Working with Copper
Posted on June 25, 2007 by Christine
I think copper is a lovely material to work with. It is malleable and easily worked, can be oxidized, and is relatively cheap! When it comes to ease of working and hardening, sterling silver is my first choice, but when it comes to price and workability combined, copper can’t be beat.
Here is a somewhat amateurish photo of a pair of earrings I made from copper wire, copper sheet, and a glass bead. I cut copper into squares, embossed them with a stamp, domed them on a doming block, and pierced them with a drill.
The dangles were made from 18 ga copper wire. I balled the ends with a torch, and hammered them flat. The ear wires were handmade from 20 gauge copper wire.
The picture to the right is what I really wanted to show you. This is a closeup of one of the hammered and embossed squares of copper sheeting. Look at that patina!
I achieved this using a liver of sulphur bath, sanding down the edges of the sheet to round then and expose the shiny red of the copper underneath, and then I tumbled them in a cheapie rock tumbler made for kids, with stainless steel shot and and a little water and dish soap for 2 hours or so.
How cool is that!
Comments (9)
Wow, the earrings look great! I just purchased a tumbler yesterday and I’m like a kid at Christmas. I love my tumbler!
Those are great! I had no idea there was so much work involved. I have a new appreciation for your art form.dc
great ideas!
i’ve tried making earwires out of 20G copper wire and they seem so unstable even after tumble hardening - what am i doing wrong??
Nice!
Very nice! I love working with copper.
It’s fun, easy and you can try out designs at a reasonable price. People will ask if it will discolor their skin, so I talk about patina and how some people like it so I don’t put a finish on most of my copper. I also suggest they use clear nail polish if they want to protect the metal against the skin.
You are doing a great job of providing info here, thanks so much!
Katie
P.S. I also explain that the 7.5% copper in Sterling Silver is what causes the silver to tarnish, and I explain simple ways to clean.
At this past weekend’s craft festival I traded one of my glass pendants for a lovely copper and glass bead chain mail bracelet. A very nice addition to my massive jewelry collection!! Copper is such a wonderful, warm color!
wow, they sure look nice! I have yet to work with copper and with LOS! Your work just might be the push I need. Love the patina too!
These earrings are gorgeous! So artistic yet simple and so wearable! I am a huge fan of copper, I love the warm color and the patinas are wonderful! I’ve been wanting to make ear wires with it but was worried my ears and my customer’s would turn green. Do you coat the wire? Or has it not been a problem for you?
I haven’t noticed a problem with copper ear wires turning my ears green, but I only do them for myself. I find that I can’t get the copper to harden enough in the 18 or 20 gauge to make ear wires that I trust enough to sell. Too bendy I find. Of course, when you make stuff for yourself, you don’t mind a little imperfection right?
If you want to though, coating them with butcher’s wax might help - this is often used to preserve a copper patina. Do test them though before selling them to anyone!