Results 1 to 5 of 5

Thread: Anvil or Stake for raising a copper bowl

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Feb 2013
    Posts
    2

    Default Anvil or Stake for raising a copper bowl

    Hi All,

    Having never worked with metal before I thought it would be fun to try raising a copper bowl. I understand the technique but am having problems deciding on the tools needed. I would probably be looking to start off quite small - around 6" diameter disc in 0.7mm copper. I cannot find many stakes for sale and those that are seem very expensive. Therefore I was wondering if the "horn" side of a small anvil could be used (was thinking on the 4.5kg draper anvils widely available). The one I was looking at, the horn is powdered (blue) - would this be suitable or would it mark?

    I would just be using a ball pein hammer to raise.

    Thanks for any help or advice you can give!

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jul 2009
    Location
    Romsey
    Posts
    5,256

    Default

    Evening.

    You're probably not going to like this... Stay away from the Draper "anvils", they're really not very good.

    If you want to raise a bowl, then you need a raising stake of some sort - and a raising hammer, not a ball pein. If you look at David Huang's site - http://davidhuang.org/gallery2/main.php - he has (or at least had) some ideas for DIY raising stakes that involve some decent size bar & an angle grinder. They're not cheap, whether you make them or buy them. My main raising stake is a 3 legged one that I picked up a while back.

    If you want a more inexpensive way to form a bowl, then sinking one (rather than raising) can be done with a block of end grain pine & a ball pein - you'll need thicker metal though as it thins the material considerably.

    You'll probably also want a domed or spherical stake to planish on...

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Feb 2013
    Posts
    2

    Default

    Thanks for the advice Peter - I would rather find out that they weren't very good before wasting my money! I assume the Rolson 11kg ones can also be lumped into the same category of not very good then?

    I think I will keep a lookout on ebay and car boots for used stakes (or anything like a old railway spike that could be used), I don't have the tools (or the skills) to make them. Is there any particular shape you would reccommend for raising bowls?

    Perhaps I will try sinking a bowl just to get the feel for it, then I will know if it is something I would like to persue.

    Thanks again!

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jul 2009
    Location
    Romsey
    Posts
    5,256

    Default

    Afraid so - they're cheap cast iron and tend to be described as ASOs - Anvil Shaped Objects. Not well suited to much more than some light rivetting, stamping & the likes.

    Raising stakes are usually curved down towards you so you can force the metal down & in on itself; they also have a shallow curve across. No sharp edges anywhere.

    Cuzner or Finegold & Seitz have some good drawings on the tools as well as excellent directions on the processes.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
    Posts
    4

    Default

    Hi I do a lot of turning both with wood plastics and metals. For a project such as this I'd probably use copper sheet use a wooden form and a process known as metal spinning........ can be done on a woodworkers lathe. There are several excellent tutorials on Utube.

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •