# Copper lettering



## JWD (15 Apr 2017)

Hi Guys, not sure if this is the right place to post but:

Im looking to make a sign/wall plaque and for the lettering i was thinking of bent solid copper (4/5mm) spelling out 

_Brighton_

I was just wondering what i will need (if anything) to do this? the letters will be max 70mm high x up to 50mm across

many thanks 

joe


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## TFrench (15 Apr 2017)

If you want round bar lettering you could use copper brake pipe, or fuel line if you wanted a larger diameter. Use a brake pipe bender to create your curves at a constant radius.

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## sunnybob (15 Apr 2017)

6 mm copper tube from a plumbing merchants. Smaller than that and its getting harder to source.


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## Lons (15 Apr 2017)

sunnybob":2uby3x3l said:


> 6 mm copper tube from a plumbing merchants. Smaller than that and its getting harder to source.



Loads of 6mm and 1/4" on ebay Bob.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/like/15169600 ... 0898469841


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## JWD (16 Apr 2017)

thanks for your responses!

would it not be better to use solid copper @5mm? i dont want to be bending it for a really tight angle and have it fold!


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## Eric The Viking (16 Apr 2017)

The trick, as I understand it, is to anneal it well and fill it with fine, dry sand before bending. That's if you haven't got a pipe bender, but I had one like this:





And it was truly rubbish. I threw it out.

I note in passing that Toolstation sell one branded Draper, that's slightly different and might be a bit better.

Anyway, I have to do our house number, too, and was thinking of doing it with 8mm or 10mm pipe, as I have some to hand. I intend to try the sand thing.

E.


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## marcros (16 Apr 2017)

and to anneal copper, I believe that you heat it and plunge it into cold water- the opposite that you would do for steel.

check before you do it- I am not 100% on this.


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## Lons (16 Apr 2017)

Shame, just a few weeks ago I had a clear out and scrapped a load of stuff some of which the scrappies called pyro ? It was the elements out of old redundant night storage heaters which were 6mm copper tube with a solid insulation filling around a copper core, you could bend it double by hand without kinking. I don't think I got much for it as scrap value.


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## Phil Pascoe (16 Apr 2017)

marcros":zc43ijx1 said:


> and to anneal copper, I believe that you heat it and plunge it into cold water- the opposite that you would do for steel.
> 
> check before you do it- I am not 100% on this.



Yes. The same for silver and brass.


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## woodfarmer (16 Apr 2017)

phil.p":1k8xr9jl said:


> marcros":1k8xr9jl said:
> 
> 
> > and to anneal copper, I believe that you heat it and plunge it into cold water- the opposite that you would do for steel.
> ...



For carbon steels you are correct, for stainless and stainless welds it is the other way around


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## Rorschach (16 Apr 2017)

marcros":39loq0f7 said:


> and to anneal copper, I believe that you heat it and plunge it into cold water- the opposite that you would do for steel.
> 
> check before you do it- I am not 100% on this.




Even better if you heat and let it cool gently.


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## TFrench (16 Apr 2017)

I've always had success with the type of tube bender Eric posted. I've never tried bending heating pipe with it though, it's always been brake pipe which has a thicker wall - I'd say this makes it more resistant to kinking?

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## JWD (17 Apr 2017)

More great responses, cheers fellas

Gonna order some tubing i think this evening, do we reckon brake pipe will be best if it has a slightly thicker wall than plumbing stuff? 

ill try and attach a pic of some very quick experiments with some brass at about 3:30am so forgive the dreadful attempt, but i can't decide whether to do each letter separately or try and do it from one long coil in a calligraphic style?

any wisdom or ideas you can throw my way would help massively 

joe


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## JWD (17 Apr 2017)

another point is that at some points, i may want the pipe to kink, so do i just not heat treat that area?


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## JWD (17 Apr 2017)

Picture


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## TFrench (17 Apr 2017)

Good first effort! Brake pipe comes in a soft state, ready to form. Once its been bent it work hardens and needs annealing to soften again. I'd say if you bent it in the jaws of a vice you could get it to kink though.


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## JWD (17 Apr 2017)

ah sounds good! yeah i bet a few taps of a hammer would do it as well  

nice one!


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