Melting Copper?

[wyone]

I have a few designs in my head, but unfortunately the nibs I have found are not the right size to match my blanks. I would love to melt some scrap copper and then turn my own nibs, but at a loss. I do have an acetylene torch, so I know I can get it hot enough, but not sure what to use for a mold, so to speak. I am an electrician and have access to lots of scrap copper if I can come up with a method to make my own true copper nibs.

Any ideas would be much appreciated!

 

[thewishman]

Hey Mitch, it would take a lot less equipment to turn a rod of copper into a nib. Either way, you'd need to cut threads (unless you're trying to do a slip fit like a kit pen) to attach the nib to the pen body. Are you wanting to make a ballpoint, a rollerball or a fountain pen?

 

[frank123]

Electrical wire copper is not the easiest copper for machining as it is nearly pure copper and intended for flexibility and electrical conductivity rather than machinability.

Tellurium copper rod would be a better choice if machining is required and isn't all that expensive for small pieces.

Some info here (among many other sources): Guide to Buying Copper Online | Online Metals Guide to Selecting Metals for Your Project

 

[PTsideshow]

The biggest problem you will end up with, unless you can provide an oxygen free melting and pouring environment your casting will have any number of impurities in it.
Scrap some copper and use the proceeds to buy some copper stock like has been suggested. Less headaches in casting and turning.:clown: