What would you do?
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 838
Likes: 1
From: Marysville CA
What would you do?
I have a bone stock 2001. I have decided to make a few mods to it. I want some Bling under the hood. In the past I have always just got on the net & ordered up a bunch of chrome & call it done.
I’m a gun & knife engraver. I’m thinking this time around I’m going to Bling the engine with engraving. I have done this a lot with motorcycle parts but never on a car engine. I will make patterns of all the pieces and transfer the pattern to sheet copper. After cutting everything out I will hand engrave all the pieces, all of the engraving will be installed with 2-way tape, just as you would with the mail order stick-on chrome ad-on’s.
Do you think it would be cool to just polish the copper, maybe clear coat it to hold down on the maintenance? I think Black & Copper would be eye candy? or should I just engrave it & have everything chromed? This is an advertising tool for me also so I want it to stand out - What ya think?
Thanks _ Tom
www.twhudsonengraver.com
I’m a gun & knife engraver. I’m thinking this time around I’m going to Bling the engine with engraving. I have done this a lot with motorcycle parts but never on a car engine. I will make patterns of all the pieces and transfer the pattern to sheet copper. After cutting everything out I will hand engrave all the pieces, all of the engraving will be installed with 2-way tape, just as you would with the mail order stick-on chrome ad-on’s.
Do you think it would be cool to just polish the copper, maybe clear coat it to hold down on the maintenance? I think Black & Copper would be eye candy? or should I just engrave it & have everything chromed? This is an advertising tool for me also so I want it to stand out - What ya think?
Thanks _ Tom
www.twhudsonengraver.com
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2007
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From: Kelso Washington
St. Jude Donor '09, '13, '15
Wow....this oughta look great!
I would think chrome would be close to zero maintenance and easy to polish/clean.
Copper looks amazing polished but needs to be polished on a regular basis.......clearcoating would cut down on that but how long will clearcoat last on copper before peeling away??
If you are willing to keep it up, I'd vote copper for being so totally unique.
Otherwise, chrome is easiest and would still look good, especially since it is custom engraved. I once saw a show car, a '64ish Dodge Dart with gold plated, engraved leaf springs and other stuff.....amazing for sure.
Yeah....keep us up to date on this one!
I would think chrome would be close to zero maintenance and easy to polish/clean.
Copper looks amazing polished but needs to be polished on a regular basis.......clearcoating would cut down on that but how long will clearcoat last on copper before peeling away??
If you are willing to keep it up, I'd vote copper for being so totally unique.
Otherwise, chrome is easiest and would still look good, especially since it is custom engraved. I once saw a show car, a '64ish Dodge Dart with gold plated, engraved leaf springs and other stuff.....amazing for sure.
Yeah....keep us up to date on this one!
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Copper would be totally different and unique - might give that a try first and see how you like it/how easy it is to maintain. Chrome would be almost no maintenance and always looks good.
Please do keep us updated on how this goes.
Please do keep us updated on how this goes.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 838
Likes: 1
From: Marysville CA
I think I’ll do it in copper - If I get tired of polishing it I can always have it chromed later - Cooper get a very nice patina, that might even be a unique look? Copper will be a lot easier to work with over steel as far as cutting out the pieces. I can engrave either material.
The low rider guys are into engraving on their cars because of the Bling. I think on a Corvette less might be better where as more is better on a Low rider - I’ll try not to over do it, but still give it that WoW factor for the shows.
I'll try to take pix's along the way. Think I’ll make a link on my web site for those who want to follow the project. Maybe a You Tube if you guys think that might be interesting - I often get "How do you do that" question.
Tom
www.twhudsonengraver.com
The low rider guys are into engraving on their cars because of the Bling. I think on a Corvette less might be better where as more is better on a Low rider - I’ll try not to over do it, but still give it that WoW factor for the shows.
I'll try to take pix's along the way. Think I’ll make a link on my web site for those who want to follow the project. Maybe a You Tube if you guys think that might be interesting - I often get "How do you do that" question.
Tom
www.twhudsonengraver.com
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I have a bone stock 2001. I have decided to make a few mods to it. I want some Bling under the hood. In the past I have always just got on the net & ordered up a bunch of chrome & call it done.
