What Is The Best Blasting Method For Copper?

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I don't know if this is the right place for this but I didn't know where else to put it.I've been messing around with welding copper and I would like to make a copper towel rack. The welding part is fine but once I'm done, cleaning the copper is a pain. Does anyone know if one of the blasting medias will clean the copper but leave it shiny. I have tried glass and aluminum oxide (I already had these so I gave them a try) but they leave the copper with a dull finish. I figured maybe soda blasting might be the way but I don't want to go purchase more equipment just to find out that is doesn't do what I'm looking for. I appreciate any help.
Reply:gonna have to buff it to make it shiny.MarkI haven't always been a nurse........Craftsman 12"x36" LatheEnco G-30B MillHobart Handler 175Lincoln WeldandPower 225 AC/DC G-7 CV/CCAdd a Foot Pedal to a Harbor Freight Chicago Electric 165A DC TIG PapaLion's Gate Build
Reply:Originally Posted by weldingtwopotatoesI don't know if this is the right place for this but I didn't know where else to put it.I've been messing around with welding copper and I would like to make a copper towel rack. The welding part is fine but once I'm done, cleaning the copper is a pain. Does anyone know if one of the blasting medias will clean the copper but leave it shiny. I have tried glass and aluminum oxide (I already had these so I gave them a try) but they leave the copper with a dull finish. I figured maybe soda blasting might be the way but I don't want to go purchase more equipment just to find out that is doesn't do what I'm looking for. I appreciate any help.
Reply:The only thing short of buffing or polishing I can think of would be a tumbler. I've used walnut media in rotary and vibratory tumblers for small parts. You'd need a good sized unit to do something like you are doing however..No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth! Ronald Reagan
Reply:I appreciate the responses but there goes my hope of an easy way to do this, but sometimes that's just the way things go.  As far as finish I'm just looking to get the black oxidation off that's created when welding it.  Just so that I know, which of the blasting methods would be the most delicate?
Reply:Soda blasting will be the most gentle on the metal.  Any solids will "peen" the surface, whereas the soda will not.MarkI haven't always been a nurse........Craftsman 12"x36" LatheEnco G-30B MillHobart Handler 175Lincoln WeldandPower 225 AC/DC G-7 CV/CCAdd a Foot Pedal to a Harbor Freight Chicago Electric 165A DC TIG PapaLion's Gate Build
Reply:what kind of finish will the soda leave?
Reply:Follow this link for more "soda blasting" information: http://www.google.com/search?pz=1&cf...Search+the+WebI've seen it done & it's a fairly smooth surface.  It will still need polishing though.MarkI haven't always been a nurse........Craftsman 12"x36" LatheEnco G-30B MillHobart Handler 175Lincoln WeldandPower 225 AC/DC G-7 CV/CCAdd a Foot Pedal to a Harbor Freight Chicago Electric 165A DC TIG PapaLion's Gate Build
Reply:How about "copper cleaner"  -- used for pots and pans??  it removes black off the bottoms of pans quite easily. Chemically instead of mechanically.  not real sure it would work, but easy to give it a tryfred-- fredLincoln 180C MIG
Reply:fred:  I've tried brasso but it's a pain.  It works but it takes forever and it requires a lot of rubbing.  Welding the copper it gets so hot that the oxidation sets in deep.  Brasso would be fine if it was just standard tarnish.  I think polishing is the way to go and maybe use brasso on any spots I can't get the polishing disk.
Reply:check out  http://yarchive.net/metal/copper_clean.html for another thought-- fredLincoln 180C MIG
Reply:You might try coating the area around the weld with some thinned brazing flux solution, some of the flux (someone recall the name?) used to protect the backside of Stainless welds, or even some sodium silicate solution before you begin to weld. Those might keep the air away from the surface so the oxides don't form in the parts getting heated but not actually welded.
Reply:tarn X , rubber gloves an rags but to get it to shine '' polish'' or buff with cotton pad and rouge but it will still tarnish after a while ,unless you coat it with some kind of sealer
Reply:If you'll be doing this on a regular basis . . . buy a cabinet and weld them in a pure aargon atmosphere.  Jim
Reply:How about a body buffer and some 3M extra cut rubbing compound, followed by regular rubbing compound, a polishing compound then a wax.  Will treat you much better than rubbing with a rag...
Reply:May sound kinda cooky, but how about taco-bell hot sauce?I remember a friend of mine telling me that the taco-bell hot sauce was bad for me and was so bad it would remove tarnish off a old penny.  So I put this to the test and it made an old penny look good as new (very shinny).  Cheap solution should be worth a try.
Reply:You need to use an acid to get rid of the Fire-scale and crud.  There are a number that are pretty nasty so I usually use the 'SAFE' one.....  "Sparex #2".  This will clean all your copper, silver and NON-FERROUS metal with no problems (don't mix the metals in the solution though...) and it will also do it quickly.  Mix it as strong as you like and it will even last for multiple pieces if capped properly.  Once finished soaking your piece, you can then rinse it off with water and a bit of baking soda (neutralizes the 'mild' Sparex #2 Acid so it can go down the laundry sink...)**Try not to leave Sparex #2 uncapped near steel, as it has a tendency to RUST anything that maybe within reach of the fumes.Finally, rub some 'Wenol' Metal polish on your piece and give it a quick 'buff' and your copper will look like new again....  Wenol is pretty AMAZING stuff and very likely one of the best polishes for COPPER and BRASS that I have EVER used !  It's so good in fact, that depending on the amount and 'severity' of the fire-scale, you can sometimes get away with just the Wenol.Cheers,/Jman...Last edited by jman; 10-29-2009 at 03:41 AM.