DIY Network

Forming Copper Counters Copper countertops are constructed. From "Trade School" episode DTRS-305

Jeff Jackson instructs his student Dave Entrican on working with copper to build a kitchen countertop.

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Materials:

jig saw
orbital sander
power drill
measuring squares
simple compass
industrial shear
notch cutter
straight brake
finger brake
plasma cutter
TIG welder
oxy-acetylene torch
power sander
drill
disc grinder
sheet metal snips
clamps

Dave is initiated into the nuances of copper by building several countertop segments for this impressive island wet bar. The copper countertops consist of a long sink segment with two raised rectangular ends and a 15 foot curved bar counter consisting of two symmetrical pieces.

1. Dave begins this project by constructing sandwiched particleboard substrates that eventually give the copper countertops a sturdy base. Using a blueprint, Dave charts the dimensions of each piece onto the particleboard, and then cuts with a jig saw. He cleans the edges using an orbital sander. To join the boards, Dave uses countersunk wood screws so that the substrates remain flush (figure A).

2. Now, Dave carefully transfers the blueprint dimensions to copper sheets using both a carpenter and a combination square (figure B).

Figure A

Figure B

3. To accurately transfer the large arc for the bar counter, Jeff helps Dave create a large, simple floor compass. For this compass, a long wire serves as the radius. Dave keeps one end of the wire fixed in place with a wood disc and two stones.

4. On the other end, he ties on a marking stylus. Instead of marking directly on the copper sheets for this awkward task, he positions and tapes a cardboard and paper pattern to the floor. Keeping the wire taut and the stylus vertical, Dave carefully traces the arc onto the paper (figure C). After cutting the pattern out, he traces the pattern on to the copper sheets.

5. With all the dimensions transferred to the copper, Dave protects the copper with thick plastic film to prevent scratching (figure D).

Figure C

Figure D

6. Dave then cuts the sheet metal to size using a huge industrial sheet metal shear (figure E). Similar in action to garden-variety scissors but much more powerful, the shear's powerful hydraulic blade is actuated by a foot pedal. For the arced sections of copper, Dave uses the shear to nip as close as possible to his marking as he rotates the sheets, and then fine-tunes the curved edge with a grinder.

7. Dave's next order of business is to form the edges and corners of the square countertop section. Note: For the rounded bar counter, a different technique is discussed later. Dave uses a fixed-angle notch cutter to cut out a perfect 90-degree notch from the corners of the sheets (figure F). This enables him to fold the two adjacent sides to form the box corners (figure G).

Figure E

Figure F

Figure G

8. To bend the countertop edges and form the box corners, Dave relies on special sheet metal tools called brakes. For the first of his bends, he feeds the cooper into a straight brake and uses a weighted lever to form a long 90-degree crease (figure H). For the second, smaller bends, he uses a finger brake. The finger brake gets its name from the adjustable steel plates that allow specific bending (figure I). Dave double-checks his angles using a combo square.

9. With the countertops basically formed, Dave adds fire to the process. He first uses a plasma cutter to make quick work of cutting out the sink insert (figure J). The plasma cutter combines the intense heat of a blowtorch with the blasting power of an air compressor to slice through the copper.

Figure H

Figure I

Figure J

10. Dave now learns to weld the seams of the box corners with a TIG welder. He must be mindful to keep the tip of the welder at a constant distance from the work while accurately controlling the heat with a foot pedal (figure K). If he happens to get too close to the copper with the weld-tip, he can melt filler copper into the indention to mask the error (figure L).

11. For the advanced task of forming the edge of the long curved bar countertop, Jeff has Dave observe him as he welds on a long strip of copper. Using the substrate created earlier as backing, Jeff tack-welds his way around the curve, and then goes back over the seam with a solid bead (figure M). To channel the heat away from the copper, which can cause warping; Jeff places a steel block on the section of copper he welds. The steel absorbs the heat as he works.

Figure K

Figure L

Figure M

In the next segment, Dave's introduction to copper sheet metal continues as he adds the finishing touches to the countertop.

RESOURCES :

Jaxon Design Works
Custom Metal and Glass Designs
Website: www.jaxondesignworks.com