Sources for copper

C.Edmondson

C.Edmondson

Joined
Jan 22, 2009
Messages
1,114
I have been in the hunt for copper in my area and wondered where I might find some. I know the grounding rods outside some shop electrical boxes are copper, but what else might be a good source?
 
Ground bus bars in some plants that work on electronics maybe? Melt copper wire into your own billets? Don't know...but if you find out, let me know. Stuff is pricey to buy from suppliers.
 
Im gonna check out melting some, I know of good sources for small wires, thats a good idea. I see small electrical motors all the time at the junk yard that would be a good source for small wires, If I find anything I will let you know Erik,Charlie
 
How does your area handle bulk and oversize waste? We have roadside monthly bulk pickup in Honolulu. Lots of washer machines, driers, frigs, sinks, air conditioner units, etc, get disposed of this way. Often there are short lengths of copper tubing/pipe still attached. Driers often have their power cord still on them. I have found copper at flea markets and tag sales. Old timey soldering irons often have hefty chucks of copper for tips. Know any roofers? Maybe you could get some flashing scraps. If you can find old grounding rods you'd be in luck. Now a-days they are just copper plated, if even that. They're more likely to be galvanized.

I had a 55 gallon drum of copper and one of brass collected, but last summer some one(s) ripped me off while I was on the mainland. Anyway, be prepared to spend some money on fuel to smelt your copper down. It takes a pretty good heat to do it. You might just be better off to buy what you need, yet always keep your eyes open for when you do come across some.

Good luck.
 
I was reading earlier about someone trying to melt copper with no luck.

Like Farmer Phil says it takes a hi heat to do it.I,m thinking it was in the 1600-1800 range.
 
Think higher
Bronze flows at 2200f plus or minus 100, the tin brings the melting temp down, I believe copper is in the 24-2500 range, I can look it up at work
it will oxidize long before melting for most people

-Page
 
Page is up earlier than me this morning.

First question - What are you trying to do with the copper. It helps to know so we can give you sources.

It is not an easy trick to smelt your own copper. It oxidizes and just burns without a full shielded smelting setup. Suffice to say it won't work well to stick a crucible of copper pieces in the forge and bring it up to welding heat to melt it. Give it a try, if you want, but it isn't likely to do much.....and the constantly posted wisdom is that once you do copper in the forge, you will never have good welds is steel with that forge. The theory is something about stray copper ions. I don't really believe this, but someone will post it soon, so I thought I would get it out of the way.

Copper sheet and bar can be purchased from hobby supplies, mail order metal suppliers, etc.
Copper pipe and pipe fittings can be forged into habaki, collars, and other knife fittings.

The best thing to do with a large supply of copper wire is to burn off the insulation, wad up the wire into a ball, and take it to the scrap yard. You might even be able to trade it for a usable piece of copper. This burning will release toxic fumes, so do it in a fire outside and stay up-wind.
Scrap yards usually have plenty of copper.

Pure copper is soft, and is a bit different from copper wire and pipe ( and older pennies). There is tin, zinc, and other alloy ingredients added to copper to make it usable . For most projects, the copper alloy is fine.

To work copper, you have to soften it by annealing. Heat it up to a dull red and allow it to cool until the color just goes away ( black heat) ,then quench in water. This softens non-ferrous metals. Cold work the copper until it starts feeling stiff under the hammer, and re-anneal as needed. If you try and forge copper while red hot it will crumble. You can forge it at a very dull red, but there is no advantage to trying to do it unless you are shaping a huge block or bar to another size. The forging temp of copper is listed as 1500-1600F, but you have to be gentle. Much better to forge cooler, or cold.

Stacy
 
I've been looking for copper also. Last night I found Speedy Metals website and they have a pretty good selection of copper, in round, flat, sheet, and square.
 
wulfshrunting said:
I've been looking for copper also. Last night I found Speedy Metals website and they have a pretty good selection of copper, in round, flat, sheet, and square.
Click to expand...

Yup, that's who I use. Like I said though, for a sizable piece it's pretty pricey. BUT at least you know what you're getting :D
 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9zsKFi1v90I

The Santa Clara coppersmiths, melt scrap copper ina brush fire using a blower. You have to have the blower, otherwise it doen't melt.

I tired melting copper with no blower, huge bonfire, no luck.
The historians that tell you copper was discovered in a camp fire, lied.

The charcoal fire, gives the atmosphere needed to melt the copper.

these guys are real artists. :D
 
Sweany,

Loved that short clip on the Santa Clara coppersmiths, they really are artists.



To work copper, you have to soften it by annealing. Heat it up to a dull red and allow it to cool until the color just goes away ( black heat) ,then quench in water. This softens non-ferrous metals. Cold work the copper until it starts feeling stiff under the hammer, and re-anneal as needed. If you try and forge copper while red hot it will crumble. You can forge it at a very dull red, but there is no advantage to trying to do it unless you are shaping a huge block or bar to another size. The forging temp of copper is listed as 1500-1600F, but you have to be gentle. Much better to forge cooler, or cold.
Click to expand...

Stacey,

Thanks for posting this little bit of information on annealing and forging copper. I've crumbled it once or twice trying my hand at forging it way too hot.

The only thing that worries me about working with copper is the fumes and possible health risks? But, if your not heating it too a melting point, then I guess there should be no fumes?

Great Thread Folks:thumbup:
 
I bought a pretty good size piece at a metal scrape yard.
 
No worry about forging copper and the fumes....unless it is Cu/Be..then worry a lot.
Stacy
 
bladsmth said:
Page is up earlier than me this morning.

First question - What are you trying to do with the copper. It helps to know so we can give you sources.

It is not an easy trick to smelt your own copper. It oxidizes and just burns without a full shielded smelting setup. Suffice to say it won't work well to stick a crucible of copper pieces in the forge and bring it up to welding heat to melt it. Give it a try, if you want, but it isn't likely to do much.....and the constantly posted wisdom is that once you do copper in the forge, you will never have good welds is steel with that forge. The theory is something about stray copper ions. I don't really believe this, but someone will post it soon, so I thought I would get it out of the way.

Copper sheet and bar can be purchased from hobby supplies, mail order metal suppliers, etc.
Copper pipe and pipe fittings can be forged into habaki, collars, and other knife fittings.

The best thing to do with a large supply of copper wire is to burn off the insulation, wad up the wire into a ball, and take it to the scrap yard. You might even be able to trade it for a usable piece of copper. This burning will release toxic fumes, so do it in a fire outside and stay up-wind.
Scrap yards usually have plenty of copper.

Pure copper is soft, and is a bit different from copper wire and pipe ( and older pennies). There is tin, zinc, and other alloy ingredients added to copper to make it usable . For most projects, the copper alloy is fine.

To work copper, you have to soften it by annealing. Heat it up to a dull red and allow it to cool until the color just goes away ( black heat) ,then quench in water. This softens non-ferrous metals. Cold work the copper until it starts feeling stiff under the hammer, and re-anneal as needed. If you try and forge copper while red hot it will crumble. You can forge it at a very dull red, but there is no advantage to trying to do it unless you are shaping a huge block or bar to another size. The forging temp of copper is listed as 1500-1600F, but you have to be gentle. Much better to forge cooler, or cold.

Stacy
Click to expand...

I spilled bronze in my atmospheric forge when i was doing some casting, the next week I was demoing blade forging, and 5 pieces of beautiful 1084 became red-short and crumbled. I talked to one of our senior metallurgists, and he said it was the copper, I disassembled and relined the forge, removing 2 pounds of bronze in the process, I cut back the bars back to unheated metal, and they forged properly
-Page
 
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