Methods for restoring bronze items at home

Bronze products always add charm to the interior and serve as the main decorations of the house. But over time, owners of bronze jewelry may see plaque and hard-to-remove dust on interior items. Then the question arises, how to make bronze shine again and restore its former beauty and chic . Before you start cleaning bronze at home, you should understand exactly what alloy the item is made of. After all, the more you know about the alloy, the faster and easier it will be to clean the item without damaging it.

Why does bronze tarnish and require restoration?

Bronze products are the embodiment of style and grace; they were widespread in past centuries and were in demand among discerning people.
Bronze looks beautiful and attractive, giving your home a unique charm and charm. True, over time it loses its luxurious appearance, and stains form on the surface - the result of oxidation. The reason for this is simple - the alloy comes into contact with the environment. Tarnished bronze items, however, have not lost their value - just cleaning is enough to restore the metal to its former attractiveness. Restoration is required not only because of temporary changes. Bronze jewelry often breaks and becomes unusable due to design features. Thus, careless use of a box with ornate carvings can lead to rapid wear and damage.

Features of argon-arc welding

If bronze products and structures break down or are found to have defects, it becomes necessary to carry out repair work. The most highly effective method for welding bronze today is argon arc welding. It is carried out using tungsten non-consumable electrodes.

Before welding, bronze parts are heated to 350-400 degrees. Large products are heated to a temperature of 500-600 degrees. When welding in an argon environment, it should be taken into account that the strength of bronze heated to a high temperature is significantly reduced, so the parts must be carefully secured before welding. This will eliminate the possibility of accidental damage during the welding process.

After completion of argon welding, the bronze elements are annealed, holding them for 3-5 hours at a temperature of two hundred to seven hundred degrees. The temperature rises by about one hundred degrees per hour. Some castings are heated to seven hundred and fifty degrees. Rolled bronze is cold forged. This allows you to increase the strength and density of the weld metal.

Argon welding is carried out in one layer without interruption. During welding, the electrode is positioned perpendicular to the surface of the material. To more effectively remove gases from the surface of the seam, zigzag movements are made.

Strict compliance with all the rules and regulations of argon welding allows you to obtain a seam that has the mechanical properties of the welded metal.

Which bronze items need repair?

At all times, bronze has been a sought-after material in the decorative field. It was used to make many jewelry:

• Tiny figurines and majestic sculptures. It is no secret that they have survived more than one millennium thanks to their plasticity, excellent qualities and resistance to external factors;
• Interior items - decorations of railings, stairs, forged bronze cornices testify to the excellent taste of the owner, love of art and beautiful things;
• Household items - writing utensils, candlesticks, mirror and picture frames, bronze furniture - the scope of application of this material is very extensive. Bronze is also used to make accessories, dishes, jewelry, and souvenirs.

Antique items are of particular value - things that preserve historical memories of many generations. Over time, they lose their beauty, charm, and former charm, however, the lost characteristics can be restored; restoration of bronze antiques is required.

Our services

By contacting our workshop, you can order services related to the repair of brass structures and products. Our specialists are well acquainted with argon-arc welding. They perform welding work at a high professional level. In their work they use modern equipment from the best manufacturers and high-quality materials.

We provide a five-year guarantee for all welding work performed by our specialists. Before starting work, we draw up an estimate and give it to the customer for approval. If the client approves the estimate, we enter into a formal contract with him. After the conclusion of the contract, the cost of our services does not change.

Our employees have extensive experience, allowing them to solve any problem, even the most complex and responsible. To order the service of welding in argon parts or structures made of brass, call the company and leave a request for the work to be performed by our employee.

Restoring antique bronze in a workshop

Someone will decide that the old bronze figurine can be removed out of sight, pushed away into a dusty closet and forgotten about it. But connoisseurs assure: vintage items today are a sign of wealth, and an intricate product can become an interior decoration. How is antique bronze restored?

