advice on anealing copper/brass

[mr dazzler]

I was wondering if I could ask some advice please about annealing, specifically what would be my most cost effective way to do it. I have no wood burning stove these days, and no gas hob, and only a halogen hob/electric oven. I was thinking a calor-gas propane or mapp-gas type bvutane plumbers torch but what does any other forum member use to perform the task? I never ever thought I would start doing anything that would knock wood carving into the shade, but I really am loving the copper forming. Any way, thanks for any tips in advance
cheers Jonathan

 

[Robson Valley]

Chalcolithic it was called. I tried to do some copper forming. I bought some 16" x 1/4" copper rods at a junk yard.
32oz flat faced hammer, a 12" piece of iron railroad track and a BernzOmatic propane "bottle torch" for heat.

1. Heat transfer was so rapid that I had to rig a handle to hold the rod.
2. The copper would work-harden so fast that I got to hit it 3 times. #4 did nothing, so heat it again.
3. My striking accuracy with the hammer was pathetic.
4. I was forever nipping off bits of copper with my bolt cutters.

But, I did make a PacNW style crooked knife blade. No amount of effort made it sharp enough to cut a carrot.
Also, I bought some 1/4" x 1.5" copper bars.
This time I went to a blacksmith and had a simple adze blade beaten out.
His propane forge together with his striking accuracy was a sight to behold (he's a farrier).
But similarly, I was defeated in my attempt to give the blade an edge.

The forge got the copper far hotter than my gutless little bottle torch.
I was really surprised at how fast the metal would work harden from the hammering.
I don't know if I could have done better if it was hotter.

 

[Monikieman]

Did a wee bit copper work. Just used a gas bottle torch. You can air cool or water cool and it stays soft.

Made this a while ago

with a nail punch. It's 1.7mm copper and was a bit heavy. the old bat who lived next door had a go at me one day and was complaining. She asked me if I thought I stayed at The Back o' Beyond. One too many drinks and it was decided that this was the house name.

 

[Nice65]

It's simple. Get it red hot and drop it in cold water, it then is annealed and soft. A plumbers torch will work just fine, Robson Valley has missed the point completely, but obviously feels he needs to add to the thread. Yawn.

 

[Robson Valley]

I made the point that the copper work hardened far faster than expected. Facts are still useful.

 

[Nice65]

I made the point that the copper work hardened far faster than expected. Facts are still useful.

Fair enough, it's a metal that conducts heat very readily. Red hot copper isn't workable in the same way as steel, as you've discovered. It needs to be annealed to work, annealed again when necessary, not worked hot. It will never produce anything like a cutting edge, the closest alloy is bronze which will.

Apologies for being 'blunt'.

 

[mr dazzler]

Thanks for all your replies

Did a wee bit copper work. Just used a gas bottle torch. You can air cool or water cool and it stays soft.

Made this a while ago View attachment 45542

with a nail punch. It's 1.7mm copper and was a bit heavy. the old bat who lived next door had a go at me one day and was complaining. She asked me if I thought I stayed at The Back o' Beyond. One too many drinks and it was decided that this was the house name.

I think it'll be a calor torch like plumbers use, with a fire brick to rest on. I'd thought of using a paraffin blowlamp but the calor is instant. By the time the blowlamp was up to heat, the copper would have been heated with the calor and cooled

I like the name plate, it looks almost like a bronze casting now with the weathering. Did you use a backing to support the metal while you punched it?
cheers Jonathan

 

[Monikieman]

Jonathon. I used a small tree stump as a bench and a few layers of sheet lead. It gets folded over as it thins. Everything domes forward and then you chase the outside of the letter flat again. A mixture of bleach, salt, vinegar and a little bit of human liquid waste produce and it greens up great. Only problem is lifting it out of the liquid and the green falls off. I sprayed it on, let it dry and reapplied. Wax polish to finish. Cheers