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Matthew, copper is a crazy metal to work with. One of the most beautiful and plenty strong enough if one knows what they are doing. As to color and the various changes it can go through, there is not one simple answer, but I can give you some general thoughts. Heat from forming or joining will definitely take it straight to black. Always cleanable, with the proper chemicals, however, sitting in front of a 'normal' fire (whatever that means) will not add very much to it's color changes. One of the things I love about copper is the endless color changes it can go through. In the Bahamas, my work turns red (an amazing red!) in California it turns the normal darker colors all the way to black, (in someone's life time). Clear coating is one way to lock in your color, however, I strongly discourage doing that as some will always chip off and then what? ... I don't know!!! The beautiful copper clothed Statue of Liberty is green from the Ocean salt air. All colors can be put on a finished piece at the end of fabrication and cleaning. For chemicals I strongly recommend Sur-Fin Chemical in Los Angeles! Best of luck, copper coloring is easy when you have some experience and the only substitute for experience is just try, try, try and then do whatever you have to. Good luck! (oh, one other thought, use quadruple ought steel wool to prep, after chemical cleaning to get an even surface texture. Only 4 ought, never any more aggressive steel wool!!!)

Great input! The color changing thing certainly is an enigma, but a fun challenge. So far, I have only worked with large copper barstock in a forge, but am looking forward to smaller and more intricate work.

chrisy thank you ... at 73, you are still a kid to my 82+ age ... and believe me, you may never want to stop doing copper things ... it has been an awesome 30 years for me and I love it when others are inspired by my videos ... keep going, never stop and thank you again!

Thank you, I work in a remote place ... thoughts and comments like yours mean a lot! Much appreciated!

I will likely bore you and others with a few more of my "home grown - 8mm home grown style vids" ... I am not looking for a lot of followers, I mostly want my clients to understand that I have not gone off to South America with their deposit. I love what I do and I never want to stop. This old body will stop one day, but not without trying to keep going. Thanks for your support!!!

My shop is almost fun to be in or near. Thanks for the comment, this copper business is nuts, but it makes for some really cool days, clients and items to make.

Eric, I use Harris O brazing rod applied using an Oxy/Acetylene gas (small) torch. Harris makes rod with various amounts of silver in it. "O" is zero percent silver. It is not only less expensive, but it is stronger. This is a long topic not conducive to answer in a short reply such as this. You will love it and there is no better way, at least in my shop, as I have used it for decades with great results. Best of luck and send me a photo when you have completed your gate(s), That's an order. Yeah, joking, but I would like to see it.

Eric, I just caught your note here. I braze all my copper and brass joints with Harris rod which you can buy with zero to 56% silver included with commensurate cost increases. Harris 0 is what I use most on copper. Brass seems much easier to join if you are using at least 10% silver (with flux). Welding any of the copper based metals is difficult and does not gain any strength over brazing as far as I know or can tell. Good luck, it's nice to know that there's another crazy gate builder out there. Keep it up!!!

Thank you very much!

No, THANK YOU for the positive comment ... that really helps my attitude and my approach to my work (oops, it's not "work" ... more like play)

Thanks! Keep checking In, I might do something wonderful someday.

Thank you, I will find out how the client like them in a week, we just shipped it to the other side of the country. I trust she will love it ... he said, with his fingers crossed.

Things are good here, sorry to take this long to reply. I am good at a very few things, one of them is my lack of paying attention to people who look at my RUclips videos. Thanks a lot!

There are many uncertainties in life, one thing we can be sure of is, 'change will happen. Not always in a direction we prefer, but it will happen'. Gaining a bit of control of those changes is important, but not critical ... because if we were certain what a change might bring, then we may not be prepared for that change, what ever it is. Wait, I am changing my mind about all of this ... hang on, change is coming ......... oh wait, maybe not .......

It's waiting, peacefully outside the shop door. Everyday it tells me something new. I am anxious to get back to it, but I cannot find more than 62 hours in a day. (or was it 61?)

You are a sick, sick man. But who does not already know that?

Good thought, it seems to have everything wrong with it, making it near perfect for what I hope to do. Still, I am out on a ledge without a safety line on this one, but hey, ya gotta dream a little.

Probably, I cannot even remember what water issues I had. So, let's call em' fixed. Thanks for checkin'.

Your neighbour altered where the river flow went so that you were not getting water glad it’s all fixed

now I feel like a dummy ... thank you for straighten me out ... some days I really need that!

true and a good idea ... that is if I ever needed to do this again ... in every one of over a thousand previous products, I can only clean and color after it is done ... with any luck at all, this will never happen again and that is why I am happy to be done and not in the least worried about the next and improved version ... good idea, hopefully not necessary!

Thank you, I do these videos both for my clients and for exactly what you mentioned ... inspiration for others. I do appreciate your comment. Cheers, db

You nailed it!!! A life well lived with lots of great experiences and stories to tell, means more than money. In truth, I simply did not get the money gene in my DNA. Sometimes I wish I had, other times, when I look back and relish almost every moment, half of minimum wage might be over paying me. Thanks for the comment.