• The patina – the corrosive layer – is inspected. If it is smooth, then the environment is healthy, but if the structure is spongy, repairs are required;
• The first layer of patina is removed - this is necessary for aesthetic and technical transformation. The master uses jewelry drills, vibration engravers, scalpels, scrapers;
• The metal is cleaned with demineralized water and bronze detergent;
• Grouting is carried out, which is aimed at giving the product shine;
• Alcohol anti-corrosion treatment is performed;
• Rubbing is carried out with two-component resins, reinforced with synthetic fibers. They provide good results and are suitable for metal expansion.

If antiques are damaged during use, for example, figurines are missing parts, repairs are carried out to restore the lost appearance. When a product is made of several types of material, the restoration process becomes more complicated, but an experienced craftsman can carry out the work.

You can order not a full cycle of work.

Stage 1

Handling and evaluation of restoration work on a lighting fixture

Defining a Work List

Signing the contract

Payment from 50% (advance payment depends on the degree of material consumption of the work)

Stage 2

Picking up an item or carrying out work on site

Stage 3

Analysis of the restoration item

Price from 500 rub.

Frame metal processing

Restoration, restoration or search for lost or damaged frame elements (chains, tubes, cups, bells, etc.) The price per unit is negotiable, depends: new, imitation, antique.

Metal painting, if necessary. Gold, silver, bronze, copper, chrome or any RAL color.

Price from 1000 rub. for 1 horn (3 horns in a chandelier 3000 rubles, it also depends on the amount of painting, color, complexity of the design, the effects you want to achieve. Here the price is for a regular chandelier in gold or silver)

Patination of the item, if necessary. Black, brown, blue or green patina. (aging an object).

Price from 500 rub.

Gilding, silvering or copper plating (potal or silver leaf or gold)

Price: gold leaf from 250 rub./dm. , susalka from 1400 rub./dm. (this is without materials, just work)

Replacement of wires in a chandelier or lamp and assembly

Wires used in the work:

— retro wire (in fabric braiding)

- regular white wire

- painted wire to match the color of the metal frame

The price for replacing the wire is from 300 rubles. 1 horn. (look by subject)

During work, difficulties may arise with laying the wire (the gutter is clogged); in such cases, there are two options for solving this problem: drilling holes for cleaning or laying the wire on top.

Ammo:

— Italy (for “melted candle”

- with ceramic core

— cleaning and restoration of old cartridges

Price from 450 rub.

Working with crystal, “melted candle” caps, shades and lampshades

Stage 4

Complete assembly of the item and transfer to the customer according to the act.

How is bronze items cleaned?

Restoration of bronze products, if they are simply dirty but have no defects, is carried out at home, using traditional methods and recommendations:

• Before cleaning, the item must be degreased by rinsing in a soda solution; processing is carried out using rubber gloves to protect your hands;
• Cleaning light stains is carried out in a soap solution with warm water and a brush with soft bristles. The bronze is then polished with a woolen cloth;
• If there is blackening, use a solution with soap and denatured alcohol at the rate of 1 spoon per liter of water. The product is washed and dried;
• If oxide appears on the surface, use lemon juice; it removes such stains well;
• Green patina is cleaned with a mixture of water, ammonia, vinegar, which is diluted in equal proportions.

However, the above methods are only suitable for bronze items that are not of particular value - jewelry is never cleaned this way, as there is a risk of damage and a careful approach is required. These methods will not help even if there are serious defects, stains, oxides - then a professional approach is required. Bronze restoration is the optimal solution to the problem when old antiques lose their former appearance. Restoration will help restore the attractiveness of interior items.

Tips for care after restoration

To prevent plaque from appearing on bronze interior items, you need to follow a few simple rules:

• After cleaning the products, apply wax or paraffin to the surface. These substances form a protective layer on the metal and prevent negative factors from affecting it.
• Bronze items should be stored in boxes wrapped in velor or suede.

Despite the effectiveness and safety of the listed methods for cleaning bronze items, it is best to entrust this process to professionals. They will quickly put the product in order and will not damage the metal.