forced patina

[whiskymonster]

ok.

noticed a little pinhole leak on my rig last time i used it.

well this just wont do!

taken apart, re soldered, and tested with water, and the leak is gone.

just for good measure, seeing as my rig is completely dismantlable, i chucked all the bits into my boiler, and boiled it for a half hour in vinegar. everything is nice and clean, but obviously the patina has now gone.

brainwave!

i rinsed and dried the whole thing thoroughly, washed it all down in a bottle of tails i had reserved for the next run, and chucked it in the oven at 180c for an hour or so, in order to develop the patina and get rid of the coppery taste.

taken it out, and the colours are lovely! theres a slightly uneven golden colour, fading into slight reds and greens in places. kinda like the petrol on water effect.

as pretty as it looks, is it safe, or should i boil it down again and let the patina develop on it's own? do i have to do another cleaning run, or since it has been boiled in vinegar and cleaned in alcohol will it be ok to just chuck together and use?

really down want to lose the pretty colours, but safety first n all that.

what do you think guys?

j