Need Help With a First Try at a Complex Panel

[festanley]

I just received my new Ewheel last week and have been practicing a bit trying to make a panel that looks like one side of the condenser top on my Stanley. I am working with a piece of sheet steel mainly because I had it in the shop. The original was made of copper. So far it is progressing pretty well but I am stuck on how to deal with the corner as shown in the picture. There is obviously too much material in the corner. Can this be shrunk by some method or does it have to be cut and welded back together?

I would also like to get any other feedback that might be offered on the best way to make this part.

Alan

[Tisdelski]

hi stan, i believe you could tuck shrink that corner, but...as randy once said ; sometimes its easier to planish a small weld then tuck shrink that tight of a corner. i`d cut and weld it. if it was a more gradual corner i`d tuck shrink it. i`m interested to hear what the pro`s say.

gary

[Wray Schelin]

Originally Posted by Tisdelski

hi stan, i believe you could tuck shrink that corner, but...as randy once said ; sometimes its easier to planish a small weld then tuck shrink that tight of a corner. i`d cut and weld it. if it was a more gradual corner i`d tuck shrink it. i`m interested to hear what the pro`s say.

gary

Hi Alan,

Gary is right, snip it and weld it. :-D Copper sheet will tig weld very easily. You can shrink it out or you can use Repousee techniques but both will take a lot longer than a snip and weld. The results will be the same.

[jlrussell4]

Hi Alan,

As Gary said this is a tough spot to shrink. I would cut the area I have outlined on your picture and weld a new corner in. Shape the corner to fit first so that you only have planish the weld area.

[festanley]

Thanks for the advice. That helps to remove a big roadblock.

Cutting the corner is no problem, however, I don't have a TIG welder. I do have an oxy/acteleyne torch. When working with copper what method would you suggest for fastening the cut edges. Maybe silver solder or brazing?

To carry this a bit further my ultimate goal is to make this tank out of nickel silver (german silver). Can it be brazed or welded with a torch?

Alan

[anders nørgaard]

Originally Posted by festanley

Thanks for the advice. That helps to remove a big roadblock.

Cutting the corner is no problem, however, I don't have a TIG welder. I do have an oxy/acteleyne torch. When working with copper what method would you suggest for fastening the cut edges. Maybe silver solder or brazing?

To carry this a bit further my ultimate goal is to make this tank out of nickel silver (german silver). Can it be brazed or welded with a torch?

Alan

Hi Alan,
You can weld the steel corner with your torch.
You can use your torch to silver solder the nickel silver as well!

[Ron Naida]

Cut the corners and silver braze. The one top on the left is original. Three on the right I made out of .040 brass and annealed selected areas just to make working easier. They would polish out nicely but unlike some other radiators I make these are not exposed. Painted black and under the hood. Ron Naida