Copper plating of weld fixture clamps

I was wondering about getting some clamping pieces on a welding fixture copper plated to help prevent spatter sticking. I've tried searching for information about the thickness that might be required but so far haven't found anything. Do anyone have any idea what thickness would be suitable.

Reply to
David Billington
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I don't have any idea about what thickness of copper plating would be appropriate, David, but a waxy, aerosol anti-spatter product I've used was very effective.

For my C-clamp screws, I put shields made of flashing aluminum around the screws (or any other parts I want to protect). The thin aluminum sheet isn't actually wrapped around, I've already formed quite a few pieces that are rolled like split tubes, so they just slip over the clamp threads. These thin shields are completely effective at keeping splatter from sticking to the clamps' screws' threads, when I need to weld near the clamp.

Many times when using C-clamps, the clamp can be inverted so the screw isn't on the same side where the weld needs to be.

I suppose there are numerous other coatings that would prevent spatter from sticking, but they might not be as durable as copper plating.

Reply to
Wild_Bill

"Wild_Bill" wrote: I suppose there are numerous other coatings that would prevent spatter from

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Welding supply stores sell spray cans of anti-splatter stuff that works quite well. You can save money by buying Pam at the grocery store. You can save still more by buying an off-brand of non-stick cooking spray.

Reply to
Leo Lichtman

I was just going to suggest PAM cooking spray. We used to use it all the time for bullet and fishing tackle molds. Smoke soot is even cheaper, but it takes time. Most of the small production guys I know use PAM so they spend their time actually pouring. The flip side is smoke soot tends to last for more than one pour. PAM should be applied before each pour.

Reply to
Bob La Londe

Thanks for the suggestions but I'm in the UK and we don't have PAM AFAIK. IIRC from my time in the US PAM is an aerosol vegetable oil and we don't have some of these US wonders, luckily not aerosol cheese yet anyway. I have anti-spatter but have not found it that good so wanted to try the copper plate.

In the end I decided to go with a slightly less local plater and try a

25 micron copper plate, about 0.001", and will see how it performs. The local plater doesn't seem interested and wasn't polite enough to say so as the enquiry has been in with them for 2.5 weeks and no response, although I know they have seen the enquiry and haven't responded to follow up email. The plater that's doing it gave a ballpark figure over the phone from the part dimensions in about 30 seconds.

Will post a follow up when the bits have been used and see how they perform.

Reply to
David Billington

Go to your nearest large supermarket and look on the shelves. You should get a choice of rape-seed, sunflower, peanut, olive and "not-butter" spray oil preparations. If, on the other hand, you ask for something suitable for frying like dripping, you'll probably get blank looks. I know I did at Tesco's last Friday...

Mark Rand RTFM

Reply to
Mark Rand

Will have a look when I'm next in the shops in the next day or 2. Having been back in the UK for the last 25+ years I cannot recall ever having heard of a reference to a spray oil but maybe it's just not advertised. Copper plating being done anyway so may try to do back to back tests.

Reply to
David Billington

I suspect you will be disappointed in a thin copper plate. I would see what the plater quotes for heavier plate. Once the material is in the plating bath, I would think the cost for a heavy plate would not be too much more as the thicker plate does not require any more labor. My uneducated wild guess is that the plating will need to be more like half a mm to be really effective.

I am looking forward to your follow up post on how well the plating worked, and hope that I am wrong.

Dan

Reply to
dcaster

You can make it yourself, yanno. They have little hand pump spray bottles that you fill with your favorite vegetable oil, pump up a bar or two, and then you have sprayable vegetable oil.

Only problem is, the "Kitchen" ones are too cheap and don't last.

And the shop style metal ones that pressurize with shop air will last, but are not cheap.

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Reply to
Bruce L. Bergman

Hi David,

I'm sure the cooking oil spray I keep in my van for camping use is called "Fry light". Tesco's etc do sell them. This one isn't an aerosol but a pump bottle

HTH (sorry, had to remove rcm, hope you can see this)

Reply to
Balders

Thanks,

Will see if Sainburys sell anything similar when I'm there later.

Reply to
David Billington

On my gas grill, I spray olive oil on the bars and/or the food to prevent sticking. The sprayer is one of those plastic hand sprayers intended for water sold for ~$3 at the local hardware store. One has to squeeze harder with olive oil than with water, but it works just fine.

I don't know what oil is used in PAM, but I'm sure you can buy the oil and hand spray it. If necessary for spraying, thin it with a little paint thinner.

Joe Gwinn

Reply to
Joseph Gwinn

If I remember correctly, Pam is mostly Lecithin. Look for a cooking oil type product containing mostly Lecithin and it should be equivlent.

WayneJ

Reply to
WayneJ

Got something mixed up Wayne - Pam is the oil we can use without issues. Canola oil. Lecithin is the next item - but very nominal. "Lecithin is sold as a food supplement and for medical uses. In cooking, it is sometimes used as an emulsifier." from Wiki.

Mart> >

Reply to
Martin H. Eastburn

Try titanium nitride coating for weld splatter control

Reply to
jaybird.369

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