I’m a gun & knife engraver. I’m thinking this time around I’m going to Bling the engine with engraving. I have done this a lot with motorcycle parts but never on a car engine. I will make patterns of all the pieces and transfer the pattern to sheet copper. After cutting everything out I will hand engrave all the pieces, all of the engraving will be installed with 2-way tape, just as you would with the mail order stick-on chrome ad-on’s.
Do you think it would be cool to just polish the copper, maybe clear coat it to hold down on the maintenance? I think Black & Copper would be eye candy? or should I just engrave it & have everything chromed? This is an advertising tool for me also so I want it to stand out - What ya think?
Thanks _ Tom
www.twhudsonengraver.com
I’m a gun & knife engraver. I’m thinking this time around I’m going to Bling the engine with engraving. I have done this a lot with motorcycle parts but never on a car engine. I will make patterns of all the pieces and transfer the pattern to sheet copper. After cutting everything out I will hand engrave all the pieces, all of the engraving will be installed with 2-way tape, just as you would with the mail order stick-on chrome ad-on’s.
Do you think it would be cool to just polish the copper, maybe clear coat it to hold down on the maintenance? I think Black & Copper would be eye candy? or should I just engrave it & have everything chromed? This is an advertising tool for me also so I want it to stand out - What ya think?
Thanks _ Tom
www.twhudsonengraver.com
Get it high-gloss clear powder-coated for no maintenance issues.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 838
Likes: 1
From: Marysville CA
My chrome shop could Nickel-Silver it just as easy as chrome or if you mean to use nickel silver, also known as German Silver sheet stock - that wouldn't be an issue either - Matter of fact I kind of like that idea - I'll have to check with my supplier for the cost factor as well as getting the Nickel Silver in large enough sheets.
Nickel silver doesn't have any silver in it - it's 60% copper, 20% Nickel & 20% Zinc - very durable & holds it appearance very well - Yeah - I like that idea -
I use Nickel on a lot of my jewelry as well as all of my knife bolsters - here's a pix of German Silver bracelet - ready to be formed.
Tom
www.twhudsonengraver.com
Nickel silver doesn't have any silver in it - it's 60% copper, 20% Nickel & 20% Zinc - very durable & holds it appearance very well - Yeah - I like that idea -
I use Nickel on a lot of my jewelry as well as all of my knife bolsters - here's a pix of German Silver bracelet - ready to be formed.
Tom
www.twhudsonengraver.com
Last edited by Tom Hudson; Apr 12, 2011 at 05:12 PM.
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Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 838
Likes: 1
From: Marysville CA
I got all the German Silver on order this morning - I have been making patterns all day - Think I’ll be up around 30 pieces to cut & grind out plus, that’s a lot of engraving -
My biggest problem - once I start a project like this I'll work night & day to finish it - just the way I am - You can't rush hand engraving but you sure can put in a lot of hours doing it
- tom
My biggest problem - once I start a project like this I'll work night & day to finish it - just the way I am - You can't rush hand engraving but you sure can put in a lot of hours doing it
- tom
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 838
Likes: 1
From: Marysville CA
At this point I have 25 pattern's drawn out - I might add a few more as I go along - everything you see in white is the patterns that I'll transfer to the German Silver Sheet material.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 838
Likes: 1
From: Marysville CA
Material on order - Should get here 2 or 3 day's - I'm really not looking forward to cutting out all the pieces but it's part of the deal - The engraving is the fun part for me - I think it will be worth it - We have so much plastic under the hood - I will do some test tomorrow with the 2 way tape to make sure it holds - Prep will be important -
I haven't decided on the style of engraving I’m going to do yet - I'm thinking about the style I did on this Bowie knife I built & engraved - It's non-relief single cut. Not a great pix. I might have to make bolder cuts for it to show up more?
Maybe something like this on the injector covers?
Tom
www.twhudsonengraver.com
I haven't decided on the style of engraving I’m going to do yet - I'm thinking about the style I did on this Bowie knife I built & engraved - It's non-relief single cut. Not a great pix. I might have to make bolder cuts for it to show up more?
Maybe something like this on the injector covers?
Tom
www.twhudsonengraver.com
Last edited by Tom Hudson; Apr 13, 2011 at 01:23 AM.
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