GB2495979A - Wood substrate with metal coating layers - Google Patents

Abstract

A process for forming a coated wood substrate 50 comprises the steps of (i) abrading a surface of the wood substrate 13 , (ii) applying a base coating 21 including a first metal to the abraded surface, (iii) applying a further coating 22 including a second metal over the base coating, and (iv) subjecting the coated substrate to a finishing process. Preferably, the abrading step produces an enhanced three-dimensional grain profile defined by a series of peaks 17 and troughs 18. The finishing process preferably removes some of the further coating layer 22 to expose some of the base coating 21 to produce a two-tone effect. In another aspect, all of the metal coating can be removed to expose bare wood between coated metal areas (figure 9). In further aspects, coating natural wood artifacts such as logs, or wooden or non-wooden substrates with undulations, with a metal layer is disclosed.

Description

Processes for Metal-CoatiflE a Plurality of Substrates and Morphology-Classes This invention relates in a first aspect to processes for applying a metal-coating to a substrate. In a second aspect, the invention also relates to different morphology-classes, (various objects of distinct outline shape and superficial-topography), having metal-coatings deposited S thereon. In a third aspect, the invention fUrther relates to combinations of substrate-material, surface-topography, morphology-class, metal-coating(s) and other surface-treatment(s), which taken together, create objects possessing:-artistic-beauty'. (In the current context, substrate' represents any basal or surfltce4ayer material, used for constructing familiar, commonly encountered objects. e.g. Wood, trees, plastics, plaster, metals, resins, concretes, granite and other rocks etc. Morphology-class represents a way of distinguishing differently used end-products' by shape and also encompasses their surthce-topography'. (e.g. cups' and bowls' usually differ in both form' and fUnction' and may have rough', smooth' and/or other surface * texture'). A wide variety of decorative and protective surface-coatings and treatments for * : substrates are known In fact, the number of available treatments is almost as vast as possible end- *::::* is uses for particular substrates. Each different treatment is designed to give a different effect * to a finished substrate, morphology-class object or other product derived from those-Effects can be **** *..: purely fUnctional', purely protective', purely decorative' or any combination thereof (A ** * * functional example might be metal-coatings that conduct electricity or reduce friction etc. The other terms are self-explanatory). Commonly used coatings for e.g wood-substrates include:-Paints, varnishes, waxes, oils, lacquers, resins etc. Commonly used non-coating' techniques include weathering and bleaching etc. The present invention seeks to provide processes by which unique' and imaginative aesthetic effects can be applied to various substrates andlor morphology-classes before and/or after they have been worked into a finished product. In some instances the processes also impart additional fUnctional and/or protective properties to finished substrate(s) and/or product(s) derived from them This is achieved by adapting existing metal-coating technology. Much prior-art exists in this field. Processes closely resembling, though not identical to those used herein, are repeatedly cited. Prior-art does not always offer means for simply, reliably and economically adhering almost any metal to almost any surface. Neither do beautiful-objects' people might aspire to buy, always result from the prior-art. Achieving all the foregoing objectives (beauty, simplicity, reliability, aspirational-value, economical-fabrication etc), requires a combination of obvious processes with non-obvious' modifications described herein. The metal-coating and surface-treatments described are applicable to a diverse plurality of substrate and morphology-classes. By way of example only, this invention illustrates that many innovative products are creatable from wood-substrates. Processes herein are adaptable to many other substrate-materials (as outlined at previous Page 2) and for which protection also is claimed ahead. According to a first aspect of the invention, processes are provided ft,r applying metal-coating(s) to:-e.g. wood-substrates with concurrent other means for artistically enhancing various * : . * 4 natural features of this substrate material-class and comprising successive steps of- (a) Raising grain-patterns by:-depth-modulated-abrasion". Or omitting to do so.

