Painting my column

pipe_cleanner · Post by **pipe_cleanner** » Sun Mar 05, 2006 8:28 pm

Hey guys, I'm sick of having a shitty looking column, Could I paint it using webber bbq paint or high temp paint??

Should I clean the column 1st??

pipe_cleanner · Post by **pipe_cleanner** » Sun Mar 05, 2006 9:03 pm

Yes I would only paint outside of it,
Yes I use Copper

And thanks for the link to the post, Preping copper, is that just a soak in vinigar?

possum · Post by **possum** » Sun Mar 05, 2006 9:11 pm

I would steel wool or sand it to get it nice and clean.

Watershed · Post by **Watershed** » Mon Mar 06, 2006 12:30 am

Yep I say wire wool too - if you use a couple of fine grades and follow it with a shot of Brasso you'll have a decent mirror finish.

Perch · Post by **Perch** » Mon Mar 06, 2006 1:38 am

If don't mind spending a little coin, look into nickel plating the outside. That way the outside won't tarnish. Check your phone book for local plating shops.

Captin Moron · Post by **Captin Moron** » Mon Mar 06, 2006 11:57 am

copper looks great when cleaned properly, I personally would never taint my still with paint. The trick to a nice copper finish is a few sos pads warm water and allot of elbow grease... For the smaller parts, pre soak them in vinigar for 24 hours to eliminate some of the elbow grease

...

Try this first, you may be pleasently surprised! Oh and for the solder drips thats spilled over, use a dremle with sanding discs, the solder comes off in a heart beat.

The time spent will look 100x more impressive than the same time spent prepping and painting.

junkyard dawg · Post by **junkyard dawg** » Mon Mar 06, 2006 5:05 pm

I'm with the moron... If you have a copper column then just use the right techniques to clean copper. Copper looks so much better than paint...

my tip: mix vinegar and flour to make a thin paste. It sticks to the still better and works great for cleaning up copper parts.

stillman · Post by **stillman** » Mon Mar 06, 2006 5:31 pm

How about using a high heat clear coat. Clean the copper then apply the clear coat. This way you get to keep the look of the copper.

I personally don't care what the outside of mine looks like because I'm not showing it to anybody. Too many goody 2shoe nieghbors around.

You'll probably have to go to a specialty automotive supplier for the clearcoat. Powdercoating clear is another option. Give them an idea of what you want(ie: temperature tolerances) to find out if it will workout.

Bye the way, if it works let us all know what, where, how and when.

Cheers

P.S. Have a couple of gallons to filter through my liver now. I'm trying to keep the alcohol out of the sewer water.

stillman · Post by **stillman** » Mon Mar 06, 2006 5:50 pm

I forgot to add that while cleaning the copper you should be wearing clean white cotton gloves overtop of latex surgical gloves. This will keep any oils from your hands touching the copper. I have seen what looked like clean copper and brass covered in fingerprints after clearcoating. Some of the chemicals in the paint react with the handoils and cause the discoloration. Believe me(from experience), after the clear is dry and you have fingerprints underneath, you will have a real problem fixing that.

Good Luck

Just like distilling there is a learning curve to everything.

PS. I haven't done a clear job on anything with a heat application or I would help out with the paint spec.

pipe_cleanner · Post by **pipe_cleanner** » Mon Mar 06, 2006 5:55 pm

Hang it in a tree? as long as no leaves or bugs fly into it

stillman · Post by **stillman** » Mon Mar 06, 2006 6:05 pm

Hell no.

How about a dust free garage or shed if you don't have a paintshop close by. Anything that will keep dust and crap from getting into the wet clearcoat. Try not to stir up any dust from the floor when walking around either. Check for the cure time as well before you run the still. Let the clearcoat cure.

Don't mind me either I'm just working for very fussy people all the time.

Do the best you can with what you've got available.

Peachey · Post by **Peachey** » Mon Mar 06, 2006 7:27 pm

I'd say enamel the column. It looks like Still Spirits do that to theirs. I like the idea mentioned by Stillman with using the Clear Coat... clean copper looks magnificent.

possum · Post by **possum** » Mon Mar 06, 2006 9:17 pm

That buisness about not getting fingeprints is no lie.

Uncle Rumus mentions fireplace shops sell a nice copper protective polish for the high temp range.

stoker · Post by **stoker** » Tue Mar 07, 2006 10:12 am

isn't cleaning your column enough? there's nothing more beautiful, for a still, then nice red copper.

Captin Moron · Post by **Captin Moron** » Tue Mar 07, 2006 12:10 pm

stoker wrote:isn't cleaning your column enough? there's nothing more beautiful, for a still, then nice red copper.

THis is so true, my still is very new and it just started turing red after a 20 hour run! It looks amazing, deep orange/ red look, why hide its natural beauty.

stillman · Post by **stillman** » Tue Mar 07, 2006 4:46 pm

Patinas are nice too,

possum · Post by **possum** » Wed Mar 08, 2006 9:41 am

peachy, are you talking about enamel paint, or fusing powdered glass to the collumn like in jewelery ?

True enameling might be trickey without a really big oven/Kiln.
Such a deco style could be very ornate, but I think the kilning could be problamatic.

For good looks, I think that copper is pretty without paint myself. Everyone has different ideas about beauty.
When I am out with my one buddy, I'll go slack-jawed over some gal, but my comrade will be totaly un-interested, as she won't be carying enough junk in her trunk.

Viva la diferance !

J_Dawg · Post by **J_Dawg** » Wed Mar 08, 2006 10:11 am

What about ceramic coating? Like what they do to exhaust pipes for insulating them. Athough, If I was going to color (paint) the still I would just make a colored insulative sleeve..

Peachey · Post by **Peachey** » Wed Mar 08, 2006 12:34 pm

I'm not talking about just ordinary enamel paint, because it wouldn't be able to withstand the heat. There are industrial enamelers around here that coat things like exhaust pipes, pots and pans, BBQs, and engine parts.

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Painting my column

Painting my column

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