Antiquing Brass

Lots of websites will claim you can antique brass with vinegar.

It didn't work for me no matter how long I soaked the piece.

I picked up some Brass Darkening Solution at Rockler the other day. It works like a charm. And fast. Only a few minutes soaking in the solution produced the results pictured. On the right are the new screws and washers; middle are the results after soaking for a few minutes; on the left are the 115 year-old originals. I soaked the washers in a small bowl filled with the solution. The screw threads are still bright because I held the screws by the threads and dipped in only the heads for a minute or so. I've hardly made a dent in my 2-ounce bottle and done 10 of the ~75 screw/washer sets. So it goes a long way and it beats having to wait 50 years...

Rockler also had what's almost a perfect match for the missing latch for the storm window.

Rockler is my other "new" favorite store. I bought some stuff there a million years (and two houses) ago. The salesman was impressed because I had a 4-digit customer number and they are up to 8-digits now... If you are a woodworker stop in; they have some stuff you cannot find anywhere else.

The Pedimented Window - Part 2

After removing the nails holding the screen frames in place (and the other nails distributed randomly about, with heads protruding, and serving no apparent purpose), it was obvious that the screens weren't removed the last time this window was painted. There were big blobs of paint in the gaps between the screen and the frame; all over the hinges; etc. And much of it needs to be scraped off or the storms won't close properly.

(Maybe that's why the screens wouldn't stay closed and needed to be nailed shut - hint, hint... Or maybe it's the missing latch hardware - it's probably in the same place as the missing window stop screws!)

And, of course, the holes for the hinge screws on both the screen frames and the storms are completely stripped out.

Back to the workshop for the materials needed to ream the holes and fill with dowels and glue. I've had lots of practice at this, so it goes easy until...

One of the screw holes in the storm has a framing nail in it. It doesn't appear to be serving a purpose, either. Someone just pounded it into the existing screw hole, but the hole is so loose I can pull it out with my fingers.

So, um..

Why?!

At any rate, if I find the last missing piece of latch hardware, this project is done. For now...

The Pedimented Window...

"The pedimented window above the portico is particularly fine." At least, that's what it says in Larry Millet's AIA Guide to St. Paul's Summit Avenue and Hill District.

Who am I to argue? Excepting the work I have to get it back to expectations...

The screens are shown in this picture.

OK, what is supposed to be screens. The frames are there, but only the bottom openings actually have screen in them. Even the bottom screens have holes large enough for an Acteon Beetle to get through...

A while ago I'd found the storm windows in the basement. I've replaced the broken glass, scraped & painted them, and am ready to swap them in for the winter.

I can't get them open. Good thing the screening is missing so I can get outside. And what do I find?

The screen frames have been nailed into place...

Back to the workshop to put on my tool belt. This isn't a 10 minute project.

The Black Hole

You know the black hole that consumes socks from the laundry so that you eventually end up with at least one sock that's missing its mate?

Well we've got a black hole that consumes the screws that hold window stops in place. Note the screw near the bottom of the side stop and the holes for the two missing screws on the bottom stop.

Not surprisingly, between the various windows in the house, there are 74 missing screws by my count - and a handful more missing their washers.

There are also a few screws that have been replaced with the wrong type. It's not like the correct ones are made out of Unobtanium by Bavarian Elves, they're just brass screws with round, slotted heads.

So I might as well buy a box of 100 each next time I'm at Seven Corners.

And I'll have to find a way to antique/age them so they don't look so out of place next to the old ones.