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Post by 1dave on Nov 26, 2013 9:20:13 GMT -5
jamesp got my thinker thunking about working with stainless Steel, then adrian65 posted his sword and meteorite knife! I checked my local metal scrap yard. They buy Stainless at $0.50/lb and sell for $1.00/lb That would make a lot of jewelry, knives, and swords! Solder doesn't like iron, but drill some holes, shoelace copper wire in, and solder to the copper . . . So i will post my first hammering forming/texturing project. Three rings. Of not so easy stainless steel. Formed these 3 rings around a bolt welded to a heavy chunk. But these were my first attempts and they gave me confidence to continue hammering mixed metals. Great winter work. So i self taught myself to hammer rings out. In an hour or two. Basically. It was easier than i thought. Most important was the confidence it built. I was thinking no way. Really Check em out This is a wide band of brass (industrial shim material) with a Rhodesian Ridgeback's ridge soldered to it. Then buffed only with Tripoli on cotton buffing wheel. Copper is roofing material.
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jamesp
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Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,154
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Post by jamesp on Nov 26, 2013 9:42:10 GMT -5
The stainless is probably my least favorite to hammer Dave. I do not remember ever heat softening it like copper takes so well to. 18 8 or 301 stainless Dave. They are softer. They will corrode quicker in salt or acid than food grade 316. But way more inert than other jewelry metals. You can tap on it at the scrap yard to see how easy it dents.
People in the modern day are freaky about metal stains(copper + nickel)
I am a hack solderer and use 'hack' solder-ha.
95% Tin and 5% silver w/melt less than 500F !!!
Sta-Brite i think....I will post it. But it grabbed everything including stainless.
I will look for some stainless pieces.
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jamesp
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Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,154
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Post by jamesp on Nov 26, 2013 9:52:17 GMT -5
Sta Brite solder great for use with cheap propane cylinder at hardware store instead of expensive Oxy Acet. I have both and favor the propane.... Not a replacement for jewelry grade silver soldering but still great for connecting mixed(base) metals. $10 is cheap too.
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jamesp
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Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,154
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Post by jamesp on Nov 26, 2013 10:00:30 GMT -5
Some stainless belt buckles with stainless arc welding rod patterns. They were pounded with a slight curve. About 1/8 inch thick. They were cut out of machinery shims. On a 14 inch metal cut-off saw.
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jamesp
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Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,154
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Post by jamesp on Nov 26, 2013 11:17:24 GMT -5
I beat this w/the big hammer! Pounded a piece of copper wire into it. The simply buffed it on the 8 inch cotton wheel w/tripoli. It gets very hot when buffing. Got a dip it or have hard baked finger tips... Oh, and added a few copper and brass rivets. This is arc weld manipulated ss riveted to copper. This is a raggedy prototype test piece. I sold all these i could make and used yellow and copper backs and yellow and copper and stainless rivets. More ss manipulated w/arc welder. This was cut to size and tumbled. Then 15 seconds with stick welder. Could buff to mirror shine. Customers told me to stop shinning them? Same game Soldered with Sta Brite. W/no surface prep. Give ya $213 if you can seperate them w/your hands. ss with ss wrapped and hammered. ss can be hammer formed.
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Post by 1dave on Aug 22, 2020 12:47:30 GMT -5
Some stainless belt buckles with stainless arc welding rod patterns. They were pounded with a slight curve. About 1/8 inch thick. They were cut out of machinery shims. On a 14 inch metal cut-off saw. Did you ever try arc welding initials on a buckle?
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Post by 1dave on Aug 27, 2020 7:24:41 GMT -5
Some stainless belt buckles with stainless arc welding rod patterns. They were pounded with a slight curve. About 1/8 inch thick. They were cut out of machinery shims. On a 14 inch metal cut-off saw. Did you ever try arc welding initials on a buckle? Perhaps place a layer of clay on the surface, scratch in the initials to make a template?
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