Possible copper pin materal?

D

Dixieblade57

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Jun 20, 2007
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My question comes from being in Harbor Freight the other day looking for a welding cap. I can't put my eye on one so I start really looking at evreything on the shelves. When I saw these and got to thinking they would make a cheap source of pin material!

http://www.harborfreight.com/welding/welding-accessories/250-piece-welding-studs-90081.html

Before anyone says anything I know what they are used for, they are studs used to spot welding on a automobile to remove dents with a slide hammer. But I have never actually used them myself, so it got me too thinking!


Does anyone know if these studs are copper all the way thru or they just copper plated???
 
Says right in the description that they are "STEEL WITH A COPPER FINISH".
 
Those won't be much use.

However, getting some high copper content brazing rods can give you a years worth of copper pin stock. Same goes for Nickel-silver brazing rods.
 
jll346 said:
Says right in the description that they are "STEEL WITH A COPPER FINISH".
Click to expand...

Sorry guess I didn't read that part! I was in a hurry in the store the other day and I just pulled up the site and evidently did not read it closely!
:foot:
Thanks Stacy and Chuck for the ideas on copper pins. There is a few handle materials that I think copper pins looks good on!
 
I too suggest heavy gauge copper wire, I used that on a carving knife and fork I made for my fiance's dad.
 
The brazing rods are harder than plain copper wire, and thus are easier to install without bending issues.
 
FWIW - As long as the hole is a snug slip fit I've had zero problems with bending, but they do peen nicely ;)
 
My experience as well Chuck. They do peen very neatly.

As for the exact material you choose to use... If you are using the pins to attach scales it won't be as much of a factor, but if you are using brazing rods to pin and peen copper bolsters, the pins might end up being fairly obvious due to chemistry differences between the bolster and pin materials. I've had this problem with nickel silver pin and bolster materials being slightly different materials chemically. The bolster material oxidized at a different rate than the pins, and the pins became visually obvious over time.

Rick
 
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