Ideas fro protecting an engraved plaque outdoors

[sailor55330]

Hi All,

I am looking for the best way to "protect" an engraved plaque outdoors. It's a small basic metal name plaque that I need to protect on a set of windchimes. I don't know anything about the metal quality (it was done at Things Remembered). They said it would need to be "sealed". LOML bought this and now I have to figure it out. I tried some basic outdoor varnish on it before mounting, but I wasn't crazy about how it was drying. I tried a quick google search and there isn't much that is easy to find out there. I was thinking either clear spray lacquer or maybe Shellac? Open to all ideas.

Thanks

[trungdok]

clear spray poly should work. I would probably not use shellac for outdoor pieces.

[Pappy]

There are spray coatings to keep polished brass from tarnishing. I made valve caps out of .45 cartridges and sealed them with some and they are holding up fine. The one I used I think was called "Brass Kote" that I got at Hobby Lobby. Not sure how it would hold up to constant exposure to sunlight.

[cwsmith]

Both shellac and lacquer are subject to moisture damage under normal outside conditions. I'm not familiar with "Brass Kote", as Pappy suggested; but if it's formulated for outdoor protection, then that is the way I'd go... just read the label. Outdoor "poly" should also work okay depending on your weather. If you are located in an area where temperatures drop substantially, you will probably have to be concerned with shrinkage or cracking of the whatever coating/sealant over time unless the coating is designed for temperature extremes.

CWS