* : 15 (b) Bonding':-applying a base-coating including a first metal (element or alloy) to 44*4e4 * surtäces defined at previous stage (a). *.**

(c) Differential-highlighting':-Applying further coating(s), sometimes including two or 4. 4 * more metals and/or metal alloys; and:- (d) Subjecting the coated substrate(s) to miscellaneous further finishing process(es).

e.g. Cutting(s) and/or drilling(s) and/or polishing(s) and/or linishing(s) and/or sealing(s) and/or lacquering(s) and/or chemical-patination(s) etc. Abrading' herein means:-"any process by which substrate-surface-material is worn-away/removed" and could include e.g:-Use of high pressure liquids, particulate and/or abrasive solids, high-energy-photons (laser-ablation), irradiance by energetic molecular fragments or atomic or sub-atomic particle beams or computer numerically controlled (CNC) machining etc. sIn the context of raised wood-grain, uniqueness' [meaning one of a kind'], arises naturally from the fact that wood-grains are as unique as human fingerprints. For convenience, except when otherwise defined more specifically ahead, the term metal' hereafter is used synonymously both for chemically-elemental forms e.g. copper (Cu) and alloy-combinations eg. brass (Cu and Zn).

Deposition means can include any of the usual forms. e.g:-Metal-ions may be transported by electrolysis, electric-arc, plasma, sputtering, molecular-beam and/or various hot metal(s) be condensed from vapour-phase etc. By way of example only, the invention is illustrated ahead by techniques known to those skilled in the art as:-Electric-arc-spraying'. (Combines ionised-bot-metal-plasma' with vapour-phase-deposition'). In wood, aesthetic effects produced by these processes are most effective at two different macroscopic-levels':-(i) When the substrate has an interesting and readily visible set of surface-features (e.g. grain-patterns) andlor:-(ii) When an outline-morphology is visually-appealing' (e.g. The shape of a gnarled-log'). It is accepted that aesthetic-description in patents is unusual. Subjectivity is unavoidable:-(Beauty involves eyes of * beholders', not all of whom will agree with each other). Interesting-woods' are selectable from * . among e.g:-Pine, ash, beech, maple, birch, oak, cherry, spruce, cedar, elm, walnut, ** * eucalyptus, bamboo, mopani, Java-wood, savana-bogwood etc. The abrading process of step (a) :::! : preferably includes a procedure whereby the relatively soft wood material between successive grains is removed down to a pre-determined depth from the surthce of the substrate. Abrasion-depth is varied according to user preference. (+Depth is modulated' by aesthetic considerations). Typical depths range from no abrasion' (zero) to a maximum of -6mm. (The tilde' symbol -used herein means roughly', approximately' or about'I. Abrasion can be omitted for preserving detail.

e.g. For cast' items such as statues' and softer non-wood' substrates etc. Deep-abrasion enhances wood-grain profiles and promotes sequences of surface peaks' and troughs'. Abrasion when adopted, is achievable by any of the previously outlined methods. By way of example only, abrasive particulate grit-blasting, using e.g. alumina (A1203), is highly effective for wood-substrates. The enhanced three-dimensional (3D) grain-profiles contribute one of several ways in which a unique product appearance can be &bricated from a wood-substrate using processes of the present invention. Each of the four process stages:-(a. to d. inclusive) has duals' for other substrates and/or morphology-classes. For example, abrasion process (a) can be used to render superficially rough' castings (cast-objects) smooth' or vice-versa and can even transform one morphology-class into another. Mother subtle' aspect of abrading wood-substrates and which creates aesthetically-pleasing effects, is that grit-sizes, particle-types and velocities' can be manipulated to create non-obvious' phenomena:-(simultaneous removal and compression of soft material). Abrasively enhanced 3D grain-profiles of the invention contribute other unique- * 10 aesthetic-properties:-When the wood-substrate emerging from step (a) is subsequently coated with metal(s) in steps (b) and (c), each metal coating follows the contours of the surfice, adhering both to the peaks and the troughs. By subsequently removing, during step (d), an upper :.: layer of the peaks only, down to a pre-determined depth, distinctive patterns are obtained in * * : finished products, wherein metal-coating(s) in the peaks can be rendered visibly different from * : :: * 15 metal-coating(s) in the troughs. The finishing process in step (d) therefore preferably * includes a procedure in which the further coating that has been applied in step (c) is removed from ***.

*..: above the grain peaks, thereby exposing the underlying base-coating, but is retained in the grain ** * * troughs. In certain embodiments of the present invention, step (c) is repeated one or more times so as to provide multiple coatings. In such embodiments, the corresponding procedure in step (d) involves removing all such further coatings from the areas above the grain peaks, thereby exposing all previously applied coatings. For other embodiments, second and/or subsequent (multiple) re-coatings may be omitted. e.g. For the previous example of a:-Gnarled-log', Objets- d'art,' objets-trouvé, table-lamps and other exhibition-pieces are fabricatable from found-object(s)' metallised with a single coat. {Step (c) is often omitted). It has been found that of all available metal coatings, zinc (zn) displays the best adherence to abraded wood-substrates.

It is therefore preferred that the base coating in step (b) includes zinc and most preferably is a zinc/tin alloy (z,t+sn). The base-coating is preferably applied to a thickness in the range of -25 to -i0O.tni, and most preferably is more than 75..tm. Metal(s) employed in the finther coating(s) applied in step (c) may in theory be any metal(s) or alloy(s) which are capable of being formed into commercially available wires or ground powders. Preferably metals are selected from among:-copper (cj, zinc (zn), tin (s'a), iron (fe), silver (ag) or gold (an) etc., and in particular may be an alloy selected from among:-Argentium (a5+c0+&), brass (c+z), bronze (cu+s,j or stainless-steel etc. The metal-coatings in steps (b) and (c) are preferably applied by a thermal-spraying process. In addition to the general deposition means of Page 4, there are several potentially suitable commercial-processes, known to those skilled in the arts of metal-spraying, which therefore will not be described in detail. e.g. Flame-spraying, plasma-spraying, high-velocity-oxygen-fuel- spraying (HYOF) or an electric-arc-spraying-process. The latter has been found effective for wood-substrates and, strictly by way of example, is chosen to illustrate the current invention. A single * .....

* application of the fbrther coating in step (c) produces aesthetic effects that distinguish between *, . _ metals deposited in peaks and in troughs. In other embodiments of the present invention, * step (c) is repeated one or more times thereby to apply one or more further coatings. Each repetition :: : of step (c) preferably utilises a coating including a different metal to that of the previous coating.

* ** As previously indicated, the finishing process in step (d) preferably includes a procedure in which the or each further coating is removed from above the grain-peaks. Alternatively, step (d) may include a step of polishing only the grain-peaks, thereby imparting a sheen to peaks in contrast to troughs that remain dull. The previously mentioned concept of duality' (Page 5) also applies here. Many other types of (wood and non-wood) substrate, possessing ridged-structures' can be treated similarly. e.g. CNC-machined and/or other ridged-surface structures, treated according to these methods, would produce differentially-highlighted-patterns' contrasting the peaks and troughs. (Peaks and troughs also arise in many contexts other than wood-grain.

