Rusty Ironwork Zebrite and how to use

[Gastines]

With a lot of restoration work on Antique or decorative pieces the cost can be totally out of context to the worth of the item. Sometimes it pays to stand back------ take a look at what you want the item for and budget accordingly. I used to have a clock repairer,I think he called himself an antiquarian horologist next to my antique/genaral/junk shop and when anyone brought an old/antique clock in for repair ,he used to rush out of his side door into my shop to get a rough price guide so that he could price his REPAIR accordingly. Nelson Hat clocks that I'd be selling to american dealers for £5 would often have a repair bill of £35 and when it's repaired it will be worth £75 madam. Whilst I agree that some items have sentimental value, it is worth remembering that you can't put a price on sentimentality. Before I get too many complaints I will admit to having a repair done on a vase,that we still have, that cost much more than it's worth, mainly because it's my wife's favourite item, that is apart from me,naturally.

When I had a very good cabinet maker and french-polisher working with me,[between holidays and when it suited them ] many clients had a shock when you converted their little veneer job and touch-up into man- hours. The same applies with re-upholstery. We used to do the stitched horse-hair seats etc.etc and adding in the cost of fabric, unless it was a very good chair.I often told clients it would be cheaper to buy a new item. The same goes for 3 piece suites today.

Regards.

[Dave&Olive]

[quote user="Gastines"]

With a lot of restoration work on Antique or decorative pieces the cost can be totally out of context to the worth of the item. Sometimes it pays to stand back------ take a look at what you want the item for and budget accordingly. I used to have a clock repairer,I think he called himself an antiquarian horologist next to my antique/genaral/junk shop and when anyone brought an old/antique clock in for repair ,he used to rush out of his side door into my shop to get a rough price guide so that he could price his REPAIR accordingly. Nelson Hat clocks that I'd be selling to american dealers for £5 would often have a repair bill of £35 and when it's repaired it will be worth £75 madam. Whilst I agree that some items have sentimental value, it is worth remembering that you can't put a price on sentimentality. Before I get too many complaints I will admit to having a repair done on a vase,that we still have, that cost much more than it's worth, mainly because it's my wife's favourite item, that is apart from me,naturally.

When I had a very good cabinet maker and french-polisher working with me,[between holidays and when it suited them ] many clients had a shock when you converted their little veneer job and touch-up into man- hours. The same applies with re-upholstery. We used to do the stitched horse-hair seats etc.etc and adding in the cost of fabric, unless it was a very good chair.I often told clients it would be cheaper to buy a new item. The same goes for 3 piece suites today.

Regards.

[/quote]

     hi ok

              but the whole point of DIY is why buy one for £10 when you can make one for £30.

 

                sure i seen somewhere you can mix citric acid with salt to make a paste and paint it on but ????

                    dave

[Meg]

I have used  vinegar and salt mixed together to remove fire scale from copper (as opposed to using  jewellers pickle) Worked surprisingly well!

With this though it isn't the cost, it is what is the best option, in this case it happens to be the cheapest!

[Gluestick]

To make any acid solution thixatropic, make up a normal flour paste and mix with the acid solution and paint on, Wash off with water.

Citric Acid (Granular and Powder) can be purchased here.:-

http://justasoap.co.uk/catalog/citric-acid-p-92.html?gclid=CPiQ3562kIwCFSYnYQod5UOY4Q

Some acids however react with the flour.

Can also be used with caustic soda as a cheap and very effective paint stripper. This is what we used to use to strip Victorian cast iron fireplaces. With 17 coats of thick paint, 50 tins of Nitromors becomes a tad expensive!

Copper: to clean corrosion use either nitric acid (10% by volume) or once again, Phosphoric acid.

Phosphoric can also be used to clean brass: however it does tend to leach out the copper and thus leave a slightly blotched "pinky" colour which soon vanishes.

Whilst bees wax and linseed oil are indeed recommended as a preservative, one of the de facto restoration books (below) also mentions other things! viz: "Finally a combination of beeswax and boiled linseed oil was rubbed into the surface." The Handbook also mentions a number of other alternative treatments such as lamp black and goose grease for interior ironwork.

Now I don't think I would care to sit on a chair which had been treated with lamp black and goose fat whilst wearing my white tux![blink]

As I suggested previously.

John and Nicola Ashurst, Practical Building Conservation Vol 4: Metals. English Heritage Technical Handbook, Gower Technical Press, Hants 1988

[Meg]

[quote user="Gluestick"]

Whilst bees wax and linseed oil are indeed recommended as a preservative, one of the de facto restoration books (below) also mentions other things! viz: "Finally a combination of beeswax and boiled linseed oil was rubbed into the surface." The Handbook also mentions a number of other alternative treatments such as lamp black and goose grease for interior ironwork.

Now I don't think I would care to sit on a chair which had been treated with lamp black and goose fat whilst wearing my white tux![blink]

[/quote]

As i originally put, it's up to experimentation.  Finishing is such a huge subject (same as it is with wood.)

[Gluestick]

Yes, I agree.

However, most sorts of conventional polishes and finishes include "Drying Oils", designed to leave the finished surface, well dry!

Linseed oil will stay on a finished wood surface for quite a long time: I use it quite a bit.

Since mild steel, black iron, and cast iron are all basically impermeable to liquid, it is pretty obvious that a mixture of beeswax and linseed oil will stay on the surface and remain tacky for quite some time.

If the original poster wishes to use the furniture as seating, rather than as pure decoration, then it is important to state the caveat I left, since it seems obvious this nice lady has not experimented with this sort of thing before and was seeking guidance and input.

It would be wrong, I feel and dangerous to leave any information on this forum which might damage someone's property or person: as well as unfair.

Hence my concern.

 

[Babbles]

Thanks for all the info its a great help, the seats are going to be used inside but there will be a firm box cushion on the base and loose cushions on the back so it would only be the arms that could possibly rub on clothes ( abit like the modern version but a bit more shabby chic)

As for cost, as they are for us the man hours it take to restore them doesn't matter but I do take you point if we were to sell them on. To put every one out of there misery they were 350 euros but as the new ones cost over 2500 euros for 2 and IMHO are far nicer and  I don't think it will be too bad when the are finished.  I didn't want to say at first because people say that they can be made out of cots wich cost next to nothing, I don't think  they ever were cots though.

Look out for a finished photo!