 20 gauge wire. Have you any ideas? I need my wire to be the same colour as my findings 🤦♀️. Thank you for any advise
I make all of my own findings with the same wire that I use for my jewelry. I also avoid using coated wire, which is the type of wire you're asking about. So, I can't suggest any specific sources. If you really want to use coated craft wire, try searching for Artistic wire in antique copper. I believe that brand offers that color.
Thank you soooo much for this video! You're an angel, really
You're so welcome. And welcome to the Door 44 community! I buy all my chain from riogrande.com. Just go to their website and search for "flash plated copper chain" to find the two weights of chain that I use most frequently.
Очень красивая патина!!
Thank you! 🙂
Thank you again for another wonderful video! Two questions - what type of shot do you use and how much shot do you put in the tumbler? Thank you again for sharing your talents.
Just one pound of shot per barrel. It's very easy to overload your barrels, which will cause excessive wear and tear on your tumbler motor. So, I recommend weighing the shot with a reliable kitchen scale. I have two different jeweler's mixes of shot. One has pins and the other one doesn't. Both mixes have 3-4 different shapes, which helps the shot reach all the little nooks and crannies in your jewelry. This is my favorite mix of the two that I use: www.amazon.com/Stainless-Tumbling-Jewelers-Tumbler-Finishing/dp/B00LLJY3OS/ref=sr_1_4_sspa
I found your post on the final treatment of the jewel very instructive and detailed (cleaning and patina). In the event that I want to leave the copper in its natural color, can I still follow the cleaning procedure to protect it for a long time from the alterations of the metal ? (I have no tumbler)
Great question! The hard truth about copper is that it will always tarnish. It's just the nature of the material to oxidize over time. The way that I deal with that is to routinely give my jewelry a quick hand polish with a Sunshine polishing cloth. I don't coat my jewelry with any sort of protective coat, but Sunshine cloths are permeated with a crystalline wax that does provide a temporary protective coat. This slows down the tarnishing process, and because I ware my jewelry frequently, I find that taking a minute or two to shine my jewelry before I put it on in the morning is more than enough maintenance to keep my jewelry looking beautiful all the time. This video is a great follow-up to the video you just watched as it covers my routine jewelry cleaning process: ua-cam.com/video/ELlIkQ-5FgY/v-deo.html
I just found you! Thank you for the informative videos! I’m wondering if you can skip the steel wool step if you don’t have a wire wrapped pendant? I just have chains and a very simple textured disc or other shaped pendant. Would you do that step on that kind of a project?
Welcome to Door 44! Yes, you can absolutely skip the steel wool. If you want your chains and pendants to have some color variations, though, you will need to use some sort of polishing product to bring out some bright copper highlights after the patinas bath. A Tumbler alone won't do that. I would recommend using pro polish pads or a polishing cloth to brighten up the high spots. This blog post will help with that: door44studios.com/clean-handmade-wire-jewelry/
Hi Wendy than you so much for these wonderful instructions!!! You mentioned issues after tumbling; mine is that my pieces go in with highlights and dark areas but comes out ALL the same "gingerbread" tone 😔, any ideas what I could be doing wrong?
Hi, Yvonne! There are two potential things that could be causing that problem. First, make sure you're neutralizing your patina thoroughly before you put your pieces in the tumbler. Use more baking soda than you think you'll need and let your pieces soak in the neutralizing bath for several minutes before rinsing and burnishing. Secondly, your steel shot may be dirty. There's a simple fix for that problem as well. Here's a tutorial that will walk you through the process: ua-cam.com/video/AHslNqXpxgM/v-deo.html
Just downloaded and read through the pdf….. its a ‘must have’ to refer to as needed.
So glad you found that PDF helpful!
Once again, a great video with detailed information. Thank you. Some of your information differs (slightly) from what I've learned in the past, so I will give it a try. I've used less water and less soap in the tumbler and had very good results, but I have only used silver and gold filled wire. Is there a difference when tumbling copper? Also, an unrelated question. I've been practicing weaving with copper and seem to work harden the wire with my grip or pulling to make it snug. Any suggestions? (I've been making jewelry for years, but never anything woven. Your videos have inspired me to try!) Thanks for videos.
Welcome to Door 44, Eve. I'm so happy to hear that my videos have inspired you to try weaving! There is not much of a difference between tumbling copper vs. silver and gold filled wires. The only difference there would be that gold doesn't take a patina, so it's much easier to achieve a beautiful tumbled polish. You won't need much soap or water to polish bright gold-filled wire. Or bright silver, for that matter. When I patina silver jewelry, I treat it just like copper. Be sure to neutralize your patina completely before tumbling, and it may help to use a bit more soap in your tumbler as well for antiqued silver pieces.
