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Metalworking (rec.crafts.metalworking) Discuss various aspects of working with metal, such as machining, welding, metal joining, screwing, casting, hardening/tempering, blacksmithing/forging, spinning and hammer work, sheet metal work. |
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#1
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Ground rod question
On Wed, 30 Apr 2008 23:45:54 -0800, "SteveB"
toquerville,utah@zionvistas wrote: Today, a friend called me who was doing a project. They had a copper coated steel rod about 5/8" dia. that was to be used as a ground rod for electrical. They had no means of bending it, as it had to make a couple of three doglegs to get around concrete. I told him that heating it would melt the copper, and did not know if the inspector would pass it with the copper gone. He said that was what the inspector told him to do. We'll see. If it works, okay, if it doesn't, I'll set up a jig and bend it cold. Now to the point. As I heated the copper, I noticed a beautiful color change. Like peacock colors. Would it be possible to dissolve copper into a solution, possibly using acid or electrolysis, then have the copper be deposited on metal sheeting so that it could be heated again to get the iridescent hues? I've read a lot about electrolytic removal of rust, and it seems pretty straightforward. This would be (?) a two step process. I'm going to Google up on it. Anyone ever try it? Steve Copper plating is very easy to do. Plated copper will respond to heat as any copper does. |
#2
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Ground rod question
Don Foreman wrote:
On Wed, 30 Apr 2008 23:45:54 -0800, "SteveB" toquerville,utah@zionvistas wrote: Today, a friend called me who was doing a project. They had a copper coated steel rod about 5/8" dia. that was to be used as a ground rod for electrical. They had no means of bending it, as it had to make a couple of three doglegs to get around concrete. I told him that heating it would melt the copper, and did not know if the inspector would pass it with the copper gone. He said that was what the inspector told him to do. We'll see. If it works, okay, if it doesn't, I'll set up a jig and bend it cold. Now to the point. As I heated the copper, I noticed a beautiful color change. Like peacock colors. Would it be possible to dissolve copper into a solution, possibly using acid or electrolysis, then have the copper be deposited on metal sheeting so that it could be heated again to get the iridescent hues? I've read a lot about electrolytic removal of rust, and it seems pretty straightforward. This would be (?) a two step process. I'm going to Google up on it. Anyone ever try it? Steve Copper plating is very easy to do. Plated copper will respond to heat as any copper does. The solution is copper sulphate (as strong as it will go), with a drop of acid added. Anode can be any clean scrap copper (I used bits of pipe). If plating on iron/steel, watch out, as copper will naturally displace iron, without applying any current. Unfortunately, the resulting copper coating is usually weak. If you can survive that, use a low, steady current (trial & error, or there are tables), to put on the copper. I once rebuilt a worn brass shaft this way, having nothing else. Plated it up with copper, then trued in the lathe. In your case, could you heat/bend the rod as needed, then re-plate it? |
#3
Posted to rec.crafts.metalworking
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Ground rod question
"David R Brooks" wrote in message ... Don Foreman wrote: On Wed, 30 Apr 2008 23:45:54 -0800, "SteveB" toquerville,utah@zionvistas wrote: Today, a friend called me who was doing a project. They had a copper coated steel rod about 5/8" dia. that was to be used as a ground rod for electrical. They had no means of bending it, as it had to make a couple of three doglegs to get around concrete. I told him that heating it would melt the copper, and did not know if the inspector would pass it with the copper gone. He said that was what the inspector told him to do. We'll see. If it works, okay, if it doesn't, I'll set up a jig and bend it cold. Now to the point. As I heated the copper, I noticed a beautiful color change. Like peacock colors. Would it be possible to dissolve copper into a solution, possibly using acid or electrolysis, then have the copper be deposited on metal sheeting so that it could be heated again to get the iridescent hues? I've read a lot about electrolytic removal of rust, and it seems pretty straightforward. This would be (?) a two step process. I'm going to Google up on it. Anyone ever try it? Steve Copper plating is very easy to do. Plated copper will respond to heat as any copper does. The solution is copper sulphate (as strong as it will go), with a drop of acid added. Anode can be any clean scrap copper (I used bits of pipe). If plating on iron/steel, watch out, as copper will naturally displace iron, without applying any current. Unfortunately, the resulting copper coating is usually weak. If you can survive that, use a low, steady current (trial & error, or there are tables), to put on the copper. I once rebuilt a worn brass shaft this way, having nothing else. Plated it up with copper, then trued in the lathe. In your case, could you heat/bend the rod as needed, then re-plate it? No, if the fire charred rod is unacceptable to the inspector, I will just cold bend the next one. I was wanting to coat some other pieces of metal with copper for decorative work, and wondered how to do it. Steve |
#4
Posted to rec.crafts.metalworking
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Ground rod question
On Thu, 1 May 2008 23:20:06 -0800, "SteveB"
toquerville,utah@zionvistas wrote: "David R Brooks" wrote in message ... Don Foreman wrote: On Wed, 30 Apr 2008 23:45:54 -0800, "SteveB" toquerville,utah@zionvistas wrote: Today, a friend called me who was doing a project. They had a copper coated steel rod about 5/8" dia. that was to be used as a ground rod for electrical. They had no means of bending it, as it had to make a couple of three doglegs to get around concrete. I told him that heating it would melt the copper, and did not know if the inspector would pass it with the copper gone. He said that was what the inspector told him to do. We'll see. If it works, okay, if it doesn't, I'll set up a jig and bend it cold. Now to the point. As I heated the copper, I noticed a beautiful color change. Like peacock colors. Would it be possible to dissolve copper into a solution, possibly using acid or electrolysis, then have the copper be deposited on metal sheeting so that it could be heated again to get the iridescent hues? I've read a lot about electrolytic removal of rust, and it seems pretty straightforward. This would be (?) a two step process. I'm going to Google up on it. Anyone ever try it? Steve Copper plating is very easy to do. Plated copper will respond to heat as any copper does. The solution is copper sulphate (as strong as it will go), with a drop of acid added. Anode can be any clean scrap copper (I used bits of pipe). If plating on iron/steel, watch out, as copper will naturally displace iron, without applying any current. Unfortunately, the resulting copper coating is usually weak. If you can survive that, use a low, steady current (trial & error, or there are tables), to put on the copper. I once rebuilt a worn brass shaft this way, having nothing else. Plated it up with copper, then trued in the lathe. In your case, could you heat/bend the rod as needed, then re-plate it? No, if the fire charred rod is unacceptable to the inspector, I will just cold bend the next one. I was wanting to coat some other pieces of metal with copper for decorative work, and wondered how to do it. Steve Copper clad ground rods have about 0.015" layer of copper on the base steel rod - at least the cutoffs I have downstairs are this way (cut off because of the mushrooming from driving interferes with the Cadweld mold) Gerry :-)} London, Canada |
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