Hi, Thanks for the info. I have a 2" steel shaft that I have rounded over for my planishing stake. I just didn't know if I was planishing it in the correct way because I still can't seem to get the little dips and hills out, maybe I just need to beat it some more. Do I need to re-anneal it to get those out or just keep hammering? I would like to get it very smooth so that I can polish it to a bright shine.

I also am going to put some small pieces of brass around the helmet to simulate the triangular reflectors. I will have to form them into the same shape as the helmet but my question is how do I attach these to the helmet without soldering around the edge of them?

Thanks again for all of your help!!
Copperjoe

Can't never could do Nothing!

Could you plug weld or braze them from behind and then sand/polish out the heat marks? Should be able to use plain old copper or silicon bronze(probably best) for a filler/brazing metal.

Jake

Jake Balcom
Mettle Design
Lincoln, NE

I guess that I could drill a hole in the helmet and braze the brass though the inside. I have some phos-copper rod that I usally use but I have not tried it on brass, I thought that it was only for copper to copper. Does anyone know if you can use phos-copper rod with brass?

Thanks,
copperjoe

I am not sure what you are using for a hammer and that could be some of the problem. Plannishing hammers come in different sizes and weights for the thickness of copper that you are using. They also have two different curves to their face. For the rough plannishing the curve on the hammer is an arch equal to a TWO foot circle. On the finish side the curve is equal to THREE foot circle or maybe a four. Too flat and it will not move the metal. I make templates for my hammers and do the final profiles myself because when you buy a hammer some of them are not perfect. You will find that if you anneal, do a rough plannish and then do two times of finish plannishing you will come out with very smooth surface. From there you can sand out the very little hammer marks. Furthermore the stake that you are using is very critical to a good plannishing. It should match perfectly to the area you are plannishing. Sometimes it will take three or four various stakes to match the profile of the piece. You need to work in an inch area at time over the stake using very light hammer hits. Very very time consuming. The surface of the stakes and the hammers should be highly polished.

PS I had to edit this because I had the radius of the hammer face backwards, I guess that is what happens before the second cup of coffee.
www Metalrecipes -- heat and beat to the desired shape, repeat as necessary.
warren

Joe,

always always anneal for every step in the process. Now I'm a beginner, but i've learned this lesson painfully already. Moving metal doesn't help if you crack themetal inthe process.

It sounds like you have skipped a step by the way. Start by removing the bumps using your stake and a rawhide mallet. I think the french term is to Bouget the piece. this gives you a pretty smooth set of curves that only needs final planishing to give you the finshed look you are seeking. So once you've smoothed everything we the rawhid, you can move on. Using your stake and planishing hammer to complete removal, or replacement, of your gross hammer marks with the light taps of your planishing hammer. My experience is that your are only contacting an area the size of number two pencil eraser with each tap. If the copper is annealed your should get a very smooth effet that will polish nicely but also give you some slight play of light off each small hammer facet.

Bob Wilkerson

It’s fine to anneal. It will work harden with planishing. The workpiece needs to be in contact with the stake or form you are working over. Otherwise, you will be only bending it. Do not strike it hard, assuming you are using copper. It’s a tappy tap tap taking advantage of the hammer bounce back. I can planish with thumb and forefinger plus the heel of my hand. Do not hold the hammer too tight. Follow the same courses that you did when you shaped the metal.Do not scatter shot your marks. Overlap them a bit if you can. marilyn

I figured out how to insert a photo into the blog, I did not see the icon on my work computer but anyway here is the long from being finished copper fireman's helmet.Copper Fireman's Helmet: This is a photo taken from my camera phone of a copper fireman's helmet/weather vane that I am working on, still a long way to go.

Thanks,
Copperjoe

Can't never could do Nothing!

Hi Copperjoe,

I know I'm a little late on this one, but I wanted to suggest the next time that you do another project of some sort of round surface to "Bouge" the piece before plannishing the surface.

I was taught to bouge the surface of the bowls I had to make when I took a workshop with Brian in Ireland. Bouging is the process of taking out all the bumps (evening out the suface) before the final finish which would be the plannishing. It's basically the same process as the plannishing, but with a hammer made of delrin.
Bouging : Here I am Bouging the surface of a bowl
Delrin Hammers: These are the hammers we used to smooth out the surface of our bowls before we did the final plannishing.

Bouged Bowl: The bowl to the right is the bowl that I had Bouged...you can see how smooth the surface became after this process. The plannishing was the very last step to complete the piece.

If you would like, you can check out my unedited video on my website with me bouging a bowl to get the idea. Here is the link: http://santellano-metalart.webs.com/apps/videos/
Jamie~Bouging A Copper Bowl- is the title

Cheers,

Jamie Santellano

my name is Larry i am a retired welder and well about 18 months ago my son died and i am thinking of do metal art things that can help me with the lost of my only son! i have been thinking of getting a planishing hammer but don't want to spend to much but don't want junk either. i have a nice mig welder and want to get a tig welder now does anybody have any ideals?