copper art/ how to need help

Date 07-17-2010 23:18 Edited 07-19-2010 04:22

I got a new huge/heavy conventional TV that is too big for the entertainment center.   For me it is a perfect excuse to try my hand at some decorative "ironwork" furniture. I have seen some things done with stamped copper that are absolutely beautiful....I am inspired to do something similiar.

What I want to do is take some thin copper sheet .010/.005 or so and make oak or maple leaves out of it. I would like to find an easy way to make a die to press them (bottle jack/arbor press) or hammer/strike them to get the veins of the leaf and the shape. I would buy them if someone knows a source but I would rather make them by hand. At any rate I plan to dress up my "ironwork" structure with the copper leaves, probably tig weld them together.....then use a little creative heat to color them.   I thought about trying this with some SS as well since it makes some pretty colors but I think I will stick with copper.

I am very open to ideas as to how to do this...I just cannot think of an easy way to do it.   I reckon I could cast a mold in concrete,corian or something similar to press them but then I will have to cut the shape by hand.....any ideas?

By Lawrence (*****)

Date 07-18-2010 02:01

Try Youtube and look for terms like copper work and hammer forms. Also look for the names Ron Covell and Ron Fornier... Not sure if the spelling is correct... But those are the two top American metal shapers... They both have tons of affordable DVDS too

You can use quick hardening epoxy resin to make your bottom dies.... you might be able to use some real leaves to press into the stuff when its soft... Then make top wooden piece to hold your copper sheet over it...

More later.. In a hurry

Lar

By DaveBoyer (*****)

Date 07-18-2010 06:48 Edited 07-18-2010 07:01

For short run stamping, You can get by with epoxy tooling [for forming dies] If You can find a sample in any uniform thicness material, You can use it for a master and cast the dies. Steel filled Devcon brand is the epoxy to use.

I don't know much about steel rule dies, but they might be Your solution to hand cut blanks. Don't overlook plasma, laser or water jet cut blanks, but You would be outsourcing those.

Have You checked King Arcitectural Metals to see what they have? Their stuff is a little crappy, but You could hand work it some Yourself.

For real art work, do a search on repousse. That is copper work done with hand held punches with the copper supported by a soft backing. You might search it on Anvilfire.com

I think You would need too much tonnage to stamp nice vein lines with a shop press, but You could incise them with a chissel [properly ground] and hammer without too much work.

By yorkiepap (***)

Date 07-18-2010 11:24

Hey Tommy,
A few years ago I met a fellow who also does a lot of copper sheet crafts. He said he had a very difficult time finding a reasonable method to get/make dies for his patterns. He talked to a tool & die gent who told him to go to a welding shop that did classic/show car work & ask them what could be made to do what you also want to do. The weldor told him he could fab several half-inch thick plates & MIG weld beads into a pattern if he had a pattern furnished of the vein lines he wanted. This fellow drew the patterns for (5) configurations & the weldor transferred them to the plates & MIG welded beads in the pattern furnished. The MIG welds were quite thin yet had the needed height to make pronounced veins in the copper sheet. He simply used 1" thick planed pine for the bottom plate. He said the weldor only charged him $150 for the (5) plates. That was a few years ago, & I'm sure it would be a bit more today....never know. You may be able to do them yourself. Just some "food-for-thought".....

Denny

By Tommyjoking (****)

Date 07-18-2010 18:04

Here is another source for stampings in a variety of metals   http://www.frankmorrow.com

Dave   I am a fan of the Devcon. I have made "Steel Rule Dies" before, I had no idea that is what they were called. You can get away with rubber block for a bottom die a lot of the time....unfortunately these are only good for very soft materials. You would have to get down to foil like thickness to do anything with metal. I am pretty sure I can make a epoxy die just by making my patterns with a stylus on clay, oiling it then casting my male die on that and so on. Whaddya think??   It will not take much pressure to work .005 copper.   Problem is still the cutting of the edges, hi speed is not an option as the copper would smear, snipping it all would be a heck of a lot of work but doable.   Hmmmmm??????

Denny I thought about that.....except I would lay the pattern with tig to get it fine as possible. I am looking to make these life size or 2/3 size....I might want to choose a leaf without so much detail on the edges the more I think of it.

Why not just buy them since their are sources?   That just takes the fun out of it!!!!!!

By DaveBoyer (*****)

Date 07-19-2010 02:11 Edited 07-19-2010 02:15

,005 copper will form really easy and You can cut it with scisors, but that would go pretty slow. I thought You were thinking of thicker material. The clay model will work fine, and then You can wax up the first cast and pour the other die against it. 2 plates with dowel pins to line them up and You have Your die set, just keep the plates parallell when You cast it, or You will need to go to a soft or spherical ram attachment to get uniform pressure.

Laser cut blanks would be the trick. Look at this website http://www.drgnfly4g.com/ Randy is one of My blacksmithing friends, and has done some interesting things with laser cut material, and has the connections with someone who does short runs, if You need that service.

By Cumminsguy71 (*****)

Date 07-19-2010 14:47 Edited 07-19-2010 14:53

Make sure you post pics of it when you get it done. I've been thinking about a copper rose here lately, just buying the sheet that I need. For me, I'd most likely hand cut the leaves, work them on my so called anvil or a sandbag and put the veins in by hand. Takes longer for sure but makes for good training and really makes you proud of the outcome. At least this is how I'll approach the copper rose, simple "old school" method or as some might say, cheap. I prefer frugal.

King is a pretty good source but not sure that I've actually seen any copper leaves in the 900-1000 page book. I've seen some aluminum castings but not copper, then again I really have not been looking but do flip through the pages while relaxing in the evenings sometime. Architectural Iron up in the east has stuff too but again, I've looked through the catalog as well and don't recall much in the copper line.

Shawn