'orses!

The poor old car is in dock possibly, its uneconomic to fix. So i had to walk five miles to the Metals place to sort through their offcuts. I did find two 12" square copper off cuts though. I had a choice of 1.2mm or 0.9 mm i went of my arms sake for the thinner. so day before yesterday i started another bowl. Bright isn't it! Posh copper comes with protective plastic sheet. Those dividers, i bought for a couple of quid at a Steam Show, they are stamped 1941, while bombs fell someone made those, so its my duty to keep using them.

It comes "half hard" as its rolled flat, so it work hardens, so i had to get it red hot after cutting it. That puts paid to its shine.








I bashed it out with Big'Ammer on the tree stump. Shallow as i wanted to make a design that showed all on the inside rather than on the sides, here i have also hammered it all over with my best hammer to give an all over dimpled finish. This makes it curl up somewhat, so it need annealing again. Before the rubber hammer sets it back to a bowl shape.

And there it is bowl shaped once more, with its edge rolled neatly! 

There's those lovely colours again. I really wish they could be made to stay....i have found no way to achieve that.

A cup of tea in a freezing shed and i drew a couple of horses on it, plasticine on the back means my thumbs hurt now, but it was ready for a bashing.

Now its out lined from the front. This copper forms nicely, seems easier than the really old (1940's 50's) copper i used before. Maybe modern production makes it purer or it changes over time.  There's the chisel used for lining and the small but non posh hammer i generally use, it about the right weight but its ugly.

More tea! OK so i took of the plasticine and scrubbed the back with wire wool, to bring out the lines. Filled it with plasticine. And commenced bashing. I used a flat domed punch so as not to destroy the hammered finish to much. And it is important not to over do it, it need to be shallow not a huge lump in the bowl.

Now it looks very shallow but that just right. Look the sun came out briefly.

Scrubbed with vinegar and salt and wire wool, the copper shows very pink. Ready for "super secret patina solution", well almost. I painted the horses with wax polish and a paint brush. So the solution wouldn't effect those parts. So far So good.