Question for Nickel carvers?

[Degs]

What's the the abrasive you use for the matt finish, I've just purchased an Badger air eraser,came with Aluminium Oxide abrasive. I've heard talk of beads but I can't find a stockist anywhere.

Thanks

Degs

 

[Doc Mark]

Degs,

I use the 100 micron beads from Gesswein Co. (#854-1291, pg. 257 of their current catalog). Rio Grande Catalog also has them (pg.291). I feel that the glass beads give a more pleasing "satin" look to the metal, as opposed to the more aggresive Aluminium Oxide. I once read that the reason for this is that the more rounded glass beads "bounce off" the metal, denting the surface, while the oxides are coarse and "cut" the surface. Sounded good to me, so I'm sticking with that explaination!

Good luck experimenting,

Mark

 

[Degs]

Thanks Mark. I'll have to try to find a UK supplier, I think shipping from USA would be quite exspensive, given the weight.

Degs

 

[Keith]

You can also dull the surface with acid. Radio shack sells a bottle of p.c. board etchant Its an orange fluid and it dulls the shiny coin right out. I apply with a Q-tip and wipe with wet rag.
Good luck.
Keith

 

[Degs]

Thanks Keith, ferric chloride I think it's called. Found a supplier of glass bead here in UK, have to buy 25kg sack though. Might buy a sack and split it down to 1 or 2kg tubs and see if anyone else needs some.

Degs

 

[Billzach]

I,ve been using aluminium oxide on my coin carvings for about 7 years, but what works for one person, doesn,t work for everybody..I tried glass beads for a while and couldn,t get the effect i wanted..Getting a good patina on a carved coin can be quite hard to do sometimes..[ps] I,ve been carving coins about 11 years, but i still find there is a lot for me to learn about carving coins and if i,m still carving 11 years from now i,ll still be learning..The best thing to do is to look at different coin carvers work and see which one you like best and inquire about how it was done..

 

[Degs]

Cheers Bill. I've tried the aluminium oxide, I found the detailing took too much black, using a sharpie. I liked the effect of getting highlights by rubbing back with the finger end. I thought the peening from glass beads might be a bit softer in the detail and shading. What do you use to get the patina. I've been using a gas torch, polishing back up with a soft cloth or finger end, then a sharpie, finish off with the soft cloth again. I like the finishes you get, and Steve Adams.

Thanks again

Degs

 

[Keith]

Ive used talc powder with the air eraser too.It runs through the air erasaer quickly but gives a lighter blast than the aluminum oxide.
Keith

 

[Billzach]

Degs
I can,t get the patina you see on my carved coins using glass beads, but this doesn,t mean you can,t or maybe even a better effect..I,m trying to find the article i send in on what i used to give my carved coins the patina you see on them, The sandblasting is only the first step and looks terrible until i apply the other steps. it,s a three part procedure..

 

[Degs]

Keith, I'll have to give the talc a try....... what's the best fragrance to use, I'll have to pinch a tin from my wife while she's not looking. Mind you, me covered in talc might give the game away.
Bill, I found your patina recipe. The sandblasting does look awfull at first, I thought " all that work and I've ruined it", but it seemed to come out OK, not quite how I'd like it to look. More experiments I think.

Cheers guys

Degs

 

[Steve Adams]

Glass beads that have been broken down over time start to create a softer effect which is great on carved nickels. If you blast glass beads against hard steel the beads start to become smaller in size, thus the metal finish will become frosted but with less fine pitting. I find that the longer I use the glass beads, the better the finish. Because I work on steel quite a bit the process of breaking down becomes apparent in about three months. For those not working with harder metals the process will take longer, possibly years. Sometimes media blasting places throw out glass bead when it no longer cleans well. That may be a source for first timers. It is surprising how many people jumped on the blasting bandwagon after a certain nickel carver first mentioned this ( hmmm ? ). Keep in mind folks, you don't have to blast a nickel ( or penny )to have a good finish. There are lots of ways to finish metal.

 

[Degs]

Thanks Steve. I'm still at the experimental stage, so I'll probably be trying a few finishes. I do like the sheen from blasting though........

 

[ihsfab]

Baking soda works very well as a blasting media, its very cheap too.

 

[Degs]

My wifes not going to be best pleased...... emptying out the bathroom and kitchen cabinets looking for blasting media....... they just don't understand.

 

[Jim-Iowa]

Do you mask off the image to protect it when you beadblast the background??
As is done on headstones, blasted wood plaques etc.
If so what do you use to mask?
While I have never done blasting on such a micro scale, I spent 4 yrs in a blasting booth in an industrial setting. Steve mentions the blasting media breaking down. While we recycled the silica sand(about $5 and your nearest building center for 50 lb bag) it surely did break down and surfaces changed quite a lot.

Some enterprizing Sales Person talked our plant manager into buying a truck load of Garnet blasting media(actual screened garnet chips) as it could be recycled much longer. He was not wrong, but for the first few weeks it left sheetmetal with a surface much like a rasp. Not really satisfactory for pre-paint prep at all.

 

[Degs]

I don't mask off, the blasting and media is so fine, the blasting is just to give a nice silk/satin finish, I then take the edge off it by buffing lightly with my finger end or a soft cloth. I'm no expert..... very new to carving, but this works for me.

Isn't garnet blasting media used with water jets for cutting throught thick sheets of metal???? I know I've had some bike bits cut with that stuff.

Degs

 

[spurg]

hello i'm also new to coin carving i have a lot of quetions one at a time, i'm sure someone can help what kind of sandblaster is used thanks

 

[ihsfab]

Degs, The garnet they use in water jets is really fine compared to the same that is used air blasting stuff. The baking soda is used in the auto restoration stuff it doesn't hurt the metal it can even be used on fiberglass stuff. It makes a nice dull finish on aluminum I wouldn't see why it wouldn't work well on a nickel. I understand about the wife.

 

[Degs]

Spurg, I use the Badger 260 air eraser, works very well.