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For example, Sterling-board, Chip-board', MDF' and many other kinds of commercially-available chopped and compressed-wood, cellulose, fibre and particle-boards exist. These often have undulatory-surfaces and can be treated in analogous ways to wood-grain, according to processes of this invention). For wood, both of the aforementioned processes for differential-highlighting' of course are combinable. Peaks and troughs are contrastable both by different metallic-lustres and/or polishing glint'. Again for wood, step (d) preferably also includes one or more of the following procedures:-grinding, sanding, brushing, burnishing and polishing. Oxidation (e.g. rusting) of metal coatings is aesthetically desirable in some instances and not in others. To prevent oxidation, coated substrates may be lacquer-sealed at step (d). Or lacquer-sealing omitted to pmmote oxidation. In addition to semi-infinite pattern varieties available from differential lustres and/or polishings and the like between ridges' and/or grains', a broad-spectrum' of additional colours and hues also are obtainable from chemical-patination(s)'. A few * examples of these are illustrated ahead at Page 11. The scope of the present invention also extends * :" to include both wood' and non-wood' articles having a metal-coating thereon, which has been * : : : 15 applied by the processes described previously. Therefore according to a second aspect of the * present invention, there are provided ridged' articles either in wood', non-wood' or even metallic *.: materials that have an enhanced 3D profile defined by a series of peaks and toughs, and wherein * * : metal-coating on the peaks is visibly different to metal-coating in the troughs. According to the invention, differential-enhancement' between peaks and troughs arises whether surfhces undulate naturally (e.g. wood-grain) or whether they undulate by-design'. (e.g. Surfaces with machine-cut' grooves etc). Providing metal-coatings, especially on wooden articles, gives rise to benefits that are protective as well as decorative. There is protective isolation from deleterious-atmospheres, moisture-ingress and biological-pests. Materials become fire-retardent'. Despite presence of metal-coatings, it has been found that wood so treated can be cut and worked as easily as untreated wood. Functionally useful benefits also arise when wood is metal-coated. For example electrically-conductive paths can be provided. Earlier differential techniques permit both isolation' and electrical-conductance'. By these means it is possible to combine surface-decoration with the distribution of electricity. e.g:-To light-sources etc. The present invention will now be described, in detail, for wood, though only by way of example, and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure us a perspective view of a wood-substrate, prior to being processed according to the present invention; Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the substrate of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the substrate of Figures 1 and 2, after having been abraded in step (a) of the process of the present invention; Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of the substrate of Figure 3, after a base-coating has been applied in step (b) of the process; Figure 5 is a is a cross-sectional view of the substrate of Figure 4, after a further coating has been applied in step (c); and Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view of the substrate of Figure 5, after having been subjected to the finishing process of step (d). Referring first to Figure 1, there is shown r a wood-substrate, generally indicated 10, represented here as a generally orthogonal block having a * * flat upper surface 11, bounded by sides 12 and ends 13. The substrate 10 has a clearly visible **. * 15 natural grain-pattern, consisting of a plurality of grain-lines 14 extending through the *** * substrate 10 in a direction approximately parallel to the sides 12. Visible grainlines 14 on the *.

*..: surface of a substrate are exposed by the action of cutting through natural tree rings in the raw ** * * timber when forming the substrate. Evidence of this can be seen on the ends 13 of the substrate 10, where the grain-lines 14 are curved, as appears best from Figure 2. The wood material 15 in the areas between the grain-lines 14 is normally softer than that at and immediately adjacent to the grain-lines 14. One embodiment of the process of the present invention will now be described.

The untreated wood-substrate 10, as shown in Figure 2 is abraded in step (a) of the process, by grit-blasting with alumina particles having diameters between -105 and -210 gin, using a pressure blast system operating at -100 psi (689 kPa). This removes soft material 15 between the grain-lines 14 to a minimum depth of --0.25 mm. There is no maximum' depth. (Blast systems can totally erode wood). As can be seen best from Figure 3, the abraded substrate 20 emerging from step (a) thus has a contoured surface 16 consisting of a series of peaks 17 and troughs 18. Each peak 17 is associated with a grain-line 14, whilst each trough 18 is associated with an area between the grain-lines 14 from which the soft material 15 has been removed in step (a). Note that Figure 3 (and subsequent Figures) are elongated in the vertical direction, so as to exaggerate the contours of the surface 16 and subsequent coatings applied thereto, in order to make the figures clearer.

Additionally, thickness of coatings in Figures 4 to 6 mcI. also are exaggerated. Thicknesses portrayed are achievable but in practice would normally be thinner. (Figures 1 to 6 mcI. all potentially have duals'. It is an obvious step that foregoing processes developed for natural-undulations [grains], also potentially apply to man-made' undulations, i.e. Processes (a) to (d) md. also apply to the other substrates and/or materials of Pages 2 and 6 and/or objects with machine-cut, moulded and/or stamped ridges andlor depressions etc). The abraded substrate 20, is * * * coated with zinc-alloy (e.g. tin/zinc) in step (14 of the process. This is applied by an electric-arc- * * spray-gun, operating at direct-currents and voltages of--100 A and -22 V, using 11 gauge zinc wire. Primary and secondary air supply pressures are each set at 90 psi (620 kPa), and the * spray gun operated at a distance of about 6-S inches (15-20 cms) from the contoured surface 16 of *** : the substrate 20. As is shown in Figure 4, the base-coated substrate 30 emerging from step (b) thus ** * has a layer of zinc-alloy base-coating 21 adhered to the contoured surface 16. The base coating typically is applied to depths of about:--75jxm. In step (c) of the process, the base-coated substrate 30 is spray coated with a second metal, such as copper, again by an electric-arc-spray process. The process is essentially the same as that described above for step (14, except that the operating voltage of the spray-gun may vary between-22V to -33 V, depending on the metal used.

