Subject: Re: HELP! Copper Ornamental Stampings

From: [email-masked] (Orest I Koroluk)
Date: Fri, 26 Jan 1996 12:03:31 -0500

In article <[email-masked]>, Jack
<[email-masked]> wrote:

>         H E L P
> 
> I have been offered the job of rebuilding a copper awning that provides 
> cover over the entrance to a building. Most of the surface is flat
copper with 
> applied ornamental stamped finials (which rise slightly above the small 
> parapet, at intervals, around the three sides of the roof), inlaid 
> rosettes, geometric shapes and lettering. Additionally there is a stamped
> valance skirting that runs around the bottom border.
> 
> My question is..... does anybody know of a company that still sells
> decorative ornamental copper stampings of this nature?
> 
> If not...... how costly would it be to make a mold from an existing
> part and have a die made for reproducing that part?....and....... if this
> is the alternative, who might still do copper stamping?
> 
> 
> jack sinclair
> [email-masked]

I'm sure that the thickness of copper is minimal in this type of
application. From your description I would think that you  would only need
a few dozen stampings. 

I would try to take an impression of the existing piece using fibreglas to
create a female mould (die). Then make a male copy to use as a punch from
this mould. It would be wise to try to coat the inside of the mould with a
layer of something (paint?) to approximate the thickness of copper you
will be using before making the punch. If you will stamp the pieces and
solder them to the awning you could get away with even thinner copper,
hence less thickness to make up.

This will result in a matched die set. All that needs to be done now is to
anneal small pieces of copper and put them thru the die using an arbour
press.

Orest

Fast, cheap and easy.

---

From: Andrew Werby <[email-masked]>
Date: 26 Jan 1996 19:43:58 GMT

Jack <[email-masked]> wrote:
>
>	H E L P
>
>I have been offered the job of rebuilding a copper awning ...
how costly would it be to make a mold from an existing
>Any help, advice, etc. will be greatly appreciated. 
>
>Replies may be made privately if possible and thanks in advance.
>
>
>jack sinclair
>[email-masked]

[Having new stamps and dies made would cost big bucks, like 10 grand
 each -minimum. You didn't mention how heavy gauge the copper stampings
 need to be, but if they are fairly light -under 20 gauge - you could 
try a technique I saw used in Nepal: make a bronze casting of the design 
(in reverse) then clamp your (annealed) copper to the face of it. Then
 take a piece of lead, and pound the lead into the back of the copper
 sheet with a heavy hammer  until it pushes the copper into all the
 recesses in the die. If you only need a few of these, this might be the
 way to go.]

Andrew Werby- United Artworks