I know this is a bit off the forum topic, but I thought there might be someone here who knows how to work with copper.

The situation - I have a copper MIA/POW bracelet I have been wearing since 1975 (when I promised his wife I would wear it until he came home). Unfortunately, it finally work-hardened to the point that it broke. Anyone know how to braze this back together? I kind of feel wierd without it now, and a promise is a promise, even if I made when I was a shorty. . . .

 

i work with copper all day @ work.. i am a pipefitter... but i only see u being able to braze the backside together OR basically fusing it together with light braze.... My opinion is to take it to a metal jeweler cause they use those small torche's and see what he could do... good luck with ya

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by vtec_killer_ &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">i work with copper all day @ work.. i am a pipefitter... </TD></TR></TABLE>
same here.

when you braze that its going to be hard because its so thin, wont be hard to burn right through it.

try to find copper just as thin as that and use it as a backing to attach the 2 broken parts to. then I would soft solder it to the copper backing, only where its broken and a touch on the ends.

good luck.

 

its best to take it to a jewler where a very tiny amount of silver solder can be used to connect the two parts. i used to do this in school alot. being silver its also decently strong. you can try it yourself if you have a small acetelene torch and a jewelry supply shop where you can buy silver solder and flux. you may want to practice a bit if you attempt it. its kind of a tedious process

 

I don't know anything about this subject, but I do know that still wearing it after all these years is very honorable.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by tepid1 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I don't know anything about this subject, but I do know that still wearing it after all these years is very honorable. </TD></TR></TABLE>

I don't want to make a big deal out of it, I just wanted people to understand why it is important that I fix it and do so in a way that keeps it looking as close as possible to its original condition.

If you are curious as to how long I will be wearing this thing, you can Google his name.

 

I know exactly who he is. I didn't even have to google that.

A sad story indeed.

 

woah. I googled him. that is heavy man. really heavy.

 

wow, My highest respect goes out to you for holding to your promise. this is the type of honor that holds the world together.

Thanks man!

 

probably a jewler is the only way like suggested abouve.

it will be HARD nearly impossible to fix that without messing up the lettering.......


a suggestion is to make a new one out of a more flexable/ resistant metal?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by RS-2 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
a suggestion is to make a new one out of a more flexable/ resistant metal?</TD></TR></TABLE>

I don't think that is an option....

There is a lot of sentimental value in this piece

 

In the extreme, it could very easily be electron beam welded then annealed to get the ductility back. You would loose the lettering where the electron beam weld would be, perhaps 0.020 of an inch wide. This could be done by an aerospace welding firm, or perhaps a large university with such a device.

Otherwise, a jewlers silver solder sounds best, also be sure to get it annealed afterwards to restore ductility.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by BigMoose &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">In the extreme, it could very easily be electron beam welded then annealed to get the ductility back.
</TD></TR></TABLE>

Interesting option. I will try to see if anyone at UT can do that.

 

How about taking a similar sized piece of metal and some how attaching the old to the new. I just see the metal breaking again in the same spot or in another location without any extra support.

Good Luck!

 

try riveting it to a piece of leather

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by RS-2 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">try riveting it to a piece of leather </TD></TR></TABLE>

best idea yet

 

Yeah that would likely look pretty cool too!

 

you could flip it over, butt it together, and braze it from the back side. but brazing requires some skill, you heat it til it starts to glow, but not melt, then apply the rod. much stronger that soldering also

 

Yeah, I think considering the fact that your gonna wear this for.....a very likely long time, that it'd be best to go beyond just brazing or welding it.

I think that, in essence, it should be memorialized and worn in a fashion that reflects that. Like someone stated, getting it riveted to leather and made into a bracelet as such, or actually going further and getting it incorporated into a leather watch band. Maybe a watch that has some USAF significance and has a leather band as well. You could then possibly have the band worked onto the leather band in some fashion.

I think that, considering you've respected the promise, that maybe spending a little something to memorialize it appropriately would be in order. JMO

 

These guys set up our electron beam welding process http://www.ewi.org/ We had to eb weld an inch thick beryllium copper 2 inch donut onto a multi million dollar device. The weld had to be 100% penetration, and not destroy the device. They did it, just fine.

Perhaps if you approach them, they might do it gratis, to use with their advertising. You can help them get that point, from memorial bracelets to aerospace hardware, EWI can weld it... you will get the idea.

I'd do it or intervene for you, but it would mean my instant dismissal from the day job... some companies are really strict.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by CarTunr22 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">How about taking a similar sized piece of metal and some how attaching the old to the new. I just see the metal breaking again in the same spot or in another location without any extra support.

Good Luck!</TD></TR></TABLE>

well if it held up for 30 years in its current design, I'm sure that annealing it will make it last long enough

 

We've been talking about these sort of promises in Ethics class, I won't say what the majority of ethics theorists say about them to keep you from wanting to gouge the messenger's eyes out. But maybe you should talk to the lady, see what she has to say about fixing it. Maybe it broke for a reason?

I'd suggest it simply be framed, or if she's adamant, frame it & make a new one out of silver or gold. Something that isn't prone to discoloring the skin. I hope this doesn't sound cold, but most pros that devote their lives to studying the mind would feel that at some point, the past must be laid to rest.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by HiProfile &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">But maybe you should talk to the lady, see what she has to say about fixing it. </TD></TR></TABLE>

Not really an option; she's dead.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Maybe it broke for a reason?</TD></TR></TABLE>

Yes. The reason it broke is that I have been wearing it for a long time and it work hardened where it flexes the most.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I hope this doesn't sound cold, but most pros that devote their lives to studying the mind would feel that at some point, the past must be laid to rest.</TD></TR></TABLE>

I understand that opinion, but I personally feel that forgetting our past (along with not taking responsibility/ honoring commitments) is one of the reasons our culture is in the mess that it is in today. But that is irrelevant; as I mentioned in my initial post, I was raised to keep my promises.

There have been some good suggestions here. I found a jeweler that wants to see it in person to decided if it can be brazed. If that does not work, I know someone else (from the MetalMeet forum) who will patch it from the back. As a last resort, I will attach it to a leather band or something similar

My thanks to all of you for your input.

 

Im sorry, I dont have any solution to your problem Top Ramen, but as a member of the military I agree 110% with how you feel about this and 150% respect you.

Good luck with your repair.

EDIT - I searched a bit, and some air conditioning guys may be able to braze it back together.

Also, this may be a bit extreme but have you even thought of gettin a tattoo of the same inscriptions? I dont mean to cross any grounds, but if I would do that for one of my soldiers from OIF, it would mean a lot to them and me.


Modified by random_tuner at 2:03 AM 4/29/2008

 

this is a little "outside the box" so to speak but you could cut a strip of leather about the same width and then atach a snap to the ends of the leather strip so you can keep wearing it as a bracelet.