As is shown in Figure 5, the flurther coated substrate 40 emerging from step (c) thus has a layer of copper top coating 22 adhered to the base-coating 21. Although represented in Figure 5 as being of approximately the same thickness as the base-coating 21, the top coating 22 may in practice

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be up to around l000jim in thickness. If desired, step (c) may be repeated one or more times with different coatings in order to build up a multi-layer coating. Finally, in step (d) of the process, the coated substrate 40 is subjected to a finishing process, in which those areas of the top coating 22 which overlay the peaks 17 of the contoured surthce 16, are removed down to an (aesthetically) pre-determined depth. This is achieved by grinding and/or sanding the coated substrate 40, followed if desired by an additional step of polishing in order to impart a sheen to the exposed metal-coatings 21, 22. Various non-obvious aspects of polishing are described ahead. As shown in Figure 6, the finished article 50 emerging from step (d) thus has discontinuities of surface-level, consisting of a series of platforms 23 corresponding to the position of the peaks 17 in the contoured surface 16. The size of the platforms 23 will be determined by the depth down to which the top coating 22 is removed. At each such platform 23, the base-coating 21 visibly protrudes through the gaps in the top coating 22 created in step (d), whilst between the platforms 23, in the areas :1 corresponding to the troughs 18 in the contoured surface 16, the top coating 22 remains. The grain-

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*5S*S* * lines 14 are thus highlighted', picked-out' or contrasted' by one metal (i.e. the base-coating 21), *5*e -. 15 whilst the remainder of the surface is coated with another contrasting metal (i.e. top coating

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* 22). This provides unique and striking aesthetic-effects. It will be appreciated that where step (c) S...

: has been repeated one or more times with further coatings, the visual effect will vary in that the

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° base-coating 21 will be visible at the peaks 17, a first-applied fi.irther coating will be visible in the areas immediately adjacent to the peaks, and a subsequently-applied fbrther coating will remain elsewhere on the article 50. Possible variations achievable by using further coatings, and by varying the depth to which the finished process is applied, are virtually unlimited. Further steps of applying conventional coatings, such as paints and pigmented-dyestuffs produce still greater variation to the unique aesthetic qualities of wooden-articles produced by processes of the present invention. The aforementioned additional colours and hues are producible by chemical-patination' (using techniques known to those skilled in the arts of sculpture and of metallic-art). Simple chemical-recipes' exist for most pastel and/or vivid andlor primary colours and/or hues. Green verdigris' is producible on copper, brass and bronze. Black and brown tints are producible by deliberate oxidation of zinc and steel etc. Brass can be blued' with hot aqueous mixtures of sodium thiosulphate and lead acetate etc. It is thought to be obvious that as welt as the aforementioned dualities' that apply to Figures 1 to 6 mcI., a second principle also applies of:-morphological-plurality'. i.e. Although Figures ito 6 inS, are shown as simple-laminar-structures, the metal-coating and other processes described herein are applicable to an almost infinite variety of other shapes and materials. Simple-laminar-structures alone are fabricatable into enormous product varieties. e.g:-Architectural and building materials and house-wares such as picture and/or mirror-frames etc. Figure 7 illustrates morphological-plurality'. e.g. An objet-trouvé (found-object'). Gnarled-logs can be transformed into interesting objects by metallising them. e.g. A table-lamp shown in Figure 7 is fabricated with a single metal-coat *:* * (copper) and minimal finishing (cutting, polishing and drilling). Figure 8 illustrates another aspect * : of morphology:-(Shows topography of Sterling-boards which also can be coated' and * 15 differentially-highlighted' etc). One non-obvious aspect of polishing is that commercially- " available buffing and carborundum-flap-wheels can be too harsh. Operators polishing out high- *.: spots' can inadvertently polish-away too much metal. A process-modification that eliminates this * . problem is to increase flexibility by cutting slots in flap-wheels etc. This produces more even pressure over undulating surfaces. A second non-obvious aspect of polishing is that the aforementioned problem, also is exploitable, to produce aesthetically pleasant effects.

