DJ'S Online Lessons Patina How to get the right colour.

How to patina your project for the perfect smooth colour you are always after. Tired of your patina looking spotty or your black turning that pale shade of black (almost a flat silver)? We at DJ'S Stained Glass have found our own method of doing our patina and it seems to work best for all of our work.

	'Reckon the first thing you will need is a panel to work on. Other stuff you will need are: a bottle of patina to get the colour you want a couple pair of latex gloves a Patina Buddy or similar item a place to rinse the panel with water some soft cloths or paper towels
	First always wash your work completely in Flux and Patina remover. A patina buddy (NOT YOUR KITCHEN SCRUBBER) will help. Be very careful when using the patina buddy on irridecent glass as it will scratch the coating. (We all learn by our mistakes) When finished removing all the flux rinse our project in clean warm running water. Dry completely with paper towel and let stand upright for about half an hour to be sure it is completely dry.
	Place your dry project on a towel or a thin sponge making sure the whole piece is supported. This allows you to be able to put a LITTLE pressure on your piece without cracking it. Next gently rub a dry patina buddy (I have one for washing with and another for dry work) over the solder seams. This will help to open the solder to accept the patina more evenly. Wipe your work with a dry paper towel to remove any dirt.
	Have a few clean light coloured pieces of flannel or t-shirt material handy as well as a damp paper towel. We have found the light colours let us see what is happening with the patina. Dampen your material with a fair bit of patina and start rubbing over the solder seams of the back of your project first (as you can fix any mistakes on the front when you turn the piece over), trying not to get too much patina on the glass as it is corrosive.
	When the cloth starts to look rusty brown move to a new piece on the cloth and redampen with more patina and continue rubbing the seams until you get the colour you are looking for. When you are happy with the colour wipe the glass with the damp paper towel to help remove excess patina from the glass so it won't etch the glass.
	Turn your piece over and do the front side in the same manner. Stand your piece upright and let the patina dry for at least 1/2 an hour. This is the most important step because if you put the wax on before it is completely dry you will wash away the colour. The longer you leave black patina to dry the deeper the colour will stay.
	Now go ahead and apply an even coat of finishing wax with a piece of cloth over the front, back and sides of your work. Let the wax dry to a white film. Then start buffing with a soft cloth, not a paper towel.
	When the cloth starts to look black move to a cleaner section of the cloth. This helps to remove all the dirt and put a nice shine on your finished project. If there is any white wax around the seams or corners use a tooth brush (I use my old electric one) and brush off the wax. I find it also helps to repel any dust that might be in your house. This will give you more time to do important things like your stained glass instead of doing the dastardly deed of housework.