Making Soft Copper Washers

[Nigel Taylor]

I needed some soft copper washers to test my vertical boiler, so I made some. It's actually quite easy:

1. drill and ream holes in some copper sheet

2. cut them up

3. place them all on a mandrel in the lathe - this allows you to squash them between two steel washers

4. machine to size

5. deburr the edges

6. anneal

The full walk through is available: Making Copper Washers

And then you have a soft copper washer that works great at sealing a joint

 

[Cabinetman]

Very good, what is a vertical boiler please?
I do the same as you but with formica, I use them between the moving parts of my folding deckchairs, Mine only have a six mil hole and I mount them on a 6mm nut and bolt in the chuck on my wood lathe. Ian
Edit just looked it up, interesting are you going fire and steam or home heating?

 

[Nigel Taylor]

Very good, what is a vertical boiler please?
I do the same as you but with formica, I use them between the moving parts of my folding deckchairs, Mine only have a six mil hole and I mount them on a 6mm nut and bolt in the chuck on my wood lathe. Ian
Edit just looked it up, interesting are you going fire and steam or home heating?

Hi, this is a very small boiler designed to power a stationary steam engine. I'm making it as I've never made a boiler and thought I should try this before making the boiler for the small traction engine I'm making. Here are both items together.

The vertical boiler stands on top of the firebox.

 

[Cabinetman]

Oh wow! That’s incredible.

 

[novocaine]

I made a set of punches (sat in the other workshop that I can't get to right now) to do this, saved having to go to the lathe every time.

 

[Nigel Taylor]

I made a set of punches (sat in the other workshop that I can't get to right now) to do this, saved having to go to the lathe every time.

I made a punch for some large buttons in copper, and have to agree it is easier. I just wasn't sure I needed that many and so the overhead of making the punches didn't feel worthwhile. I will probably change my mind and end up making a set.

 

[novocaine]

I made a punch for some large buttons in copper, and have to agree it is easier. I just wasn't sure I needed that many and so the overhead of making the punches didn't feel worthwhile. I will probably change my mind and end up making a set.

which is precisely the reason I made a set.
having spent to much time making them this way because "I'll only need a few" I finally gave in and made the punches. from which point I think I've made about 10. typical really.