What to do with big copper cylinder with green patina?
linnea56 (zone 5b Chicago)
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
I picked this up at an estate sale a week ago, and am
awaiting info as to whether it is antique or modern. The metal is sheet copper.
The handles are cast brass. The patina is real and not paint (I make sculpture,
so I know. I am not suggesting the patina evolved over time, but assume it was
given an intentional patina with chemicals, the way I do my brass and copper.).
The hammered rivets go all the way through from outside to inside. There is no
stamp on it anywhere to indicate origin.
I bought it even though I am stumped for what use to put it
to. The patina color is ideal for several rooms I have. I figured if I didn’t
get it, I would regret it: if I passed it up and thought of a use later.
So ….what CAN I do with it? Diameter is 13”. Height is 26”
: much too deep to reach into
comfortably to retrieve something small in the bottom.
One obviously thinks “Umbrella stand”, except it is really
too big for that, and I only have 2
umbrellas, kept in a more functional location next to the door to the garage.
“Vessel for giant flower arrangement or collection of tall
sticks” does not hold appeal. I am trying to get rid of such things in the
house. That use as well, like the umbrella stand, seems like a too- predictable
choice. I am having trouble thinking out of the box here!
Ideas? Thanks.
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User
8 years agolast modified: 8 years agobossyvossy
8 years agoRelated Discussions
Green stuff on copper pipes
Comments (11)Much better description, the pic. You can see from the pattern that what has happened is the reactant, whatever it is, began as a strip on the top and ran down in several paths. Because it did not run uniformly, it must be that the wetting of the pipe surface was modest, which suggests to me that the spraying you mentioned could be a cause. But I am suspicious about that, too; because it seems that a spray would not settle on top and then drip. What would cause this is, if the pipes were chilled and then lay upward onto a source of moisture. Then, small amounts of moisture would create wetness along the top surface, and to some extent attempt to drip off. But the drips themselves are very slight, suggesting that they actually dried out before falling to the floor. I will retract my first guess about flux and wiping. That occurs at joints only. Yours is occurring along the length of the pipe. Since I donÂt know the cause, IÂm suggesting, contact with an occasionally moist source. But I think the discoloration is largely cosmetic. Try cleaning the surface with a mild acid: vinegar or citric. If it begins to clean the surface, you might want to try a stronger one, such as muriatic. Depending on the size of the task, you might want to use other means, such as abrasives more aggressive than the steel wool you tried. In any case, you can decide for yourself how serious the problem is by learning how deep the corrosion goes. If it remains just a skin, that seems to be innocent enough. Pinoke...See MorePre-Patina'd Copper Counters?
Comments (5)When you refer to patinated copper counters are you referring to a weathered green patina, or do you mean tarnished copper which would be mottled brown and black? I wouldn't think the former would be appropriate for a kitchen, and certainly wouldn't stand up to wear and tear or constant wiping down. If you're talking about the latter, it would seem like a waste of money. Naked copper will very quickly tarnish and discolor just in day to day use. It will also look much more natural if you just let it happen on its own. You'll very quickly end up with some areas that are more or less tarnished, scratched and dinged, depending on work patterns and how often the counters are wiped down. An artificially patinated counter, evenly colored, would look rather phony in my estimation....See MoreCopper fungicide vs Sulfur fungicide vs GreenCoreA
Comments (15)I got this Zinnia from a local nursery. I got it at a diffrent nursery than the one from last year. Does it look like a fungus to you? The soil looks black because I just watered it. No one else at the community garden has a problem. Should I use the Physon 20? This is the point at which I want to use the fungicide but i'm not sure which one. I think i'm just going to go ahead with the Bonide copper as it is the most readily available....See MoreHow do I get the dark brown patina back on my copper sink!
Comments (5)I guess that's the risk you take when you install a sink made of a soft, finicky material with a fake finish. Bet it cost a mint, too. :-( That sink really isn't any more functional than the overpriced "stainless steel" refrigerators that are just plain carbon steel coated with a phony stainless-look finish, and the same cheap disposable imported guts inside. If you want it to end up with a normal patina, first you're going to have to scrub the rest of the factory finish off, getting up to the edge and right down into that texture. You'll probably also want to polish it to remove the coarse grit scratches that the BKF left behind. I'd probably try fine buffing compound, the stuff auto detailers use, from a pro auto finish jobber. Stay away from the big name auto cleaners at the chain parts stores, they usually contain silicones or other shine-up residues, and you don't want those. I might also try progressively finer steel wool. Steel's harder than copper. Then just let time and hand washing have their way with it. Clean it with a mild non-abrasive cleaner when the soap scum builds up. That's a bunch of work, though. If it were my house, I'd tear out that bit of conspicuous consumption, and put in a nice normal porcelain-on-steel vanity sink. That would nuke the problem, and make cleaning just about foolproof to boot. Hey, copper's going for around $2 a pound at the scrap yards these days, so you could even get a little of your investment back. :-)...See More
cawaps
8 years agoUser
8 years agolast modified: 8 years ago
tibbrix
8 years agolast modified: 8 years agoElizabeth Z
8 years ago
Annie Deighnaugh
8 years agoUser
8 years agolast modified: 8 years agoPretty! I have a large turquoise pot, and like you, wasn't sure what to do with it, so I'm just using it as an accent piece for now (dining room). Pot and nosy kitties :D ......
starnold
8 years ago
ravencajun Zone 8b TX
8 years agosmiling
8 years agolinnea56 (zone 5b Chicago)
8 years agolast modified: 8 years ago
neetsiepie
8 years ago
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ingrid_vc so. CA zone 9