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Old 01-25-2011, 12:37 AM
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Superleggera Superleggera is offline
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Default (silicon) bronze bodywork

Didn't know if many people had seen the latest from Kirkham Motosports (Utah/Cobra people) and doing some bodywork in bronze:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1gxiElmFIw

Just curious if anyone has done anything similiar? Material thickness if using for a motorcycle tank, etc? I've done aluminum, steel, titanium, carbonfiber, copper, fiberglass for tanks -- just think this might be an interesting alternative for an upcoming project. (and to get myself excited)
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Old 01-25-2011, 12:53 AM
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Mark, I saw that and found it very interesting. Kind of make you think of other things that are possible.
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Old 01-25-2011, 03:33 AM
Landyplan Landyplan is offline
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Thats a very cool process.
I cant help but wonder how much that billet ally hammer form cost to make?? I wonder how much one of their bodys comes in at????
Lovly finish though.
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Old 01-25-2011, 03:34 PM
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Gene Olson Gene Olson is offline
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Qbviously he got the result he wanted, but you cannot get a full anneal on Silicon bronze by burning off soot. It may have softened some, but not too much. That will anneal al.
copper and brass need 600-1000 degrees F
Silicon bronze anneals at over 1000 on a time related basis to soak and recrystalise.
I would not try it below 1100
For the short heat time he was heating 1200 plus would be required.
If I want a full anneal I ask for 20 min at 1300.

ie. he is blowing smoke on that point. but for the rest, nice toys and he seems to get results. The bronze usually starts half hard, on a low curve like that, pre annealling the blank would have helped.
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Old 12-30-2021, 02:43 PM
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Just making a revisit of this post from ten years ago. Has anyone in this group (besides Kirkham / Utah Cobra folks) actually built any coachwork from sheets of silicon bronze utilizing all the traditional metal shaping tools, welding methods, wire beaded fenders and louvers?

[Note: Recently sold off numerous cars, projects and more to start to simply my life. But re-acquired one recreation that I built 22 years ago that the body was removed and put onto an original racecar chassis. I can easily replicate it in polished aluminum -- but doing it in silicon bronze or even copper and polishing that instead is more appealing this time for myself.]
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Old 12-31-2021, 12:18 PM
willvannerson willvannerson is offline
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Wow, that video is cool! I got curious enough about SiBr to get half a sheet of 0.063" C655 from Atlas Metal in Denver a couple years back. Really nice stuff. Work-hardens like copper as you might imagine (97-98% Cu content), but doesn't conduct heat as well so you don't anneal as large of an area when you weld it. Since it's a pretty spendy (~14$ /lb) I haven't messed around with anything larger than you'd work with hammer and stakes, but I've got plans to work larger panels in the coming year or so. I'll definitely be watching more of those Kirkham videos.

I'm curious how other folks are welding the stuff. Googling bronze welding mostly just turns up TIG brazing. I've been using AC TIG since the cleaning action makes for a more manageable puddle. When I've tried DC or oxy/acy with the blue stuff it works, but you really have to watch out for that sag like with aluminum.
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Old 01-01-2022, 06:57 PM
fciron fciron is offline
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I used silicon bronze wire in my MIG welder for a few projects. Works great. You can gas weld it with Si Bronze filler too.
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Old 01-01-2022, 10:14 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by fciron View Post
I used silicon bronze wire in my MIG welder for a few projects. Works great. You can gas weld it with Si Bronze filler too.
Just to clarify, I'm looking at doing the coachwork in bronze like this from Kirkham. (not just welding with silicon bronze ala TIG or MIG)

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Old 01-02-2022, 02:38 AM
crystallographic crystallographic is offline
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I only remember Kirk.Bros. building a copper car.

Must need polishing ....

Never heard of them doing one in SiBr. You could just wax that.

I think they are doing hot working on some alloys now - might be a video on them doing 5086 aluminum at 475F or something like that? Old stuff now, but I have found that alloy is nice to work with.
SiBr does work well when at the right temps.

Coldworking is okay..... with annealing.
I'd rather make the shapes hot. Modified weed burners heat well.
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Last edited by crystallographic; 01-02-2022 at 02:40 AM.
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Old 01-02-2022, 06:01 AM
Jaroslav Jaroslav is online now
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Beautiful work. Really.
Unfortunately, with the current high price of scrap, it is not possible to park with such a thing and go leave for a few minutes.
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