Not Really Woodwork but Here Goes

I’m in the process of making the Home Boss a fire fender – you know, one of those wooden things (sometimes metal) that fit round the edge of the hearth between the tiles and the rug.

I want to put a polished brass rail around the top. I’ve got the brass tube and it’s polished up really well in the lathe (No problems with going oval no matter how much you polish;) )

Question: Any ideas what to use on the brass to stop it tarnishing. I don’t want to have to keep polishing it as this will end up stuffing up the polish on the adjoining wood.

Dewaxed White Shellac has been used for years on brass and other metals. Most brass candlesticks are dipped in it. There may be some newer product but this one is pretty well tried and tested.

Brown/orange shellac (French Polish) is used to give an deeper gold or more aged look.

Still. You may like to think you're in the army and give it a buff up with brasso every day. :(

Hope this is of some help.

Cheers - Neil.:)

P.S. :confused: Delving back into the deep dark annals of time, I seem to recall that Amway had a product that was supposed to stop brass from tarnishing. However finding someone who sells the products without trying to sign you up to some sort of life changing experience might be a problem.

Will the shellac be troubled by the proximity to the open fire?

The heat shouldn't bother it. Most heat from a fire radiates out and up, not down to floor level. Fire surrounds, mantle pieces and even fire screens were finished with shellac. So was much of the furniture in Victorian houses and some of that would be sat directly in front of the fire to get heat from the inefficient old fire places of the time.

Cheers - Neil. :)

There is a special brass/copper lacquer which is extremely good, comes in a pressure pack at nearly any hardware. Used it on a brass ornamental plane 12 years ago, still looks good.

Thanks for the help folks

I'll let you know how it goes