Aggressive polishing can leave islands' of metal between some grain-boundaries which contrast elsewhere with shiny-exposed-wood'. This effect resembles a form of marquetry' :-Patches of metal remain that look inlaid'. See Figure 9. A third, non-obvious aspect of polishing involves commercially-available motors. Polishing-motors often lack speed-control'. Adding simple triac or thyristor-controllers, aids manipulation of a polishing-spectrum'. (From mild to harsh).

The cut-rent invention focuses on aesthetic-enhancement'. Metal-deposition potentially also yields many functional-products'. (Products of interesting appearance, also possessing useful structural' and/or functional' properties). Examples were previously outlined at pages 7 and 8-e.g. Provision of electrically-conductive paths for lighting' etc. Ability to deposit different combinations of S similar andlor dis-similar metals on a plurality of substrate and/or morphology-classes and to provide electrical-interconnections between those, taps into a rich vein of physics' leading to other functional-products and for which protection also is claimed ahead. For example, building materials exist that combine low thermal and electrical conductivities. e.g. Polycarbonate plastics, urethanes, silicones and glass/air and glass/vacuum-' sandwiches' etc. Such materials coated with similar and/or dis-similar metal-combinations would permit manipulation of the following physical effects, e.g:-Seebeck, Joule, Thomson, Onsager and Peltier etc. Many different metal-combinations amenable to deposition by electric-arc' would generate useful thermal e.m.fs (Thermocouple-voltages). e.g. C, and N etc. It is possible to deposit dis-similar metal combinations * in such a way that some electrical-energy is recoverable. e.g. From temperature-difference *:::: 15 (between say insides and outsides of buildings and/or pipes etc). Arc-deposition offers great * : flexibility for depositing different metals in particular locations. That flexibility is exploitable to *.:r maximise power-transfer between hot' and cold' thermocouple-junctions and an external-circuit'. ** *

: The maximum-power-transfer-theorem' familiar to electrical-engineers indicates that:-Maximum power transfers from a generator' (i.e. thermocouple) to an external-load' when the generator and load impedances' are roughly matched' (equal). By depositing metal combinations and topographies such that thennocouple-impedance' roughly matches an external-load, it may be possible to recover useful fractions of available energy, from exploiting temperature differences between various parts of buildings etc. In short, aesthetically-attractive surfaces can incorporate electrical-illumination and/or heating and/or cooling pathways' and/or electrical energy be recovered from temperature-differences between those surfaces and/or parts of surfaces.

Claims (5)

