Alec.S Posted January 30, 2010 Share Posted January 30, 2010 tried copper fusion today (surprisingly sticks very strongly!) worked well have any of you guys done copper fusion and what are your thoughts about it. And do you have any tips and tricks you'd like to share thanks alec alec :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DennisG Posted January 31, 2010 Share Posted January 31, 2010 Hello Alec Could you maybe expand your post a bit and explain copper fusion and the method you use to do it. A pic of the piece would be fantastic. I'd like to learn more about it myself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David E. Posted January 31, 2010 Share Posted January 31, 2010 Are you talking about penny welding? clamping a bit of copper between 2 pieces of steel and sticking it in the fire? Goodinnit? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fe-Wood Posted January 31, 2010 Share Posted January 31, 2010 Yes! Alec, please tell more...pics and stories... I do a bit of Copper work and always looking for more.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigfootnampa Posted January 31, 2010 Share Posted January 31, 2010 I have done some fusion welding with copper, silver, brass, etc. For copper especially, because of it's tendency to scale heavily and rapidly, it is important to flux and to heat quickly to fusion temps (preferably in a reducing atmosphere). I have had pretty good results doing small jewelry sized items with a small propane/air torch and an even smaller propane/oxygen torch. I have not tried it in my forge but I would expect that it should work well as my heat there is wonderfully quick when the fire is right. It is easier to watch what is happening when using the torch though and you can play the torch around and/or on/off to get a pretty fine degree of control. Overheating might be a problem in my forge. I have mostly used Batterns self pickling flux. I have made welded chains in silver, brass and copper but the silver is much easier and I found it advisable to solder (hard solder) for the copper and brass chains... it was pretty slow work anyway and the tiny amount of solder needed for the joins was almost invisible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thecelticforge Posted January 31, 2010 Share Posted January 31, 2010 I have not done it in years, but I used to make ice caulks on horse shoes with it. We called it penny welding. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alec.S Posted January 31, 2010 Author Share Posted January 31, 2010 This is the thing i did. A piece of 6mm fusioned onto a little leaf. I did a little scarf on the 6mm then applied a little bit of borax--- i made the leaf then applied borax(all borax applied hot) on the place where i wanted it to stick. then i got a tiny bit of copper wire placed it on the leaf( the borax sticking it slightly so it doesnt move) every thing back to the forge just on top of the coals till everything gets red/orange look at the leaf the copper should just have melted on the surface of the leaf then you take your 6mm and hold it on the area you want it to stick to and with tongs hold them together tightly. don't quench yet as the heat shock will be too much for the copper. once its cooled down you will have a very strong fusion! take caution when doing this because the fumes from the copper are toxic this is why i recommend doing this in a well ventilated area or under the forge hood. Sorry for some of the badly phrased stuff...... alec p.s. I am not an expert at this i have only done it because another blacksmith showed me how....... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dodge Posted January 31, 2010 Share Posted January 31, 2010 Neat Alec! I will have to try this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alec.S Posted February 2, 2010 Author Share Posted February 2, 2010 david e......yes it is pretty much... @ celtic forge.......what are ice caulks...forgive my stupidity thanks alec Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wesley Chambers Posted February 2, 2010 Share Posted February 2, 2010 Caulks are a traction device for horseshoes, there are many different forms that suit different needs: These are copper brazed diamond ( for the shape ) "Jar" caulks used to aid with traction, and speed up the heel strike phase of stride in a horse but not hamper the slide phase. Theses are standard heel caulks on a mule shoe, more bulk to add grip on anything from cobblestone to dirt for a pulling team of mules. Unlike the "jar" caulks these are built into the shoe rather than brazed on after the shoe is built. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alec.S Posted February 3, 2010 Author Share Posted February 3, 2010 oh right...thanks. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blakksmyth Posted February 3, 2010 Share Posted February 3, 2010 Hi Alec, I had a crack at copper and brass coating a year ago. It seemed pretty easy, with or without flux. I basically put the work in the fire and held a piece of copper pipe close to the work until it went plastic then smeared the copper over the work and it ran very well. Anyway here's what the result looks like. Have fun with it. Cheers, Rob Kenning SECRETARY Artist Blacksmiths Association South Australia Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
True Posted February 3, 2010 Share Posted February 3, 2010 I know that I will give this a shot. Neet just cool thanks Alc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alec.S Posted February 3, 2010 Author Share Posted February 3, 2010 rob, i like that sculpture very much the copper plating looks good, thats another thing i did when i learnt copper fusion...! alec Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alec.S Posted February 4, 2010 Author Share Posted February 4, 2010 blakksmyth, what is the top leaf made out of??? thanks alec Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blakksmyth Posted February 4, 2010 Share Posted February 4, 2010 All of the leaves were made using 1.6mm sheet steel. The colors are a combination of brass and copper. You can get some nice affects by using copper and brass on the same item. I tried bronze at one stage but it didn't seem to spread very well. Another way of giving you work a nice brass glow is by using a brass brush and brushing your work over at a black heat. Cheers, Rob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thecelticforge Posted May 14, 2010 Share Posted May 14, 2010 I had some horrible trouble penny welding a while back. Today, I tried again and used a thicker gauge wax catcher than before and it worked for me like it always had :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dablacksmith Posted May 14, 2010 Share Posted May 14, 2010 this sounds to me like brazeing with copper ... that is what i was told the prosess was anyway... it can be done with forge or oxy acyl torch .. probably with other heat sources also.. its a fairly old prosess and can be real strong... have fun Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigfootnampa Posted May 19, 2010 Share Posted May 19, 2010 That sounds right Dablacksmith. My work was actual fusion welding though... copper to copper or copper to silver etc. with no solder at all. I like the possibilities for the copper brazing though! I'll have to keep it in mind. Modern pennies are nearly all zinc so might not work very well. I guess we can't afford copper to make them from any more? They are thin copper on the outside and zinc in the middle. I have copper tube, bar, rod and sheet though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brian.pierson Posted May 19, 2010 Share Posted May 19, 2010 Isn't mokume technically copper fusion or copper alloy fusion? That is how I had it explained to me but I have never tried it myself. Brian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigfootnampa Posted May 19, 2010 Share Posted May 19, 2010 Brian; It can be done that way but sometimes people will use solder between the layers too. I'd think that you'd still call it Mokume whichever way was chosen. The fusion method generally gives a stronger bond but some types of layer materials might actually bond better with solder. Note that we are talking hard solder here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elemental Metal Creations Posted January 12, 2012 Share Posted January 12, 2012 That sounds right Dablacksmith. My work was actual fusion welding though... copper to copper or copper to silver etc. with no solder at all. I like the possibilities for the copper brazing though! I'll have to keep it in mind. Modern pennies are nearly all zinc so might not work very well. I guess we can't afford copper to make them from any more? They are thin copper on the outside and zinc in the middle. I have copper tube, bar, rod and sheet though. The US mint changed the penny in the middle of the 1982 production. 1981 and prior pennys are pure copper, 1983 and later are copper clad zinc and both were made in 1982. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Sells Posted January 15, 2012 Share Posted January 15, 2012 the Solder method has been used. but dont try to forge it from that method! Using the traditional way, Fusion bonding is better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randy Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 I've used what I was told was forge brazing not just to attach pieces, as it used to be used in locks, but more now as a surface treatment. I like the texture and colors I can get with it. I use the gas or coal forge, heat the plate, flux with borax and I usually use brazing rod. Some times I drop chunks of it in certain places and then use the rod to kind of paint with it, though you don'r have much control. Attached are a couple pieces I forge brazed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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