Any wire will work harden as you weave. It's not just copper that does that, but your observation is correct. Too much tension on your weaving wire will cause your wire to harden. Focus on easing your tension up a bit. If you've ever worked with yarn, imagine how much tension you'd use to wind a ball of yarn. You want to use a similar degree of tension when weaving wire. It's far less than you think is really necessary. I'll see if I can squeeze a weaving tension quick tips video into my schedule soon because this is a common question. So, thanks for asking!
In another video you mentioned that you sell a lot of these necklaces….what formula do you use for pricing? Thank you for all your instruction/tips on finishing jewelry! I did not know about neutralizing the patina.
I'm actually working to phase out all finished jewelry sales, but I've always used a standard wholesale markup of 2.0 and a retail markup of 2.2. So, I determine the cost of materials and labor for each item and add those numbers together. Then I multiply that number by 2.0 to get my wholesale price. To get my retail price, I multiply the wholesale price by 2.2.
I used to work for a home décor manufacturer that made signs and picture frames, which were popular gift items. That's where I got those markup numbers -- they're the same ones we used to determine the wholesale and retail prices for the products we manufactured.
Discolored wire from the tumbler might be a result of the water. Some wells have sulphur. Some public water is filled with chemicals. I use filtered water from a Brita and it seems to have worked.
That's an excellent point. And a really great tip. Thanks so much for sharing! ❤
Is there something I can use other than the tumbler to bring back the shine? Like the polishing cloth? Or maybe a polishing spinning wheel?
Yes. Either of those will work. Be sure to check out this video where I share the two products I use for hand polishing: ua-cam.com/video/ELlIkQ-5FgY/v-deo.html And if you have a rotary tool, you can buy polishing wheels for that. Unfortunately, I don't use a rotary tool at this time, but there are lots of people who do. Check out instagram.com/metalsmithsociety/ for some great polishing tool recommendations and tips.
Hi, I’m having trouble finding bare copper chain with lobster claps for my Jewelry! I want to be able to oxidize the chain also any recommendations on where to get bare copper chains from?
I buy all my chain from Rio Grande. Solid copper chain is rare, but they carry some good quality flash plated bare copper chains that you can patina to match your wirework pieces. I'm not sure if they carry copper lobster claw clasps, though. I make all my own clasps, so it's never occurred to me to look for them at Rio.
FYI. In a pinch if you don't have any sulfur liver liver sulfur whatever it's called , you can use an egg. Scramble the egg put a paper towel down and a plastic container with a cover, put the scrambled egg to one side, and put your jewelry to the other side then cover. Of course you want to do that when the scrambled egg is hot, and it's entirely up to you on how long to let it sit for on how patina you want your piece to be.
Yes, you can use eggs to oxidize metal. It's not a very reliable technique, though. it's also messy and time consuming.
Hi, Wendy!
Thank you for this tutorial! Just a side question... I need to order some unfinished copper chain. What is the type and size of the chain you are using? Maybe also where you bought it?
Hi, Diana! I buy all of my chain from Rio Grande. The chain that I used on the necklace featured in this tutorial is a 2.4mm oval cable chain. It comes on 20-foot spools. I'd consider this a medium weight chain, and it's the one that I use most frequently. The item number is 67777220.
Hello, I used Jax brand green patina on my wire but I finished it with Protecaclear varnish and it seemed to take some green off. What can I finish the piece with?
I've never used Jax brand patina or Protectaclear. So, I can't say for certain what might have gone wrong. That being said, the instructions for applying that particular green patina are very specific. Did you brush it on and let it dry for 24 hours before sealing it with the Protectaclear? And did you clean the piece thoroughly before adding the patina? It sounds like maybe the patina wasn't fully bonded to the metal and that's why the color rubbed off when you added the clear coat.
I'm a wire weaver myself, But I don't Patina my jewelry. When I used to I refered to your site. May I send them to you, and your video for them to find you? As you explain it better than I could.
Of course! I'd be honored if you send people my way. And I'm always happy to answer questions from newbies. Thanks for reaching out! 😊
so you always have to so this to cooper? how do you jeep the original color copper bright and neat if you dont want to change it?
No, you don't always have to go through this whole process. I only do this for new jewelry that I just made. But copper does tarnish faster than silver. So I always give my copper jewelry a quick hand polish with a Sunshine cloth whenever it starts to look a little shabby. It only takes a few seconds for jewelry that I wear frequently. And maybe five minutes or so for a piece that I haven't worn in a long time. Like most heirloom quality items, copper jewelry requires maintenance.
