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Keeping copper coffee table shiny

I am making a coffee table which will have strips of copper in it. I would like the copper to retain its original pink color and luster for years to come. What kind of protective coating will enable this?

Rachna

Rachna Karanjawala
furniture maker - New Delhi, India
February 23, 2009

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February 24, 2009

Hi, Rachna. Consider benzotriazole ⇦this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] treatment followed by brass lacquer. Good luck.

Regards,

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey

You can try to buy some shellac (seedlac -- used in rajahstani kundan jewelry making),10-20% solution must be OK (10-20 gm shellac dissolved in 100 mll pure alcohol).Forget benzotriazole- it is probably carcinogenic compound (very effective copper corrosion inhibitor). Hope it helps and good luck!

Goran Budija
- Cerovski vrh Croatia
February 26, 2009

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Thanks for the helpful suggestions. Benzotriazole is probably known by another name in India so haven't been able to locate but shellac, as you rightly said, is commonly used in our jewellery and easier to find. Plan to give that a try!
Rachna

Rachna Karanjawala
- India
March 3, 2009

Benzotriazole is a chemical compound name (not a proprietary product). Everywhere on the planet benzotriazole is benzotriazole. Hope it helps and good luck!

Goran Budija
- Cerovski vrh Croatia
March 4, 2009