So I was slumming around YouTube and found a guy that was using something called “metal reactive paint” to make brand new copper ceiling tiles look like really old, weathered ceiling tiles.  Metal reactive paint is apparently paint that has copper, bronze and lead particles floating in it, so if you spritz it with some kind of solution (most likely water) while it’s wet, it will rust the metal floating in the paint.  when everything dries, you’re left with the color of the paint, with the addition of either a blue/green patina on the copper and bronze or a yellowish orange on the iron.  I figured I’d give it a try and started looking for some of this stuff.

Amazon has it for the low, low price of $12 for a 6 ounce bottle, and that doesn’t include the spritzing solution.  WHAT?!?  $2 for each ounce?  Would you buy a can of beer for $24?  I figured there had to be some kind of craft supply house that would be cheaper.  I looked at the place I normally buy woodturning supplies from and they have it, too!  Their price for a 6 oz. bottle was $15.55.  ouch!  I figured I’d see if I could buy it directly from the manufacturer and save some money by cutting out the middle man.  Nope!  They point you to an authorized dealer, the nearest one being an hour away, the next closest two hours away.

After several hours searching, I found a place that sells what I am sure is a counterfeit version, under a different name.  They even had videos showing how to use the stuff and some tips.  For $38 I was able to score a 6 oz. bottle of copper, a 6 oz. bottle of iron, a 6oz. bottle of light bronze, a 6 oz. bottle of dark bronze, AND, a 10 oz. bottle of spritzing solution.  Still kinda pricey, but not sell off a kidney kinda pricey.

Here’s the final result.  The whole thing (minus the upholstery tacks added in an attempt to make it look like there were rivets on the top) is made of wood.  This one will not go to the burn pile…

Here you can see the inside of the bowl showing the un-oxidized copper color.