Yeah, I learned quickly not to use my copper Haws watering can XD. Best to buy two of them I hate to say it, one for show and one for use.
Copper is a high maintenance metal, but I love it anyway. I'm so used to giving my jewelry a quick polish with a Sunshine cloth before I put it on that I don't even think about it. It's just part of my normal daily routine.
Hi, I’m trying to find a way to achieve the same look, however I am allergic to sulphur. Do you have any suggestions? ❤️🇦🇺
That's a really good question. I've never experimented much with other patina solutions because LOS has always worked beautifully for me. But there are some sulfur-free alternatives out there. Gun bluing is probably the most common LOS alternative, but that might be hard to find in AU given strict gun laws there. So, my advice is to do a Google search for sulfur-free copper patina and then experiment a bit with those recipes until you come up with a patina solution that gives you a look you love without the sulfur fumes.
fyi to assist in un-knotting a chain powder it with talcum, corn starch or baby powder and it will just slip apart
Brilliant! Thanks for sharing a great tip!!
Is a tumbler necessary?
Nope! You can also polish your pieces by hand with a polishing cloth or with a rotary tool and polishing wheels.
Hello Wendi, thank you for sharing your knowledge with us! I have a question: i did everything except for the tumbling. After i finished the Jewelry with steel wool i left it to dry on a paper towel, and now they have some rusty stains everywhere... Can i safe the pieces somehow from throwing them it the trash? Any tipps on that?
Yes, you can definitely save them! It's just some rust from the steel wool fibers that were left on your pieces. But copper and silver wire don't rust, so that will come right off with a bit of cleaning. Grab an old toothbrush and scrub off the rust in some warm soapy water, then make sure you rinse the pieces really well and pat them dry with a soft cloth. Any steel wool fibers that are left on the piece will break down into rust again, so you have to make sure you get every last bit of the steel wool out of your pieces and they will be fine. I always do this final cleaning step just after using the steel wool. Another thing you can try is to run a strong magnet over your pieces after you've burnished them with steel wool. That will also help remove any bits of steel wool that are caught in your weave.
@@Door44Studios Thank you so much 💜💜💜
@@carolingrant3101 my pleasure! Let me know if you have any more questions. 😊
Do you have to put it through the tumbler? Can the piece just be done after patina and hand polish?
You do not have to tumble. Tumbling is one of the most convenient polishing techniques because you can polish multiple pieces at once. But you can absolutely polish your pieces by hand, either with a basic polishing cloth or with a rotary tool, if you have one.
A quick note - vinegar and salt dissolves the foil on the back of glass rhinestones ;)
It does, indeed. I don't recommend subjecting glass rhinestones to LOS patina or tumbling, either. Whenever I use that type of stone, I always set the stone after those processes are complete.
How long do you let the jewelry set in the cleaner?
Not long. If it's freshly made jewelry, the cleaner will work in seconds. So all it will need is a quick dip. If you're cleaning heavily tarnished jewelry that you want to refinish, you'll need to let it sit in the cleaner for quite a while. But be careful if there are gemstones in the piece because vinegar can etch softer stones. In that case, it may be better to use a rotary tool or a brass jeweler's brush to remove the old finish.
Will the areas that you shined up with the steel wool oxidize naturally again?
Yes. That's just the nature of raw, uncoated metals. Sterling silver will oxidize too. It will just tarnish a bit more slowly than copper, brass or bronze. But it's actually quite easy to maintain a nice finish on copper jewelry. I touch my jewelry up as needed with a Sunshine polishing cloth whenever the highlights start to fade.
See this video for my jewelry maintenance routine: ua-cam.com/video/ELlIkQ-5FgY/v-deo.html
I'm just starting out and can't invest in a tumbler right now. What can I do instead?
No problem! You can always polish your jewelry by hand with a couple of inexpensive products. I talk about my hand polishing process in this video: ua-cam.com/video/ELlIkQ-5FgY/v-deo.html
Hi, Is there a specific reason why copper jewelry has to be patina ? Can you just leave the jewelry be left the same as when you make it. I was just curious because I have seen it on other videos.
Personally, I think copper looks better with a patina. It's also easier to maintain an antiqued finish than a bright copper finish. But it's purely personal preference. You can choose to patina your jewelry or not. Some people are content to let their copper jewelry patina naturally over time. And others prefer a bright copper look. It's totally up to you.
Hi will bare copper wire from the hardware store work
Yes, it will. The only challenge you'll run into is that you'll find a very limited selection of gauges available at your local hardware store.