Excellent idea. In fact, I am doing OK by just getting the pipe (picket) cut close and then filling any gaps. Since there is no strength issues, this will work fine. It just takes a ton of time. Also, I found that since the wrapped, textured copper was soft, I could nudge the pickets gently and lesson some of those ugly gaps. I will get it done and I will only be working for almost half of minimum wage. What else should I hope for?

@@davidburns1753 fair play....half the minimum wage....must be a labour of love. I'd expect a case of wine and at least two bbq's as appreciation for that!

Thanks, but no, can't do that ... would explain in more detail, but I am in the shop making them fit one at a time ... drilling without a center and not knowing precisely where it should be started just won't do. I see why you may think so and that is a good thought, but it just won't work in this case ... plus, I have an already weakened frame due to annealing and it would be further weakened by drilling. Yikes, this is a tough one!

Thanks Roy, it's a crazy build, but we're getting it done.

Hmmm, not sure I know what you mean. I like to hear new ideas and I suspect you are on to something ... part of the difficulty with this set of gates is in the desired "look". I had a plan which I think is what you are suggesting, but the customer was not liking that look. Thanks for the comment and I doubt I would do another gate quite like this. The look is great so long as one does not get right up close with a critical eye. A passing motorist will most likely, say, "what an awesome gate" ... OK, maybe I am just dreaming, but that's what I want to imagine they might say.

@@davidburns1753 Hi David, a pressure flashing is a simple way of solving awkward shape or roof situations .In this case, the copper panels may have to be annealed or clamped on prior to brazing. I'll try and describe what I mean. the circumference of the 2" tube would be what you are trying to negate by bending the copper panel around, if you cut the panel back and then form an angle similar to the circumference that allows a small lap which can then be brazed to the 2" pipe. There are two ways to do it, either a front rake or a rake which follows the pipe circumference. It might even be worth putting a bead of silver solder along the edge prior to attaching to gate, then heating up and pressing into position when you are ready to attach it. It would certainly save a lot of cleaning up afterwards. I will try it here and let you know which one looks the best and if pre "tinning" the copper works.

@@royevetts4900 excellent description and in truth, I did much of that process in my build, however you are describing a somewhat more refined method which may be worthy of a try. I did anneal the copper before applying it to the gate frame, however, I was moderately timid in doing that process. With all the heat necessarily added to each frame joint, then decreasing the sheet strength with more heat, I became somewhat concerned about the overall strength of the gate. At near 16 ft wide and just over 200 llbs, the amount of torque on the frame and the opener bracket is problematic. I will be mounting it late next week and then the chickens will come home to roost. I will put up a video of that event and hopefully show how happy I and my client really are. I joked in another video of this process, that my client is a fussy and tough couple of customers. You are about to hear the truth. After 25 years of beating the ugly out of copper, this is a gate I am making for my son and his wife. Makes me a proud paw in so doing. "And now you know the rest of the story", with thanks to Paul Harvey.

@@davidburns1753 I guess there are a couple of options where strength is concerned. You could add a few more triangle braces under the tree bark panels to add strength to the corner panels. Maybe increase the size of your hinges to spread the weight over a greater area. The last option would be what we call "jockey wheels" as used on trailers, at the end of each gate in the centre. That would help with the weight problem on the hinges. That may mean creating a concrete curve under each wheel track from its closed position to its fully opened position in an arc.

The machine used for that look is called a PulMax. I own one which is actually a 1953 Japanese knock off. It is a small one of it's type, about five feet long, four feet high and a couple feet across. Yes, a small one! I have a video on my series where you can see it in action. Unfortunately, I cannot remember where to find it. When I do, I will try to remember to post it here. ps. Google PulMax, I think one will show up rather quickly.

take a look at this video showing the PulMax in operation: ruclips.net/video/AqdSCDrijjs/видео.html&lc=z23gvjrymo2xv5zcbacdp430jcovng5i14astvtpen1w03c010c

Me too. Thanks for the comment!

Exactly, and that is what keeps me up at night when ever I am doing a fountain project. Water just falls down and gets recycled ... RIGHT??? ... NOPE, never, and it always does things you could not have predicted. None the less, we will battle this thing until the sun goes down and you can no longer see those various foibles. Or wie will fix 'em. Take a look at the finished item in about two to three weeks. Fingers crossed.

I have done stained glass years ago for other applications and I would really like to include it with some of my copper work. Everything now, becomes a "time game". As much as I would love to do that, I have a host of other ideas that I cannot get to fast enough. I am running low on my shelf life and have to make careful choices. I guess that sounds ominous and I really don't mean it that way ... it's more about a respect for time and finally learning to use it as carefully as possible. Thanks for asking, What is your connection to art glass? Love it or make it or other?

Stand what up?

It is ENCO, not Emco. However, they are now taken over by their parent company, MSC at mscdirect.com. They have a huge supply of "everything" and they generally ship quite rapidly. Good luck, make some cool stuff, will ya?

Enco has been bought and fully taken over by MSC ... now, a bit less customer friendly, they still have a good supply of most of the things you will need. mscdirect.com ... sorry for my delay, for some reason, I don't get notice of new comments ... oh well!