Hello from the NW Calgary

[Andrew James]

Good Morning,

I’m interested in machining parts as a hobby and looking for some help getting some small pieces made for my small projects.

Darryl

 

[DPittman]

Lots of help around here...can you be more specific in what you are looking for?

 

[Andrew James]

I no longer have access to my brothers lathe, I moved here a few years ago. I was going to start a new thread for my first little project, lol.

I need a small piece of solid copper .625” dia.by an 1” long centre drilled 1/4” for a roller on a horse bit I just made.

 

[DPittman]

Well the piece of solid copper is the only thing slightly difficult about that...

 

[DPittman]

Stainless steel isn't an option is it?

 

[Andrew James]

Copper promotes salvation and encourages the horse to work the bit. I have the copper rod, lol just need it thrown in lathe and drilled.

 

[DPittman]

Easy cheesy. I suspect there will be volunteers close to you willing to help out, but if not I would be happy to help but we would have to mail the item back and forth cuz I'm 3 hours south of you.

 

[Andrew James]

Thank you for your offer, I will create a thread for this project and will wait and see.

 

[DPittman]

I'm sure someone close will offer help, they are just in their shops now making cool stuff. I'm in a meeting dreaming of making stuff. LOL

 

[Johnwa]

ive heard copper is tricky to machine but am willing to try. I’m south of the Glenmore reservoir. I know there are members in the north though, so someone closer to you may speak up.

 

[PeterT]

You beat me to it John. I've got a few things on the go right now, but just passing on some copper specific tips from my (limited) experience. It can be very grabby material on conventionally ground drills. Similar issues I was having on brass. I have since dedicated a drill set to 'dubbed' tips that I use on brass & bronze, just dress them as I need them. I would expect they would do better on copper too , but haven't tried yet. WD40 works well as a cutting/tapping fluid. I had to make some 'hammer head' soldering tips back in the days we built our own end-to-end NICD & NIMH packs & those were copper. I don't recall what alloy, it was Metal Supermarket stuff.

 

[DPittman]

I've done a wee bit of copper turning on my lathe and second the suggestion of using wd-40. I found it worked really well. I read that milk (of all crazy things) works well also. I can just imagine the smell of rotting milk in my shop, yuck.

 

[CalgaryPT]

Copper promotes salvation and encourages the horse to work the bit. I have the copper rod, lol just need it thrown in lathe and drilled.

I learn something every day. That's fascinating stuff for a city boy like me.

 

[Janger]

I’m just a city boy - why do you want your horse to do that? Why have this in the horses mouth at all?

 

[Janger]

Some copper is a nasty blend of heavy metals. Maybe make sure you don’t have beryllium copper rod for example?

 

[Andrew James]

I have no idea what the blend is, picked it up from Metal Supermarkets.

 

[historicalarms]

I’m just a city boy - why do you want your horse to do that? Why have this in the horses mouth at all?

This has been done since god was a cowboy...the roller gives the horse something to roll in its mouth with its tongue, keeping it occupied instead of "fighting the bit". It works very well on a horse that constantly throws it's head around while being used.

 

[Janger]

I have no idea what the blend is, picked it up from Metal Supermarkets.

The bill might say what it is. Especially if it was cut to size from the racks.

 

[Johnwa]

The only copper rod they have listed on their website is C110 which is 99.99% pure.

 

[Andrew James]

That makes me feel better! Lol