I am new to using tumblers and am concerned to put pieces in with glass or crystal beads. Do they not break during the tumbling process?
That really depends on the beads. Most Czech glass beads will tumble just fine without any damage, and most Swarovski crystal beads also do well in the tumbler. The pieces that are most likely to get damaged are those that have a colored coating over the glass bead (like glass pearls, for instance). If you look at the community tab on my channel page, you'll see a post where I shared some crackle glass beads that were recently damaged in my tumbler. As it turned out, those beads were clear frosted glass with an orange colored gel coat, and that colored coating did not survive the tumbler. When in doubt, test! I'll often look for a misshapen or chipped bead that I can sacrifice for a tumbler test, and I'll throw that bead in with a batch of jewelry to see how it does. If that bead comes out of the tumbler undamaged, the rest of the beads are likely to be fine as well.
@@Door44Studios Wow fantastic info. Many thanks and blessings to you for your kindness in sharing!
@@yvonnemairose6100 you're very welcome. That's what I'm here for! 😊
Where do you buy the chain?
From riogrande.com. Type "flash plated copper chain" in their search bar, and you'll find the two chain sizes that I use most often. The chain that's used on the necklace featured in this video is the 2.4mm size.
Do you know of any stones that the LOS would not work well with? I use a lot of rough cut cabochons, sometimes polished ones. I would guess that the same rules apply that if if is a mineral and you can not tumble it, I probably wouldn't put it in LOS. Correct?
Correct. I use the mohs hardness scale as a general guideline. Stones with a mohs hardness of 6 or higher are usually safe to submerge in LOS and to tumble. Those that have a mohs hardness of 5 or less may be stained by LOS or scratched in a tumbler. When in doubt, test on an inconspicuous spot on your stone.
@@Door44Studios thank you so much 💓
Greetings Wendy, I am attempting to download your instructions, however nothing is coming to my email. Is it still available? Second question. When using real copper spacer beads, can they still be patinated?
Hi there @phenomenal_woman Those instructions are still available. Check your spam folder and make sure the confirmation email didn't end up there. If you don't find that email there, send a request to hello@door44studios.com and I'll send that patina guide to you directly. And yes, if your copper spacer beads are indeed raw copper, they will take patina just as well as copper wire. Just make sure the package doesn't say anything like "tarnish free" as that indicates the beads have been coated with some sort of clear coat.
Will LOS work on enameled copper? Maybe that's a dumb question
That's not a dumb question at all! The answer, unfortunately, is no. LOS reacts only with bare (uncoated) non-ferrous wires, which include copper, silver, brass, and bronze. It will work on silver filled wires, but not on any sort of enamel or poly-coated wires. The purpose of enamel and clear anti-tarnish coatings is to prevent oxidation. But, as you'll see in my wire guide, those coatings never last very long. They'll eventually chip, peel, or wear off. And once the surface of the wire is exposed to air, it will begin to oxidize naturally.
Question...Will this process also work on gold wire?
I don't believe this process will work on gold wire. Gold doesn't oxidize naturally like copper, silver, brass, and bronze. So it is typically antiqued with a very different process (rhodium plating). That being said, I've never personally tried to patina gold wire. So, I'd suggest testing it yourself on a small scrap piece of material. That way you can see for yourself if it will give you the look you're after.
How do you know which stones are safe to tumble after doing the patina?
I use the Mohs hardness scale. Google any gemstone along with the phrase "Mohs hardness" and you'll get a number between 1 and 10. Gemstones with a hardness of 6 or higher are usually safe to patina and tumble. Anything 5.5 and under will likely be stained by patina and/or scratch in the tumbler.
@@Door44Studios Thank you!!!
@@aprilwhite6853 my pleasure!
What is in the cleaner solution? I don’t see that in the notes.
As stated in the video and the notes, the recipes for both my copper cleaner and the neutralizer can be found in the free download. You can access that freebie here: door44studios.ck.page/f982dbc924
What size containers are you using? Is it ok to put gems and stones in LOS?
The containers that I use are the 4 cup (32 ounce) Rubbermaid containers that you can pick up at any grocery store. Large Mason jars also work well for this purpose, if you prefer using glass.
As for gemstones and LOS, that really depends on the stone. I don't recommend submerging soft gemstones in LOS. I consider gemstones with a Mohs hardness of 5.5 or under soft gemstones. So, things like pearls, magnesite, coral, etc.
I'll usually paint the LOS directly onto the metal with an artist's paintbrush or a cotton swab to avoid staining soft gemstones, then I'll either polish pieces with soft stones by hand, or I'll tumble the wirework separately and then attach the gemstone after the wirework is polished.
