Bobby
2008-02-19, 11:02pm
I did a footprint tutorial where you purchase a "hot tool" brass piece from the hobby shop. With this I was limited to just the one size and I wanted more. There had to be a better way ! ! ! I had a piece of copper and some wire and OH MY.............some fun to be had. The copper was 3mm thick and I would liked to have had a piece 2mm but who could complain about that. It was there and the ideas were working overtime.
Things you need:
1" by 1" square of 3mm copper
1 3/4" piece of copper wire 2mm thick,
12 gauge for the electricians out there.
small vise grips
ball peen hammer
good file
a holder for the stamp
scotch tape
1. Drawing of the drilling process. The copper blank is one inch square and 3mm thick.The thickness allows for the copper rod to be peened into it and retain some strength.Haven't figured out a way [ YET ] how to do this in thinner copper.The copper wire is a little over 2mm thick (12 gauge). You will want to match your drill bit for the hole going all the way through with your copper wire. You need a snug fit. The drill bit for the first drilling you want a little larger.....this lets the copper set on a ledge and not be able to pull through to the back.
106858
2. Drilled blank and copper wire.
106859
3. Hold the wire against the back of the blank and secure it very very tight with the vice grips. Tight enough to marr the copper and not let it slip while you are pounding on it.
106860
4. Leave at least 1/8th inch of the copper wire sticking out so you will have enough to fill the cavity and be able to compress the copper in the hole. You can file off any excess later.
106861
5. This is the little ball peen hammer I use.
106862
6. Start peening the top of the copper wire over and work around and around so you keep the copper folding over in a clean mushroom shape.
106863
7. After you have a good mushroom shape and have rounded the top you can hammer straight down and start flattening the wire.
106864
8. Keep flattening the wire until it sets tight against the stamp blank. This makes sure that the cavity is filled. Then when you go to file it you will not have voids in your stamp.
106865
9. Take your vise grips off and reposition them just a little way down the wire. You don't need much space between the vice grips and the stamp blank.
106866
10. Now go back to the top of the blank and hammer again till the vice grips and the blank touch on the back. This causes the copper wire to flare out in the back and keeps everything nice and tight.
106867
11. A close up of the back of the blank after you take the vice grips off.
106868
12. Now on to the the filing of the peened wire on the top of the blank.
106869
13. Almost there...........
106870
14. After a lot of filing.......... you shouldn't be able to see where the wire was. No need to polish the copper since the file lines won't show up on the glass. Now your blank is ready for your design.
106871
15. A finished stamp and the holder it fits in.
106872
16. I find it easier to draw the design on scotch tape rather than directly on the blank.
106874
I'm still trying to figure out how to get a rod and blank together with the copper being thinner. Some day I will get a brazing set up and won't have to jump through these kinds of hoops. I do like to do things though that you don't have to go out and buy the whole kit and kaboodle just to make a few things that your muse inserts into the brain matter when you should be sleeping ! ! !
I love the feet ! ! !
106875
Have fun...........................
Bobby
Things you need:
1" by 1" square of 3mm copper
1 3/4" piece of copper wire 2mm thick,
12 gauge for the electricians out there.
small vise grips
ball peen hammer
good file
a holder for the stamp
scotch tape
1. Drawing of the drilling process. The copper blank is one inch square and 3mm thick.The thickness allows for the copper rod to be peened into it and retain some strength.Haven't figured out a way [ YET ] how to do this in thinner copper.The copper wire is a little over 2mm thick (12 gauge). You will want to match your drill bit for the hole going all the way through with your copper wire. You need a snug fit. The drill bit for the first drilling you want a little larger.....this lets the copper set on a ledge and not be able to pull through to the back.
106858
2. Drilled blank and copper wire.
106859
3. Hold the wire against the back of the blank and secure it very very tight with the vice grips. Tight enough to marr the copper and not let it slip while you are pounding on it.
106860
4. Leave at least 1/8th inch of the copper wire sticking out so you will have enough to fill the cavity and be able to compress the copper in the hole. You can file off any excess later.
106861
5. This is the little ball peen hammer I use.
106862
6. Start peening the top of the copper wire over and work around and around so you keep the copper folding over in a clean mushroom shape.
106863
7. After you have a good mushroom shape and have rounded the top you can hammer straight down and start flattening the wire.
106864
8. Keep flattening the wire until it sets tight against the stamp blank. This makes sure that the cavity is filled. Then when you go to file it you will not have voids in your stamp.
106865
9. Take your vise grips off and reposition them just a little way down the wire. You don't need much space between the vice grips and the stamp blank.
106866
10. Now go back to the top of the blank and hammer again till the vice grips and the blank touch on the back. This causes the copper wire to flare out in the back and keeps everything nice and tight.
106867
11. A close up of the back of the blank after you take the vice grips off.
106868
12. Now on to the the filing of the peened wire on the top of the blank.
106869
13. Almost there...........
106870
14. After a lot of filing.......... you shouldn't be able to see where the wire was. No need to polish the copper since the file lines won't show up on the glass. Now your blank is ready for your design.
106871
15. A finished stamp and the holder it fits in.
106872
16. I find it easier to draw the design on scotch tape rather than directly on the blank.
106874
I'm still trying to figure out how to get a rod and blank together with the copper being thinner. Some day I will get a brazing set up and won't have to jump through these kinds of hoops. I do like to do things though that you don't have to go out and buy the whole kit and kaboodle just to make a few things that your muse inserts into the brain matter when you should be sleeping ! ! !
I love the feet ! ! !
106875
Have fun...........................
Bobby