Quote:
Originally Posted by Mountain Snail
Any ideas for copper? Maybe for 3/32 beads?
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Ace Hardware stores carry brass, aluminum and copper tubing from K & S Engineering. They have 1/4, 3/16, 5/32, 3/32, 1/8, 3/32, and others. Also try Hobby lobby etc, but Ace is cheaper and better selection usually. The K&S copper has to be annealed or it will split. Just cut it to length, slip it on the end of a mandrel and heat it to red hot; only takes a couple seconds. Allow to air cool. DO NOT hold a copper, brass or aluminum tube, no matter how long it is, in your hand and try to heat the other end. One or two seconds later, you'll be sorry! Copper has 40 times the heat conductivity of stainless steel.
Brass will flare easily without annealing. I haven't tried aluminum but I expect it won't need it either.
The 3/16 will fit on a Pandora size centering peg on the Impress. 1/4 inch pegs will fit the 1/4, and for the smaller sizes (5/32, 1/8 and 3/32) you'll need the little flaring dies of the appropriate size, instead of a regular centering peg.
Hope that helps,
Dave