Gemstones with a Mohs hardness of 6.0 and up are generally safe both to tumble and to submerge in LOS. Examples of hard gemstones are jasper, labradorite, and quartz.
The only exception that I've found to this so far is fossil coral, which has a Mohs hardness of 6.5 to 7, but it's still essentially coral, which is a very porous stone. I have known LOS to stain fossil coral, but I've never had an issue tumbling it.
It can be hit or miss with some gemstones, though. Stones like Kyanite, for example, have a unique molecular structure that makes can result in either soft or hard stones, depending on how the gemstone was cut. So, I recommend always testing a sacrificial bead or cab to be sure that it can handle LOS and tumbling. And, when in doubt, err on the side of caution.
@@Door44Studios Thanks for all the info!
@@tracyalbright1791 you're so welcome!
Can the polished oxidized copper ever stain clothing?
I've heard people complain of this happening, but it's never happened to me, and I've never had a customer complain of staining. Oxidized copper should not stain clothing, as long as the patina is completely neutralized and cleaned once the copper develops the desired patina. Copper can stain skin, however. And that stain could potentially rub off on clothing. That sort of staining is due to a chemical reaction between copper and the sweat of a person who has a slightly acidic pH level.
@@Door44Studios oh ok thank you so much!!
@@iheartyusak my pleasure!
Is a tumbler noisy? I live in an appartment.
A rotary tumbler isn't very noisy st all. I also live in an apartment and I've never felt that my tumbler made enough noise to disturb my neighbors. Vibratory tumblers can be quite noisy, but the noise level varies quite a bit from one make to another.
I lived with a noise sensitive friend. I put my tumbler on a folded towel and then place a plastic bin over it. Everyone was happy.
Can you tumble without water???
I've never tried it, but I wouldn't recommend it. The soapy water acts as a lubricant between the jewelry and the steel shot. So, it works sort of like wet sanding with a super fine grit of sandpaper.
What is shot?
Shot is the stainless steel media used in a tumbler to polish jewelry. It's a combination of various shapes of small metal bits. Those different shapes get into all the nooks and crannies of jewelry while it's in the tumbler, and the friction of the steel shot constantly rubbing the jewelry is what ultimately creates that high shine finish that you see on my jewelry when it comes out of the tumbler barrel.
why doesn't the shot scratch the beads in your jewelry?
Good question! Shot will damage certain fragile beads, so I'm very careful about the types of beads that I tumble. But for gemstones with sufficient hardness and true colored glass beads, the shot is harmless. A good quality jeweler's shot mix has a high polish finish and very smooth edges. So, there are no burrs or sharp bits that can scratch the jewelry. Also, the soapy water acts as a mild lubricant. That creates the conditions that allow the shot to polish the metal surfaces without damaging the gemstones or beads. But, again, I am VERY selective about the types of beads that I tumble. I've done a lot of experimentation through the years, so I know what I can tumble and what I can't. When in doubt, always tumble a single bead that you're willing to sacrifice to see if your beads can handle being tumbled. Most crystal beads (particularly those with AB finishes) can't be tumbled. The same for some of the cheaper Czech glass beads. And soft gemstones (anything with a Mohs hardness of 5.5 or less) definitely can't handle being tumbled. Anything with a hardness of 6.0 or higher is usually safe.
Thanks so much for the info. Your videos are great quality tutorials. Thanks again.😊
You should not dump it down the drain even if it’s neutralized, take it outside and dump it dig a hole with them. They’re covered up.
You should always do whatever you feel works best for your personal circumstances.
Steel wool is much more abrasive than brass wool & brass wool is softer & much more durable than steel wool & wont leave remnents ,,just sayin
That's a good point. Brass wool isn't as readily available but for those who have access to it, it's a great alternative to steel wool. Thanks for the suggestion!
I was wondering if you ever use ProtectaClear. I hear it can keep jewelry from tarnishing and turning the person green.
I do not use ProtectaClear. I prefer to leave my jewelry uncoated because I find it much easier to maintain the finish that way. But a lot of people use that product and love it. So, I would suggest trying it to see how you like it.
@@Door44Studios Thanks
How do I find real copper chain? There are so many fakes out there. thanks
Solid copper chain is very hard to find and they're generally not very attractive. So, I use high quality flash plated copper chains, which I buy from Rio Grande. Look for chains with soldered links (for durability) and an uncoated copper finish so you can patina your chains to match your wirework. Rio carries a handful of chains that meet this criteria and you can buy in bulk on 25-foot spools.