Re: copper washers

[little_dave]

Just a tip with copper, when you heat it to cherry red, you can quench it straightaway in cold water, it will be fully annealed and the quenching gets rid of the oxide leaving your copper all nice and clean, ( a pink colour). Aluminium, steel, brass have to cool down slowly, if you want to soften aluminium, wipe it here and there with soap, heat up until the soap turns dark brown to black, (be careful, any hotter and it will melt and it doesn't change colour like the other three! ) and allow to cool slowly, it's annealed, steel heat to bright red and allow to cool slowly as possible. Brass to a dull red and cool slowly. Hope this helps! L-Dave (Retired lecturer-coppersmith/sheetmetal worker).

[weedavie_j]

Good factual tips there Dave,

Another proven way to anneal aluminium is to heat gently as above but instead of using soap, (which may not be readily available) use a small piece of wood i.e. a used matchstick

Use the end of an old 'used' swan vestas or similar match end and swipe it over the surface of the aluminium as you heat it.
When there is enough heat in the aluminium, the match wood will leave a brown mark on the surface of the metal.
Leave to cool slowly.

The aluminium will then be soft and workable (anealed);)

Always be careful not to overheat alluminium as little-dave says coz it gets to a point where it will just collapse without warning

[BaZa®]

Send them into the quin ......... andy.woodside@btconnect.com

[little_dave]

I mean't to mention about wiping with a match as well, also wipe with oil instead of soap, but I didn't want to cause confusion! However Weedavie_j has put it for us and he is right about the ally collapsing without notification that it is at melting temperature, all us oldies who learn't to weld ally with gas welding equipment know there is a very slight change in the surface of ally just before it melts, but just like Guinness; it's an aquired taste!! If your not sure, just go to dark brown to black and keep the heat on the move over the surface of the metal.

[Hawkeye]

I never knew about brass, but i did know about the others. I have worked with all kinds of metal, welding and the like.

You learn something everyday.