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| | | | Joined: Mar 2001 Posts: 1,181 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Mar 2001 Posts: 1,181 | I got the new edition of the Eastwood catalog today and noticed that on pg. 25, they show "Copper Spoons" item #19108. I've seen these before and understand how they work, but I have a few questions for the welders out there!
Can any piece of copper do? Or does it have to be this type of flat panel. I work with copper at the water plant and can get a peice anytime I want and flatten it. Mount it on a stick and weld away. Is it a certain thickness or special type of copper/tin/zink etc. mixture?
Thanks
Jake | | | | | Joined: Jul 2004 Posts: 5,708 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Jul 2004 Posts: 5,708 | V-6,
My two cent guess...
Copper won't stick to the metal if 'welded' and has the ability, if thin, to draw away lots of the heat, which could result in melt-through, plus it is inert and won't contaminate the weld.
I'll bet any old piece of copper would do the trick.
Stuart | | | | | Joined: Sep 2003 Posts: 2,384 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Sep 2003 Posts: 2,384 | I use a scrap of copper pipe that I hammered flat on one end, works well. Brian | | | | | Joined: Mar 2005 Posts: 267 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Mar 2005 Posts: 267 | yep i use a 3/4" pipe that i hammered flat. got a couple of em different lengths that i shape to meet the condition.
I don't suffer from insanity, I enjoy every minute of it!
| | | | | Joined: Mar 2001 Posts: 1,181 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Mar 2001 Posts: 1,181 | Thats what I needed to know, I did not feel like spending $29.95 for a small peice of copper!
Jake | | | | | Joined: Oct 2000 Posts: 804 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Oct 2000 Posts: 804 | Yep, another copper pipe smashed flat.  Brian
1948 Chevy Pickup
Chopped and sectioned
owned since 1974 when I was 15.
| | | | | Joined: Jan 2005 Posts: 62 Wrench Fetcher | | Wrench Fetcher Joined: Jan 2005 Posts: 62 | The only advantage to the spoon is a long handle for positioning. If you flatten the end of the pipe just leave a long un-flattened section for a handle. The hollow pipe will stay cooler; the copper "spoon" will absord ALOT of heat and do it quickly. | | | | | Joined: Mar 2005 Posts: 1,513 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Mar 2005 Posts: 1,513 | I wrapped my pc. of copper pipe around a magnet with an on/off switch. Then I could stick it to the backside and plug firewall holes easily. It will also absorb the heat and decrease warpage.
Curt B.
1952 1300 Canadian 1/2 ton restomod You Tube | | | | | Joined: Oct 2000 Posts: 804 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Oct 2000 Posts: 804 | I flattened the pipe out FLAT and it is about a foot long so it is pretty close to a "spoon" with a handle.
Brian
1948 Chevy Pickup
Chopped and sectioned
owned since 1974 when I was 15.
| | | | | Joined: Feb 2006 Posts: 50 Wrench Fetcher | | Wrench Fetcher Joined: Feb 2006 Posts: 50 | I do heavy duty electrical work and use 1/4 x 4 copper buss bar. I clamp the workpieces by sandwiching them between a central bottom piece and another piece along each side. I welded the length of my fleetside tailgate in a single pass with zero warpage. I takes three peices of copper, but it works really slick. The bonus is this: a near perfect finish on the underside. I guess any heavy gauge copper will work. 
They named it Apache cause it has a patchy welded here and a patchy welded there.
| | | | | Joined: Apr 2006 Posts: 453 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Apr 2006 Posts: 453 | I've also used a piece of pipe and smashed it...worked well for me. | | | | | Joined: Jul 2006 Posts: 187 Wrench Fetcher | | Wrench Fetcher Joined: Jul 2006 Posts: 187 | Copper buss bar about 1/4" thick, just like 59patchy uses. works really well. I just bolted a wooden handle on it. I've used stainless steel in an emergency but you can stick it if not careful. Aluminum plate 3/8" will work also....Rick
'36 Tall cab Chevy 1.5 ton, '36 Low cab Chevy 1.5 ton, '53 GMC 2 ton, '51 GMC 640 5 ton, '47 Dodge 2 ton, '42 GMC CCKW 353 6X6.
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