How To Shape Copper Sheet

Traditional techniques involve cutting out copper sheet to form the sidewall forming it to cylindrical shape and making a joint.

How to shape copper sheet.

Centerpunch all drill hole marks on the patterns smooth all burrs and refine the edges with abrasives or files. Lay out copper sheet on a flat surface large enough to provide support beneath the entire surface of the sheet. A brazed butt joint is not strong enough so an overlap must be used to give a bigger contact area for the join. You can also cut it with scissors and wrinkle it easily.

Draw your shapes you want to cut onto copper with pencil or a sharpie marker. Next place the wood parallel and slightly behind the bending line. One way you can form the blank is to take a round disc of sheet metal and use a hammer to make a depression. Clamp the wood on top of the metal to the workbench.

I would not use this for metal embossing. It can also be shaped by hand if. You can use it in pretty much the same way as the 1 mil copper sheet however it is. Using the edge of your workbench a length of wood two clamps and a mallet you can fashion a rudimentary bending brake.

Steps and tools for simple planishing of copper. Below is a quick guide to help you determine which thickness best suits the needs of your project. This method is mainly used for softer metals such as copper and brass. The same techniques can be used for any copp.

Remove paper and adhesive residue then polish the copper faces with 400 grit wet dry sandpaper. Fixed to the copper sheet with spray adhesive. Select a copper sheet that is as thin as possible. Copper sheeting comes in thicknesses ranging from very thin copper foil to thick copper plate.

When you do this draw a circle pattern on a piece of paper. Measure the dimensions needed with tape measure. You can use barkeepers powdered cleaner bon ami is similar or if you want to go all natural baking soda lemon juice and dish liquid work pretty good. The unit of measurement used to identify the thickness of a sheet of copper varies e g gauge mil ounces per square foot inches millimeters.

Purchase a copper sheet appropriate to the specifications of your job. 1 4 mil is slightly thicker than the 1 mil. Get approximately 2 feet about 61 cm more. Easily remove hammer or mallet marks from a formed copper bowl.

Mark a bend line and place the sheet metal on the edge of your bench. Before you start cutting i would recommend taping couple of your major fingers. The 1 mil copper sheet will not hold its own shape without something behind it to reinforce it. Choose a soft temper of copper sheet to allow you to hammer copper more easily.

Work from the outside edges in while rotating the disc.