Posted by Krys on August 19, 2003 at 11:01:30:
When I finish a project (copper foil) I wash it in a basin with warm water, dishwashing liquid, and baking soda and gently scrub it with a brush. Dry it and patina it and then rinse it. The copper patina seems to later turn a bit darker and to me look antique. I've noticed though that on one project that I did not patina, that later it got white mold. So, I bought some neutralizing chemical. Just got that in, no instructions on bottle. Wondering if it works as well as baking soda.
I read in a post below that you can wax the solder lines with carnuba or the Kem O ?. I'll try that along with the neutralizer and see if the copper lines stay shiny.
Am I doing all this right? Also, do I need to neutralize after I patina? I've got tons of instruction books but none ever really detail this last bit.
BTW, great site! Generally I come here and find my questions answered without having to post. I've been perusing this site for several months now.