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Copper Sheeting

Amy attaches copper sheeting to plywood for the mobile room divider.

From "Freeform Furniture"
episode DFFF-203

Host Amy Devers marks and cuts the copper sheeting. She uses an orbital sander on the cooper to create a tooth. She attaches the copper to the plywood with a two-part epoxy, and trims the copper sheeting with a router and flush trim bit.

Lastly, Amy files the edges.

Amy shows you how to cut and apply copper to plywood.

This unique room divider becomes an unobtrusive part of the decor that coincides with the modern interior theme of the apartment. Amy incorporates plywood, copper sheeting, steel ball castors and horse tail plants to create this woodworking project.

Materials:

3/4" shop grade plywood
ruler
clamp
oil-based gloss enamel
oil-based primer
paint roller
lacquer masking tape
220-grit sandpaper
screws
yellow wood glue
24-gauge copper sheeting
grease pencil
60-grit sandpaper
2-part epoxy with applicator
eye protection
metal degreaser
clean rag
liver of sulfur patina
steel wool
wax
ball transfers
planter boxes
horsetail plants

Tools:

clamp
circular saw
aluminum guide rail
table saw
cross cut sled
clamp
cordless drill
metal cutting sheers
orbital sander
J roller
router
flush trim bit
file
awl

Figure A

Figure B

Figure C

Figure D

Figure E

Copper Sheeting

Note: A 26-gauge cooper sheet is used for this project. The 26-gauge is thin enough and still easy to work with and soft but it is not so thin that it bends and wrinkles and dents like tin foil. To purchase copper sheeting you can go to a local metal supplier. Expect to spend approximately $120 for a 3' x 10' sheet.

Before you can get to work cutting the copper, mark out the shape for the front and back panels using a grease pencil. Measure about an inch oversize--that will give you a little leeway when you glue the copper sheeting to the plywood.
Use a metal cutting sheer to cut the copper (figure A). There are actually three blades and it cuts like a three part scissor. The three blades mean it cuts a strip that is 7/32" wide and that means not bending or burring on the edges.
Note: If you don't have anything like that you can always use a jigsaw with a metal cutting blade or good old fashion tin snips.
Tape the sharp edges of the copper so you don't cut yourself, and clamp the copper sheeting to a work table. Using the electric metal shears, follow the traced line you made with a grease pencil.
Safety Tip: It is important to wear safety glasses when cutting copper sheeting.
You need to rough up the side of the copper you are going to glue to the plywood. Use an orbital sander with 60-grit sandpaper. Sanding the copper creates a tooth, or slightly jagged surface (figure B) which gives the glue something to adhere to.
Using an applicator, apply the two part epoxy to the surface of the plywood.
Note: The two parts of the epoxy are in the barrel and are then squeezed into the mixing nozzle (figure C) which mixes the two together creating one single bead of pre-mixed epoxy.
Carefully place the sheet of copper onto the epoxy.
Use a J Roller to remove any air bubbles (figure D) that might be trapped between the plywood surface and the copper. Applying medium pressure, go over the entire area.
After four minutes, flush trim with a router and flush trim bit (figure E). Take the router and run the bearing along the plywood, trimming the copper flush with the edge of the piece. Because the copper is soft, the excess material comes off easily.
To smooth the sharp copper edges leftover, use a file the shave the edges down.
Put on one side of copper at a time and then flush trim off the excess. Do the same process on the front of the room divider as you did on the side.
Set the copper sheeting in place and remove any air bubbles with the J Roller.
Allow four minutes of dry time for the epoxy and clean up the edges with a flush trimming bit. Do the same thing on the remaining sections of copper sheeting.