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Posts posted by RyanMark
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Thank you everyone! Sorry to take so long in replying.
So it looks like I need to use a car buffer after sanding to a high grit. First with a course compound with a "cutting" wheel, and then the buffing wheel and compound, correct?
Bigfoot - Where do you get the fine grit sanding discs for the orbital sanders? I can only ever find up to 320. I find a random orbit sander to be quite fast, although the discs don't last very long. But if I buy in bulk then it's worth it.
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I buy copper alloy sheet (bronze, brass, nickel-silver) and make things out of it. The metal usually comes with a mill finish. That is, kind of shiny but with marks and light scratches (sometimes not so light). I'd like to polish it to a mirror finish before I start working it. For me, this would make more sense than polishing/buffing afterwards. I know this has been asked probably a million times, but what would be the most economical way to achieve this, given that I currently have no specialized equipment for such a task, and taking time into consideration as well? I've wet-sanded up to 1500 grit a few times, and have never quite got a mark-free surface. I'd be happy to start at the Harbor Freight level. Thanks!
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I emailed Little Giant about this, but while I'm waiting for a response, can anyone tell me what the maximum diameter cylindrical die could be installed and still clear the guide? On a 100 lb.
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I guess I thought that, for example, the Little Giants had rectangular guides which would only allow a comparably small cylindrical die to be installed, since it retracts up into the guide. But I looked at more pictures and see that the guide is square.
Thanks, guys.
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Attached is a picture of a gentleman in Wuhan China forging out bronze plates.
I believe the anvil has a shallow depression, and the die is cylindrical.
Which power hammers could be outfitted as such, besides the self-containeds? I know some hammers are sensitive to changes in tup weight, stroke, etc.
Thanks!
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Thanks, Basher.
I looked at the Bradley Compact today, and it doesn't have enough throat clearance. The smith who owns it is also of the view that a smaller hammer should work fine. The thickness will just have to be checked as I work.
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Thanks, Andrew.
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I've been reading up on Bradleys, specifically the Bradley Compact. A 100 lb version might be available close to me. The small amount of literature I've found says that this hammer has an adjustable stroke depth. I wonder, will this work?
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It was said that the self-containeds are more controllable than other types. Plus the only type of hammer I've used was a Nazel 2B. I didn't know they were less efficient.
I'm drawing out circular bronze ingots into plates. Maybe I don't need the finest control. Never used a mechanical hammer so I don't know.
If I was able to afford a hammer right now, I'd just pick up a 100 lb LG when one pops up for sale. But I'm thinking of a Kickstarter campaign to get a hammer, so I might as well get a nice new one. And, I can't plan the campaign around a used hammer that may not be available if and when the campaign is successful. A delay in obtaining a hammer and making the backers' "rewards" is something I want to avoid.
Which mechanical hammers are currently in production?
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Will look into those, thank you
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What is the largest, currently in production, self-contained air hammer that I could run off of 220v, single phase, 50 amp breaker? And do they come stock with a single phase motor? I would like to do without a phase converter.
Thanks!
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Thanks, InFire, I had not seen that.
I wish I had a team of strikers.
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I take cans to the scrap yard. But I save all other aluminum such as extrusions. I alloy it with a little bit of zinc or silicon and it's useful metal.
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That casting forum is currently experiencing errors. There is a guy on there that makes and sells zinc-aluminum alloy ingots on ebay, look it up there. He must be making some $. Probably not a lot, though.
Tips -
Wear a face shield, welding gloves, long sleeves/jeans, and leather boots. Better would be leather apron and spats.
Heat your ingot molds on the furnace lid before pouring. Cold molds or condensation will cause this:
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Like swords?
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Thanks, Matt. I've been working multiple angles on this. Just got done with another attempt at casting the blank outright, at 1/8" thick and about 16" diameter. Hasn't filled, but very close. Might have to go 3/16".
Braeburn, you say? Just looked them up. They're in PA, lots of steel mills there, but too far away.
I had contacted a lab in Iowa that has a 12" wide rolling mill. Not wide enough, but I asked them if I could use it, or have them roll my bronze. Cost was $170 an hour, and their furnace was only 5x7". -
Cool! Thanks, Patrick.
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Thanks, knots. I'll take a look over in Presses. I'm not familiar with presses, or how a forging press is different from a regular shop press.
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You mean the cushioned helve style, right? I just looked up Bradleys and they made a lot of different ones. There's a 100 Compact near me but that can't be what you mean. I just read something about the long helves and working even thickness...makes sense.
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Yes, some very good answers despite my being vague. The material is bronze, 80% Cu 20% Sn. It is indeed something that I decided to specialize in. I'm making it myself because I can't buy it in the sizes and shapes I want. At least not from this country.
To give you an idea, here is a casting:
And here is one which I hammered out to around 11" and then cut a circle:
There are raised areas all over it from the top die on the Nazel having an indentation. He ground it out just before I couldn't use the machine anymore. :(
And here is my gas "forge", or furnace for this:
Anyways, this is what I'm doing. They are going to be gongs, singing bowls, and hopefully cymbals. The biggest one I've done was a 10 lb, 8 inch casting that got hammered to about 16 inches. Still 10 lbs, though...so too heavy for a cymbal. Good for gongs though.
I suppose with practice I will get to making them more even, and thinner. Might try stacking two together or something.
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Well, I wouldn't need the foot stop until I get close to the desired thickness. I had no problem forging it by eye, and was getting pretty good at controlling the Nazel. I guess I might just have to use a deep-throat micrometer, but that's going to be very time-consuming and difficult to keep checking it while the metal is hot.
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Thomas,
A rolling mill would definitely be more appropriate, but the circles get up to 16" diameter or more. I started planning out a mill but am not sure it will work with my monetary and electrical limitations. Someday, though.
Polishing Mill Finish Sheet
in Copper Alloys
Posted
And to answer some questions: I mostly make gongs, as in the musical instrument. Recently I had an opportunity to get some material from Germany. It came already cut into circles (80cm diameter) and with a mirror finish. Really nice stuff. I have to cut my own circles and I can only get mill finish from my US suppliers. The discoloration from heating is desirable, therefore it must be polished beforehand. Keeping it from getting scratched during production is something I always have to be conscious of, but it is not that difficult. With summer coming, I'm more worried about my sweat dripping onto it!