intrex Posted February 26, 2014 Share Posted February 26, 2014 Hey, I am just about to start a new project where I am planning to inlay some 10 gauge copper wire into a finished Iron piece. I am planning to chisel a very slot into the iron and then heat and compress the slot slightly so that the entrance to the slot is more narrow than the inner slot. Then I was going to flatten and anneal the copper enough so that it will fit into the slot and cold forge it into the slot. The idea is that it will form into the inside of the iron slot and since the top gap on the slot will be more narrow the copper will be tightly formed into the piece. Is there a different/easier way to accomplish this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chinobi Posted February 26, 2014 Share Posted February 26, 2014 I have not mastered this myself, but here are my notes and experiences... don't try to heat and upset to change the dimension of the slot, that wont work. you want to undercut the bottom of the slot with either a very fine chisel or some kind of burr on an engraving tool or a rotary tool of some sort. don't flatten the copper wire too much, slightly oval that will just barely fit into the slot will do, too flat and it will want to fold over on itself before it upsets into the hole. this video has finally come back up! it was busted when I was looking for it a few weeks ago, and the name and description of it make it really hard to find! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
intrex Posted February 26, 2014 Author Share Posted February 26, 2014 Wow, Nice video. I am not sure I have the patients or time to do that over the area I was hoping to cover. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted February 26, 2014 Share Posted February 26, 2014 Chisel or engrave a kerf. Go back over it with a fine chisel angled to the side, repeat for the other side. Hammer annealed copper wire in, dress flat with a file if wanted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Judson Yaggy Posted February 27, 2014 Share Posted February 27, 2014 Alternatively you can chisel in the design, then forge braze or oxy-actylene braze in the filler, file or grind off the excess. Polish then patina for contrast. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
intrex Posted February 27, 2014 Author Share Posted February 27, 2014 Hey Guys, Thanks for all of the input. Just as a test I tried doing the angled cuts inside of an initial kerf with a dremel cutting disc. It actually worked surprising well and was much quicker than hand chiseling. Hopefully it works that easily on the finished piece. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chinobi Posted February 27, 2014 Share Posted February 27, 2014 hard to get those disks into tight corners, but they will do for straighter areas. get yourself some smaller burrs, but mind the little splinters they throw. they are the devil to get out of skin and clothes. eye protection a must as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Olivo Posted February 27, 2014 Share Posted February 27, 2014 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
intrex Posted February 27, 2014 Author Share Posted February 27, 2014 Good point about curved sections. Those are going to have be done by hand for sure. Do you all have a recommendations for purchasing small chisels? I don't currently have anything small enough that would work for this project. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted February 27, 2014 Share Posted February 27, 2014 I would recommend you visit a commercial/residential garage door dealer, installer and servicer and pick up a broken garage door spring and have a 2 lifetime supply of a decent steel for making small chisels and repoussee tools with. Then make a bunch of chisels---skew, curved, V, straight, etc and so on. Make them with short handles so there is less flex and make a holder for them so no fingers in the way and get to town! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black Frog Posted February 27, 2014 Share Posted February 27, 2014 I would recommend you visit a commercial/residential garage door dealer, installer and servicer and pick up a broken garage door spring and have a 2 lifetime supply of a decent steel for making small chisels and repoussee tools with. Good advice. Last year I called around to a couple garage door places looking for old springs, make sure you mention that you are wanting them for blacksmithing and that usually perks their interest. You'll get turned down once and a while. After I told one garage door business I was looking for old/broken springs to use for blacksmithing, he was intrigued and invited me over to look through their dumpster. I brought along a forged bottle opener, and when I met him I showed him that bottle opener. He thought it was really neat, and then I told him it was for him, and he can have it. I now have garage door spring supply of different diameters for life, and an open invitation to come back anytime. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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