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Angel Gilding over Silver/Copper

Hand Lettering topics: Sign Making, Design, Fabrication, Letterheads, Sign Books.

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Ismael Alvarado
Posts: 130
Joined: Mon Jan 11, 2010 10:00 pm

Angel Gilding over Silver/Copper

Post by Ismael Alvarado »

good afternoon good people, its me Marvin from Nicaragua, remember my DIY Spray on chrome thread? well thats me, I am still at it silvering front surface plastic parts for the enthusiasts in Nicaragua, but since we are a very small country I dont get to do it very often..


so back to the Thread OP> I have documented myself very well on Gold mirrors(angel gilding process, thanks to Mrs. Sarah King for keeping such Valuable trade alive and well) and I know why the gold is put first then Silver(or Copper), its because the gold layer(or layers if a true 24k is desire) is translucent and if silver were to be deposit first then we could not see the gold layer/layers, because silver is actually opaque, so having said that..

Will Gold stick to a Silver or Copper Layer? I have read Mrs. King experience on laying one metal over another using the four basic metal colors - silver, gold, copper and black (galena)( source> http://angelgilding.com/about-metal-layers/ ) why do I ask such unusual questions? well I have been task to angel gild a Solid Glass statue( 7 inch tall statue) I think I can pull it off but my main concerns are the gold attacking the Silver or copper layers or that gold wont stick to the surface of these layers..

Thanks 8)
Ismael Alvarado
Posts: 130
Joined: Mon Jan 11, 2010 10:00 pm

Re: Angel Gilding over Silver/Copper

Post by Ismael Alvarado »

oh and dont worry about the handling of the statue, I will clear coat the piece
Lee Littlewood
Posts: 228
Joined: Thu Apr 15, 2004 2:36 pm
Location: Portland, Oregon
Contact:

Re: Angel Gilding over Silver/Copper

Post by Lee Littlewood »

Hi Marvin,

That statue sounds interesting - will it be at all like the Ben Dombey picture Sarah shows on the page you bookmarked?
Her page shows a couple of combinations, but always gold or silver as the first layer. So I would start my experiments like that, with a translucent layer of gold or silver (silver is quite translucent until you build it up - it transmits a really pretty purple light thru).
If you are trying to do a fade from one effect into another that may be hard, but if the bottom layer is over the whole thing them maybe you can do one area in say, galena, then rinse well, then do copper on a different area. The spray should blend between colors, I would think.
If you are working on the outside of the glass, "oh and dont worry about the handling of the statue, I will clear coat the piece", then indeed things are different and maybe the top coat (gold or silver) will not adhere well to the undercoat (galena, copper...).
If anyone is up for this it would be you, with all your experience with motorcycle silvering. Please try it and tell us all...
where am i? Now, when i need me...
Ismael Alvarado
Posts: 130
Joined: Mon Jan 11, 2010 10:00 pm

Re: Angel Gilding over Silver/Copper

Post by Ismael Alvarado »

Lee Littlewood wrote:Hi Marvin,

That statue sounds interesting - will it be at all like the Ben Dombey picture Sarah shows on the page you bookmarked?
Her page shows a couple of combinations, but always gold or silver as the first layer. So I would start my experiments like that, with a translucent layer of gold or silver (silver is quite translucent until you build it up - it transmits a really pretty purple light thru).
If you are trying to do a fade from one effect into another that may be hard, but if the bottom layer is over the whole thing them maybe you can do one area in say, galena, then rinse well, then do copper on a different area. The spray should blend between colors, I would think.
If you are working on the outside of the glass, "oh and dont worry about the handling of the statue, I will clear coat the piece", then indeed things are different and maybe the top coat (gold or silver) will not adhere well to the undercoat (galena, copper...).
If anyone is up for this it would be you, with all your experience with motorcycle silvering. Please try it and tell us all...
Thanks for the Feedback Lee, I ended upt just Spray On Coppering the Statue..!
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