No doubt you are aware of what copper is, but you may not realise how versatile a material it is Copper is ductile – that is, it is easily bent out of shape without fracturing or splitting. Copper sheet can easily be bent by hand, which makes it suitable for riveting, soldering and stamping. As it’s easy to work with and can easily be brought to a high finish, it is a popular material amongst jewellery makers and craftspeople.
Amongst other properties, copper is a highly efficient conductor of heat and electricity – in fact, it has the highest conductivity of any other element bar silver. This makes it an ideal choice for electrical components such as wire, and will be a part of lots of everyday objects in your home. Copper sheet also makes an effective roof covering, as it is durable, resistant to rust and corrosion, is recyclable and requires virtually no maintenance.
Copper is also a vital material in alloys. Bronze, an alloy of copper, tin and aluminium is resistant to salt water corrosion and was used for years in ship fittings and is commonly used in musical instruments such as cymbals.
To craftspeople, it is highly prized for decorative work, and copper sheet comes in several thicknesses depending on what you have in mind. Thin 36 gauge is suitable for embossing work, 30 gauge copper sheet is easy to work with as it can be cut to size with shears, and makes and ideal covering for table tops. Thick 23 gauge is great for sculptures, range hoods and roofs.
It’s easy to find a use for copper, but if you need advice the team here at MetalOffcuts. co. uk can help you out. We offer copper sheet cut to your requirements, pre-cut in lots of sizes and off cuts suitable for anything you can think of.
The Article is written by metaloffcuts. co. uk/ providing brass sheet and stainless sheet Services. Visit http://www. metaloffcuts. co. uk/ for more information on metaloffcuts. co. uk/Products & Services___________________________Copyright information This article is free for reproduction but must be reproduced in its entirety, including live links & this copyright statement must be included. Visit metaloffcuts. co. uk/ for more services!
