"Copper Spoon"

[Omniata]

I've heard of a mysterious item called a "copper spoon" used when welding thin metal sheets, such as car panels, to prevent burn through.

Have heard many ways also to go about making one and decided to try and make some myself. This is and isn't intended as advertising (sorry malcolm if I've done wrong) but would anyone be interested in trying one of my creations out?

PM me please if your genuinely interested

Regards,

Jim.

 

[malcolm]

Doesn't sound like advertising to me. Copper or brass behind the panel is great for taking the excess heat out. What have you come up with?

 

[Omniata]

Here's a pic, it's a bit rough round the edges but the copper is about 5mm thick by 1" wide by 4" long, in total, and the handles 5" long by 0.5" diameter.
There are a few rubber washers as grips, not very good, grooves cut with my drill and a hacksaw.
The coppers attached to the steel handle with and M5 hex bolt and a couple of washers.
There's an M5 thread tapped into the handle to secure it.

 

[drivewasher]

How do you hold the spoon behind the panel/joint whilst actually welding?
I would have thought a bit of copper tube battered flat and cramped to the rear along with cramping the joint would be better.
Just my thoughts as I'm not a welder, yet!

 

[Omniata]

Something awkward where you can clamp a bit of copper fair enough.
But if say your working along a roof edge or filling holes through a panel, I think the spoon idea's pretty good.

Made this as a little project/idea, they sell for a fortune in the states so I made a cheap and decent one for us UK boys to save money...

It allows you to move the heatsink whilst you work, taking some of the immediate heat out, then allowing the metal to cool more slowly and not be too rigid afterwards as you move away.
Also if your moving your spoon won't stick...

 

[aametalmaster]

Being an ex sheetmetal worker i have lots of different copper bars to back up holes and seams in sheetmetal. One was used to "fix" holes in plate that was mis punched and for repair of large holes to redrill smaller. Just hold or clamp the copper bar to the metal and weld over it. You can use steel bar for alum repair also the same way...Bob