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Soldering
helped to build up the pattern. |
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Fitting
finished cover to front jaw. |
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Completed
installation. |
Brass
with Character
I still wasn't satisfied. I wanted the surface to have the appearance
of even greater "geographic relief". Instead of etching
the background deeper, I decided to build up the raised portions.
I added flux only to the raised portions of the brass, then,
using an auto-body soldering iron (a garage-sale find), unevenly
applied solder to the metal. Initially, the brass drew too much
heat from the iron to allow the solder to melt, so I warmed
the brass up by putting the cover on an old hotplate.
I cleaned off the flux residue, reestablished the mounting screw
countersinks and then primed and painted the plate with gloss
black spray paint. For consistency, I painted the handle tees
as well and tinned and patinated the brass components on the
front skirt and jack board.
This bench was a lot of fun to design and put together, and
I'm proud of the way it works and looks. It was especially rewarding
to address the aesthetic component of the project, and I'm happy
I found a way to satisfy both my needs and wants. I hope that
it inspires you to try something new when you build your next
bench.
Greg Scala
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