1. <claim-text>CLAIMS1. A process for applying a metal to a wood-substrate, comprising the steps of: (a) abrading a surface of the wood-substrate; (b) applying a base-coating including a first metal to the abraded surface; (e) applying a further coating including a second metal; and (f) subjecting the coated-substrate to various finishing processes of Page 3 lines 20, 21.</claim-text> <claim-text>
2. 2. A process as claimed in claim 1, wherein the wood-substrate is selected from a wood naturally having a readily-visible grain-pattern and/or other interesting morphological-features.</claim-text> <claim-text>
3. 3. A process as claimed in claim I or claim 2, wherein the wood-substrate is selected from pine, ash, beech, maple, birch, oak, cherry, spruce, cedar, elm, walnut, eucalyptus, bamboo, mopani, Java-wood, savana-bogwood and other roots' etc.
4. 4. A process as claimed in preceding claims (1 to 3 mcI.), wherein step (a) includes a * * procedure whereby relatively soft wood-material between successive grains is removed, *:: 15 thereby producing an enhanced 3D grain-pattern defined by a series of superficial peaks and * S.....</claim-text> <claim-text>* * troughs on the substrate. *..*</claim-text> <claim-text>*..:
5. 5. A process as claimed in any claim 4, wherein step (a) includes a grit-blasting procedure. S. Se.g Alumina.</claim-text> <claim-text>6. A process as claimed in any claim 5, wherein blasting effects are modified, simultaneously to achieve erosion and compression-e.g. Bead-blasting.</claim-text> <claim-text>7. A process as claimed in any of claims 4 to 6 mcI wherein the finishing process in step (d) includes a procedure in which a further coating applied in step (c) is removed from the grain-peaks, thereby exposing an underlying coating, but is retained in the grain-troughs.</claim-text> <claim-text>8. A process as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the base-coating applied in step (b) includes zinc or zinc-alloys.</claim-text> <claim-text>9. A process as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the base-coating in step (b) is applied to a thickness of at least 75p.tm.</claim-text> <claim-text>10. A process as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the thither coating applied in step (c) includes a metal selected from copper, zinc, tin, iron, silver or gold.</claim-text> <claim-text>11. A process as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the thither coating applied in step (c) includes an alloy selected from argentium, brass, bronze, steel or stainless-steel.</claim-text> <claim-text>12. A process as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein in steps (b) and (c) metal-coatings are applied by any technology involving deposition from vapour-phase.</claim-text> <claim-text>13. A process as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein step (c) is repeated one or more times to produce two or more fbrther coatings.</claim-text> <claim-text>14. A process as claimed in claim 13, wherein each repetition of step (c) utilises a further coating including a different metal to the previous coating.* 15. A process as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the finishing process in * **e** * step (d) includes one or more of the following procedures:-cutting, drilling, polishing, ** * * linishing, lacquer-sealing and/or chemical-patination etc. ***** * 16. A process as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the finishing process in **** a step (d) also includes, or omits a procedure of lacquer-sealing the coated substrate, thereby * * * * either preventing or promoting oxidation of metal-coatings.17. A process as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the finishing process in step (d) includes one or more of the following polishing procedures:-(i) Mild-polishing to preserve metal-surfaces. (ii) Harsh polishing to remove metals(s) down to substrate(s) in some places for producing the marquetry-effects of Page 11 and Figure 9, 18. A process as claimed in claim I and substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.19. A wooden-article having a metal coating thereon, said metal-coating having been applied by a process as claimed in any of the claims ito 18 mci.20. A wooden-article having a metal-coating thereon, said wooden article further having an enhanced 3D grain-pattern defined by a series of peaks and troughs, and/or other natural morphological-features and whereon (if applicable), the metal-coating of peaks is visibly different to the metal-coating of troughs 21. A wooden article as claimed in claim 20, and substantially as herein described and/or as shown in the accompanying drawings and photos.22. A wooden article as claimed in claim 21, and substantially as herein described and/or as shown in the accompanying drawings and photos, especially thereby for providing paths for surface-distribution of electricity.23. Dual-forms':-i.e. wood' and/or non-wood' and/or metallic-substrates' possessing * machine-made superficial-undulations. c.g:-stamping', grooves', pits', blobs' etc and * : * processed as in any of the preceding claims, especially thereby for enhancing or otherwise * 15 differentially contrasting peaks and troughs and/or providing surface-distribution paths for *.**** * electncity.*" 24. Articles made from well known, commercially-available materials of undulating * : * topography e.g. The Sterling-board of Figure 8, Chip-board, MDF and other kinds of chopped and compressed-wood, cardboard, cellulose, fibre and particle-board, especially thereby for enhancing or otherwise differentially contrasting peaks and troughs andlor providing surface-distribution paths for electricity.25. Other morphology-classes':-i.e. Wood and non-wood articles, vastly different in shape to the simple laminar-forms of Figures 1 to 6 mcI. e.g. The objet-trouvé of Figure 7.26. Other thnctional-classes':--i.e. Articles engineered to combine an attractive surface appearance and/or with pathways' for illumination and/or heating and/or cooling and/or recovering electrical-energy via temperature differences from thermocouple e. m. £ s.27. The set of all (SOA) articles produced by the SOA means to deposit the SOA metals on S the SOA amenable substrate-classes and/or the SOA amenable morphology-classes and/or the SOA fUnctional-classes.S * .0Sa a.. * . en. * * a... * a * a...C S... a. S a. iC is</claim-text>