Sheet Metal Bending/Heating

[cayman shen]

More on my Freddy Glove:

I have the lower finger pieces cut out of approx. 1 mm copper sheet. If I'd been thinking, I would have left the sheet wide and curved it then, but I didn't, so now I have this 1.5 inch or so bit of copper to curve into a rough U shape. I could just hammer the crap out of it, but I don't want it to look TOO shoddy, even for a Freddy glove!

I have a pipe that I can form it around, but no form, blowtorch, etc. Can I hammer it carefully with a woodblock or something? Heat it on my gas stove (yes, I'm wicked cheap)? Ideas?

 

[cheech9898]

Since it sounds like its already cut down to a small size, holding it will most likely be the problem. If the pipe you have is fairly stout & won't deform, I'd cut a piece of 2x4 with a round notch in the end that's just slightly bigger than the pipe curve and use that to hammer on & shape the copper. If the pipe you have is flimsey and can't be used as a form go get a piece of black iron pipe or steel rod from the hardware store thats the right size to for your use. You'll leave the least amount of marks most likely with this method & any marks that are left should be able to be sanded out fairly easy. I doubt you'll have to heat/aneal it, never heard of anyone on metalmeet.com or read in any of my metalshaping books that it was necissary for any high/pure copper alloys unless you start getting into the bronze & brass alloys.

 

[cayman shen]

Thanks! That's about what was was thinking of trying, in terms of the two forms with the metal sandwiched between. It's pure copper, and fairly malleable. I'm just hoping to avoid a ton of dents from my hammer!