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Old 03-13-2020, 10:59 AM
ken from Peterborough ken from Peterborough is offline
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Default is there an easy way to shrink metal without a shrinker?

I work with 24 gauge copper and unfortunately don't own a shrinker, I've seen it here and on you tube that making a ripple/crease on the flange of a workpiece and then clamping either sides (with vise grips) before hammering the area, will work but that method was partially successful with thin copper. is there an easier way?
Thanks.
Ken.
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Old 03-13-2020, 03:26 PM
Ken Hosford Ken Hosford is offline
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it would really help to understand what shape are you trying to make ?
roughly how big is the piece . 24 ga. copper is how thick ? the gauge for steel does not match copper gauges .
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Old 03-13-2020, 04:11 PM
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Kerry Pinkerton Kerry Pinkerton is offline
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24 gauge is pretty thin. The problem you're going to have tuck shrinking it, with or without a shrinking fixture, is that you're going to have to be very careful not to fold it over.

In order to shrink it, it must flow INTO itself. Copper is so soft it will just want to mash down.
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Old 03-13-2020, 04:53 PM
Mr fixit Mr fixit is offline
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Hi Ken,

Just a beginner here but they do make a shrinking hammer, it has what I refer to as the waffle face kind of like a framing hammer. I have not got one because I did buy a hand shrinking machine but I'm sure one of the experts here will chime in and give you sound advice on the hammer and how to use it.

https://www.eastwood.com/fairmount-s...SABEgK_ePD_BwE

let us know how you make out as we all learn from each others adventures

TX
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Old 03-13-2020, 04:56 PM
ken from Peterborough ken from Peterborough is offline
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I already managed to shrink the flange with just a pair of round nose pliers.
The piece I'm working on is cone shaped , made of copper(.016" thick the cone has the top/bottom cut off) the larger opening is 6" Dia. the smaller one is 3",very much like a lamp shade.
The larger opening has a vertical flange that fits inside a ring, the flange was slightly oversized but after making a series of notches, I managed to shrink the rim to size.
The reason I started this thread was to find out if there's a simpler way of shrinking metals in general, anyhow, I ended up ordering a shrinker/stretcher today. was just looking for an excuse,lol.
Thank you all the same for reading my post and for your response.
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Old 03-13-2020, 05:06 PM
ken from Peterborough ken from Peterborough is offline
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While I was typing I has to more replies, the shrinking hammer I was looking at was not as good as the one in your post Mr fixit. I was hesitant a bit since (I thought) it would mar the copper surface more than a shrinker would.
Kerry, you are right on about copper being too thin, I managed to shrink it without folding the creases over each other, kept heating many times between hammering, it took me a while , there are 3 more piece I still have to do but I'll wait until my shrinker arrive.
Thank you all for your replies.
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Old 03-13-2020, 05:14 PM
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Kerry Pinkerton Kerry Pinkerton is offline
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Personally, I would not waste my time or money on any of the magic shrinking hammers etc. Been there, wasted that money, learned my lesson many years ago.
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Old 03-13-2020, 05:45 PM
crystallographic crystallographic is offline
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22 Mil/16 Ounce Copper (.0216") 24 gauge: 16 ounce copper sheeting


So, we are discussing hand shrinking "oh 2 thin" soft copper sheet.

waffle-faced shrink tools.jpg
I would avoid this stuff like the WuFlu.


In your case, not knowing anything at all about this project, I would direct my own self to setting up a chunk of clean sanded log, of a diameter near to my desired contour. I would then make ruffles along that copper edge, then hold the metal down smack against the wood anvil, and strive to carefully work the inside triangle apex of each ruffle using a flat-faced wood mallet with the round face lopped into a square with a band saw, taking steep bevel cuts backwards into the flat face.

The straight edges are easier to shrink this with than circular corners, and you can switch back and forth, swinging your forearm 45deg, to get targeted on each side of your target triangle. You do a "herringbone" step series back out to the edge, alternating sides - whack/whack, turn forearm, whack/whack...etc.
Thin soft sheet in aluminum or copper may be done with soft anvils and soft mallets, going carefully. (The benchtop shrinkers can also play havoc by chonking up fat rumples at the edge - which have to be then trimmed off, )
You can do this. It's just thin soft copper, and if you go carefully it just happens! Go too hard and it goes badly.
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Last edited by crystallographic; 03-13-2020 at 05:50 PM.
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Old 03-13-2020, 07:07 PM
cliffrod cliffrod is offline
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Ken,

25 years ago, my first Metalshaping project was a copper bowl in what appears to be <1mm (1mm = .0394") thick copper because the significantly shrunken flange now measures approx 1mm. This favorite bowl and great lesson sits here beside my chair in the living room.

Living in an apartment back then, I used a yellow plastic mallet, my stump (a pallet lumber picnic table on my patio) and the one dolly I owned to shrink the flanged edge. Except for my new shot bag, there were few actual metal working tools on hand- no torch, no tucking forks, no tipping tool, no Lancaster-type shrinker.... As I hit the metal, small ruffles developed to be flattened. Repeat, repeat, repeat. In hindsight, my ignorance and lack of equipment actually helped me produce a pretty nice 3/4" wide flange without a single scar or scratch. Very cool. Now that I have more tools & experience, I've often thought it would only take a little work to make it "perfect." But it's perfect the way it is.

When I finally did get a Lancaster shrinker, I was very disappointed to see how easily one can eat & destroy soft metal. Not cool.

I still try to make parts as free of scars as this simple bowl flange. It didn't seem that hard to do at the time, but apparently ignorance was bliss... I judge every shrunken edge I make by this bowl's flange.

The other lesson learned is how copper will work harden and promptly crack or tear when you're trying to stretch it, like right at the bottom of your bowl. That's why this bowl holds keys and spare change instead of water... That was the other big lesson. Remember that you may need to anneal along the way.

Good luck.
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Old 03-13-2020, 08:26 PM
Mr fixit Mr fixit is offline
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There you go beginners like me, the experts have spoken.

It sounds like the shrinking hammer is for some but not the majority, I for 1 am glad I went with the Lancaster-type shrinker as it does a cool job for the applications I've used it in.

TX
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