Pearl Sutton wrote:Joel: not that I know of. Every time we try to make a thread that would cover a whole category it gets derailed into one or two specific things.
Jordan Holland wrote:
Brian Kuhl wrote:Excellent idea using that copper as a heat sink!
...I have an old heavy flint knapping tool with a round, copper head that would probably work great for curved surfaces if needed :)
It could work! They actually make a tool called a "spoon" which is a handle with a slightly curved plate of copper that can be held on the offside of a thin weld. I've been meaning to get one, but have always gotten by with scraps of copper. In this case, a scrap I could clamp to the workpiece was better than a handheld spoon.
The thickness of the copper matters also. The thicker it is, the more heat it can absorb. If it's too thin for the job, it can get hot enough to melt and will stick to the weld. I've used brass in a pinch, but copper is much better.
David Huang wrote:At first I was going to metalsmith up something more complicated (and admittedly nicer all around) but then started thinking about the random stuff I already had on hand that could be cobbled together to make one. I post a shot of the stuff I started with, a vinegar container from the recycle bin, some longer screws and bolts, and a couple pieces of scrap grid beam I've been making for another project.