How do I...?


sillyboy

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Hello all,

I am looking to make a trough in hardwood so that I can form copper pieces,  See photos of what I am making.  The backside when formed will be approx. 5/8" wide, and the ends will be rounded as shown in the photos.  Total height is approx. 3/16"

I am a novice woodworker and would appreciate some advice.  Should I use a gouge or a router bit?  How would I make the rounded end in the form?  All surfaces will have to be smooth, so the are no "bumps in the copper".  I realize that there will be hand sanding, but I want to remove as much hard wood as possible.  I'm arthritic.

 

Thanks for this site...

 

SB

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That's a job for the router,I would do in with router in the table with one of those round end bits.

I would use a piece of wood bigger than I need for safety and control since it will have to drop down on the spinning cutter.

A piece of 80 grit sand paper on a proper sized dowel should clean up any bumps easy.

You could also chuck up a dowel with a round end and spin some sand paper on the form the is round.

 

Aj

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I would use a fairly hard wood . It looks like you could start with a piece cut from copper pipe. I don't know a lot about forming metal but heating it before should soften it and after being beaten on it will harden so subsequent reheating will make it easier to form. If you are putting hot metal in the form wetting the wood will reduce scorching.

If you take very light cuts with the router and slightly raise the bit each pass you will get much better results. Trying to hog out too much in one pass will probably lead to burning the wood and dulling the bit quickly.

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1 hour ago, galturner said:

I'd bend the copper over a pipe of the right diameter..or a dowel.

Hello, I've been trying it that way.  It takes forever and leaves slight depressions that can not be removed.

 

Thanks

1 hour ago, wtnhighlander said:

Since the original question has been answered thoroughly, I'll ask one of you. What is that copper piece used for?

Hello, I make copper wall art and trays and ?.  This piece is a test piece.  It is a cattail flower.

 

Thank You

 

 

1 hour ago, wtnhighlander said:

 

 

cattail.jpg

2 hours ago, wdwerker said:

I would use a fairly hard wood . It looks like you could start with a piece cut from copper pipe. I don't know a lot about forming metal but heating it before should soften it and after being beaten on it will harden so subsequent reheating will make it easier to form. If you are putting hot metal in the form wetting the wood will reduce scorching.

If you take very light cuts with the router and slightly raise the bit each pass you will get much better results. Trying to hog out too much in one pass will probably lead to burning the wood and dulling the bit quickly.

Hello,

I have a few pieces of oak pallet wood that I am going to use.  I believe the router is the way to go.

 

Thank You

3 hours ago, drzaius said:

Press-on fingernails? :) 

I agree with Aj, router with the right bit should do it. And welcome to the forum.

Thank You

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3 hours ago, sillyboy said:

 

I have a few pieces of oak pallet wood that I am going to use.  I believe the router is the way to go.

 

Thank You

Thank You

Depending on what type of oak, that may not even be hard enough. .  Red oak has wide open pores and a structure you could about drink through like a straw.  You need something with high crushing strength.Maybe you can get a few out of it but it does dent easier than I would like for a form

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Nice piece of art! Brendon has a point about red oak as your "forging" die. Unless the copper is very soft, red oak is like to split or splinter after just a few uses. Beech is a dense, finely grained hardwood, often used for workbench tops, because it is resistant to splitting or splintering from impacts. Hard maple might be a good choice, as well.

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I mainly work with pine, but had some boards from a pallet that I was saving for making runners for a table saw sled.  This oak looks very dense and is extremely heavy.  The copper is dead soft 16 ounce.  It's not like I am going to make hundreds of these.

I have no other choice in what type of wood to use. 

Thanks for the help guys, and oh...I ordered a 3/4" round router bit (Freud). 

sb

 

PS Here is a photo frame I made...

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Thanks,

 

I buy the copper in 2'x8' sheets.  16 ounce copper. The inlay is approx. 3/8" wide.  I have some copper drops.  Give me a longer length than you need, and your address and I will send you some that are about 1/2" wide.  Cut to fit

The photo frame is for a 8"x10" photo.

BTW would you know what I have here? See photos.  These were my Grandfathers.

 

Thanks

 

sb/rm

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20 hours ago, wtnhighlander said:

Odd-looking bits you have there. Steve may be on to something with the tubing idea. What sort of work did your Grandfather do?

My Grandfather was a carpenter.  I believe these were used on wood as some sort of countersink?  See photos.  The larger one has 2 flutes and the smaller one has 4.  Both are spring loaded.  I can't see any makers mark on them.  Both are of different designs meant to do the same thing.

 

Thanks

 

sb

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I THINK...There are some sharp points missing that go into the holes in the ends. Are the holes threaded?

I think they are transfer punches for locating hinges  and to locate holes for screws and other metal items. My transfer punches are smaller but, that is my idea. Some old door hinges were pretty large back in those days.

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On 9/20/2016 at 0:14 PM, Rapid Roger said:

I THINK...There are some sharp points missing that go into the holes in the ends. Are the holes threaded?

I think they are transfer punches for locating hinges  and to locate holes for screws and other metal items. My transfer punches are smaller but, that is my idea. Some old door hinges were pretty large back in those days.

Hi RR,

 

There are no threads in the small hole.  It looks like that is where the live center went when machining.

Upon closer inspection I found this stamped on the shaft when apart, on the smaller one. See photo.  Haven't had a chance to do any research yet.

Thanks

sb

 

 

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