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copper sheet

Posted: Mon Dec 05, 2005 7:42 am
by Watershed
Starting from scratch to build a still, what gauge copper sheet ought I be thing of ? Just playing with a few ideas at the moment.

Posted: Mon Dec 05, 2005 4:55 pm
by knuklehead
That really depends on how you intend to make your joints. Cylindrical shapes are quite strong so you really don't need more then a 16oz (0.0216") copper sheet if you intend to solder it. Copper welds really nicely with TIG but then you would want to go a bit heavier since once you've got it melting you have to move quickly to prevent burning holes in it. I have 24oz (0.032") copper at my shop which welds nicely using the right joint.

Posted: Tue Dec 06, 2005 1:34 am
by Watershed
I can't weld. Or at least I've never tried. I know the principles of working copper but I've seldom put it into practise so I think first job is to build a 'pocket sized' candle powered still - it'll get me used to handling formers and doing long soldered joints.

Posted: Tue Dec 06, 2005 7:43 am
by jbrew9999
Watershed wrote:I think first job is to build a 'pocket sized' candle powered still - it'll get me used to handling formers and doing long soldered joints.
That sounds like an awesome idea. I'd love some thing like that as a display item. At the Old Jameson Distillery in Dublin, there is a working model of the whole distillery. It wasn't running when I saw it though.

Posted: Fri Dec 16, 2005 11:06 am
by CornCobCanyon
Are the copper sheets used to make gutters suitable for stills? Is there a better source of coper sheets?

Thx...

Posted: Fri Dec 16, 2005 4:52 pm
by knuklehead
Sure but where do you live that people still use copper gutters?

Posted: Fri Dec 16, 2005 6:24 pm
by CornCobCanyon
Copper gutters are considered to be the best you can buy by a lot of people here in California. They last longer and look better than other kinds of gutters. I would have put them on my house if they weren't so expensive.

Posted: Fri Dec 16, 2005 7:09 pm
by knuklehead
Oh I totally agree that they look the best and last the longest, it's the cost that made me wonder. I my business we do a lot of work with copper inside and outside of customers homes but only the ones with a lot of money to spend. I love the look of copper.

Posted: Sat Dec 17, 2005 1:30 am
by Watershed
I'm having real troubnle fidning copper sheet now - can't seem to find it in anything other than 30cm squares. I'll have a proper search in the new year.

Posted: Sat Dec 17, 2005 11:03 am
by Fourway
roofing supply

Posted: Sat Dec 17, 2005 11:45 am
by knuklehead
Watershed wrote:I'm having real troubnle fidning copper sheet now - can't seem to find it in anything other than 30cm squares. I'll have a proper search in the new year.
You can buy copper sheeting at any metal wholesaler. If they sell stainless steel, aluminum sheet they should also have copper sheet. A full sheet of copper is going to cost a hell of a lot, keep that in mind. I buy 24oz copper sheets, 4'x8' for 200CAD and my selling price an partial or manufactured sheets is 500CAD.

Posted: Sun Dec 18, 2005 3:16 am
by Watershed
Believe it or not, the local place has everything but copper sheet. I'll need to put a template togethr first so I know how much I need - allowing maybe half as much again for cockups. I can get brass sheet easy enough but I'm not adding zinc to the wash.

Posted: Sun Dec 18, 2005 6:28 am
by stoker
did you check a metal recycler? there i got mine, and it's cheap,
onley, you can't find large plates, logical becouse someone once 'threw it away'

Posted: Mon Dec 19, 2005 8:33 am
by dye99
if your having troble finding the copper sheet then you could just use a pressure cooker, there not too bad.