Recently, I upgraded my butane torch options to include the Blazer Big Shot and the Blazer Spitfire. Both are hotter than my chef’s torch. I blogged a little bit about the Blazer recently: https://mieloabelo.com/rediscovering-metal-work-part-1/
Since, I have been experimenting with both torches and also ways to seal the finished projects.In the past, I have used ArtDeco Triple Thick, which I love because it is water based, so it is non-toxic and has no smell. It is also self leveling and finishes with a thick shine, but it tends to muddle the colors. I start with all colors of the rainbow and end up with various shades of brown. Not ideal.
The other sealant I’ve used is Krylon in both gloss and matte. It is an aerosol spray, so I have to use it outside. It dries quickly, but has a very strong lingering smell. Definitely not ideal. It does not have the thick shine that DecoArt has, but it does not seem to muddle the colors as much as the DecoArt. Even with its drawbacks, I prefer the Krylon to the DecoArt.
I have also tried Natural Earth Paint varnish. It is plant-based, very thin, and applied using a brush, so no aerosol spray. There is an odor, but not bad, not lingering, and it dries quickly with a somewhat decent shine. I do not know how long-term it is as I have only used it this one time, but I am going to experiment a bit more with it. I only have one photo and the colors didn’t really turn out well, but the varnish looks okay.
Recently, I tried UV resin. Back in 2019, I was introduced to resin, both UV and Epoxy, in a fun jewelry class I took at my local community college. I had mixed results with UV resin, but I often wasn’t using it properly, overloading it with ink and mica powder. I eventually gave up on resin altogether for various reasons and gave most of my supplies away.
Apparently, many people use UV resin to seal copper, so I thought I would give it a try. I purchased a Let’s Resin kit that includes a UV light. So far, it reflects the light the best, but it also has drawbacks, such as you have to punch the holes before applying the resin and then be careful not to get any resin the holes. You really do not want to drill or sand this stuff if you can avoid it. The finished look is pretty cool, but also it looks a bit like plastic. I will be listing a few and also taking them to a vendor event in a couple of months, so I will judge how to move forward based on customer feedback.
For the time being, I will probably continue to use all three and will definitely doing more flame painting! Until I move onto the next thing, that is. I am always finding new things to try and learn. It is my favorite part of jewelry making! I hope you stay tuned for more.
Also, visit my store blog for shop and product updates if you are interested in seeing what’s new there: http://blog.mieloabelodesigns.com