Aussiedistiller, Home Distilling, Moonshine, Home Brew

What techniques are people using to polish up their copper? not cleaning with citric acid etc but polishing it after it is cleaned up.

Hand rubbing, wheels, pads, compounds, etc.

What about to keep the polished finish from tarnishing?

I know there are lots of bits and pieces out there in other threads but I'd thought I'd start one thread for the polishing topic!!

Steel wool soap pads do a good job. Then if yr reall you keen you can use brasso. As far as stopping it from tarnishing, some of the boys may recommend clear finishes but personally wouldn't let that stuff any where near my still. Shine it up, take a photo and put it to work. ;-)

:text-+1: So long as you don't keep touching it ,it will very quickly get that golden brown look and stay that way for about a year if you just wipe it with a clean cloth .

I too am interested in trying to keep a lasting shine on my project.
I figured I would get it close with steel wool then finish with brasso.
I am interested to know if there is a clear coating that will stop tarnishing over time.
Obviously I would mask everything thoroughly so it only goes on the outside.
I remember when I was a kid my mum made some copper art pieces that she sprayd with laquer. That seemed to work but there was no heat involved of course.
Anyone tried this before???

Cheers.

Try this, it is food grade
www.everbrite.net
Mike S

Hand rubbing is too much work for me. I work in the marine restoration business, and am always polishing all sorts of metals.
A wire wheel on any sort of drill/moto tool to take down everything from the surface. This scratches the hell out of it but the next step fixes that. A stitched together cotton polishing wheel mounted on the same tools, and Jewelers Rouge. Rouge is nothing more that compound in stick form, and comes in many different grits. Red Polishing rouge is what you want for copper, and in short order (less time than wire wheeling) your metal is the best it will ever be.
I use 95% Isopropyl Alch. to remove the wax/silicone from the rouge, and would suggest Hi Temp. Header paint (clear)for the finish. The stuff used on Hot Rods. It's good up to 1500* f, and cures hard as glass so it doesn't scratch.
Granted I have NEVER run a polished still but I have been fabricating metal for all sorts of purposes, and the method described works. I did build a solid brass tube exhaust for a 1969 Triumph chopper engine 3 years ago, and the pipes still look like gold today. I use the same header paint on brass fittings for boats (portholes/hozzels), and it lasts decades.
I can sit with a drill, and polish all day. Fast results/ better outcome. I WON'T hand polish anything. Too much time, and too little reward

http://www.vhtpaint.com/products/flameproof/
http://www.pjtool.com/jewelers-rouge-po ... pound.aspx
http://www.indiamart.com/novelty/polishing-wheels.html

I've covered this before in other threads, but I'll re-hash...

If you are like me and want a still that is always shiny, it only takes a little extra work when building and you will never have to treat the outside of it again.

- Buy a few different grades of sandpaper (400 grit - 2000 grit).
- Start by sanding at the lowest grit paper you have. 400 is usually a good starting point...if you have excessive gauges and scratches you may need to start on 200.
- As it gets nice and even, go to the next grade of paper. Eg. 400, 800, 1200, 2000.
- Keep moving to the next grade of paper and the sanding will get finer and finer.
- Once you finish on the 2000 grit, it will be looking pretty good. If the copper has had a lot of work like on my bubbler, I finished at the 2000 and sealed it. If it's fairly good pipe that doesn't have hammer dings and scratches in it, you can look to apply some polishing compound and use a polishing buffer wheel. I did this on my first stills and it worked a treat.

- Now the most important part is the clear coat sealant. I don't care what anyone says, you are only applying it externally and it gives the still a beautiful professional finish. I tape up all openings, and coat it with THIS PRODUCT from Wattyl which is available at Masters. It was developed by the International Copper Research Association, and puts a clear lacquer finish on the external copper surfaces, leaving that mirror shine permanently and avoiding tarnishing and the 'patina' that people talk about (the brown dull colour), which is what should happen inside the still. My first stills look brand new after 2 years without any external cleaning, and my bubbler looks as good as the day I finished building it a year ago...I swear by this stuff. Check my build thread to see pieces taped up and being sprayed...

Happy polishing :handgestures-thumbupleft: