Hardening Copper Bangles?

Kwe Kwe sewakwekon, Hello everyone, I recently got some nice copper
strips to practice bracelet making on , how hot do I need to get them
to harden them some? Right now they are dead soft, I'd like them a bit
harder so they maintain their shapes better but not too hard that they
are brittle and break if bent a bit to fit over the wrist.

Nia:wen kowa Many Thanks
http://wishe.webhop.org
http://www.cafepress.com/ohkwari

Kwiter wrote:
Kwe Kwe sewakwekon, Hello everyone, I recently got some nice copper
strips to practice bracelet making on , how hot do I need to get them
to harden them some? Right now they are dead soft, I'd like them a bit
harder so they maintain their shapes better but not too hard that they
are brittle and break if bent a bit to fit over the wrist.

Nia:wen kowa Many Thanks
http://wishe.webhop.org
http://www.cafepress.com/ohkwari

For what its worth ive made copper bracelets for many years.
So If your copper is allready soft you should be able to feel this, ie
there wont be any springyness in it atall,.
You wont be able to hardenit ever by heating it.
where did you get that idea from?
Also harness ie its ability to bend in the hand or use depends on thickness.
So a very thin strip of copper say 20 thou thick by 1/2in wide even if
hard will bend in the hand. but a 1/2in thick by 1in wide dead soft
copper , you would need an anvil and hammer as well as a lot of skill to
bend it.
Youll learn more in a day experimenting with copper sheet, wire tube and
rod and bar than any advice wee can give you.
go for it,
Now when your a skilled metal craftsman youll be able to take that 20
tho copper sheet, roll the edges into a tube 1/8in dia on a curve, then
form into the cuff type bracelet, dome it along its length, till youve a
lovely modern design thats strong light and springy. fit for any fair
maid. All youll need for tools is some hand shears, a file a chasing
hammer and stakes and some round wood.
When youve done dozens of these then you do them in silver and then in
gold. Same technique, same time only a lot more expensive.
Dont be afraid to hit it,
experiment and let us know how you get on.

Nia:wen thank you for the info. Never worked with Copper before, I've a
bit of experience metalworking having been a machinst 20 years or so
ago. Will the material become less malleable due to work hardening at
all?

Using an old bushing to form the Bangle

Skennen Peace.

Copper cannot be hardened by heating. It can only be hardened by
working, that is, by disturbing from its original form, as happens
when it is bent, twisted, forged, rolled, or planished. The more it is
worked the harder it will become, up to a point. You'll have to
experiment to determine how much work is needed for the amount of
hardness you want.

If you reach the point where the copper is becoming very hard and you
still want to do additional work, you'll need to anneal it before
continuing or you'll risk tearing or cracking. Annealing is
accomplished by heating it until it has a red glow, then allowing it
to cool back to room temperature. If desired, you can speed the
cooling by immersing it in water (quenching). Annealing will typically
leave a residue of oxides which can be removed by chemical means
(pickling) or by sanding and buffing.

Good luck.
Bert

"Kwiter" wrote:

Kwe Kwe sewakwekon, Hello everyone, I recently got some nice copper
strips to practice bracelet making on , how hot do I need to get them
to harden them some? Right now they are dead soft, I'd like them a bit
harder so they maintain their shapes better but not too hard that they
are brittle and break if bent a bit to fit over the wrist.

Nia:wen kowa Many Thanks
http://wishe.webhop.org
http://www.cafepress.com/ohkwari

On Sat, 08 Jan 2005 23:44:24 -0800, in ¤õ "Kwiter" wrote:

Will the material become less malleable due to work hardening at
all?

yes. Less malleable, less ductile, higher tensile strength, stiffer, etc. As you'd
expect.

vj found this in rec.crafts.jewelry, from Bert :

]Annealing will typically
]leave a residue of oxides which can be removed by chemical means
](pickling) or by sanding and buffing.

but don't put copper in the same pickling solution as your silver!


--
@vicki [SnuggleWench]
(Books) http://www.booksnbytes.com
(Jewelry) http://www.vickijean.com/new.html
(Metalsmithing) http://www.snugglewench.com
yahooID: vjean95967
-----------
"Only Irish coffee provides in a single glass all four essential
food groups: alcohol, caffeine, sugar, and fat." -- Alex Levine

"Kwiter" wrote in message
...
Kwe Kwe sewakwekon, Hello everyone, I recently got some nice copper
strips to practice bracelet making on , how hot do I need to get them
to harden them some? Right now they are dead soft, I'd like them a bit
harder so they maintain their shapes better but not too hard that they
are brittle and break if bent a bit to fit over the wrist.

You harden copper by working it.

You make it soft again by annealing it.

Copper should be quenched in water after heating to anneal properly.

--
William Black

I've seen things you people wouldn't believe
Barbeques on fire by chalets past the headland
I've watched the gift shops glitter in the darkness off Newborough
All this will pass like ice-cream on the beach
Time for tea

Nia:wen kowa Many Thanks Mr Rowe, I recall your name from my previous
sojourns here.

Copper is Fun and easy to work I must admit. I think I will practice
stippling designs into it before I attempt some silver watch tips.

On Sun, 09 Jan 2005 08:35:53 GMT, vj wrote:

vj found this in rec.crafts.jewelry, from Bert :

]Annealing will typically
]leave a residue of oxides which can be removed by chemical means
](pickling) or by sanding and buffing.

but don't put copper in the same pickling solution as your silver!

Why not? Sterling Silver is, what, 7 or 8 percent copper?

Iron now, that's a whole different story.

--RC
"Sometimes history doesn't repeat itself. It just yells
'can't you remember anything I've told you?' and lets
fly with a club.
-- John W. Cambell Jr.

vj found this in rec.crafts.jewelry, from
:

]Why not? Sterling Silver is, what, 7 or 8 percent copper?

i've been corrected. but that's the way they do it at the school.

]Iron now, that's a whole different story.

gods, i don't even want to go there!
[can we say itty-bitty-tiny stainless steel shot?]


--
@vicki [SnuggleWench]
(Books) http://www.booksnbytes.com
(Jewelry) http://www.vickijean.com/new.html
(Metalsmithing) http://www.snugglewench.com
yahooID: vjean95967
-----------
"Only Irish coffee provides in a single glass all four essential
food groups: alcohol, caffeine, sugar, and fat." -- Alex Levine