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Clubroom => Tech Talk => Topic started by: oldyzman on September 08, 2013, 05:09:18 pm

Title: Annealing copper head Gasket
Post by: oldyzman on September 08, 2013, 05:09:18 pm
What temp Celcius to i heat up a copper head gasket to to anneal it
Brett
Title: Re: Annealing copper head Gasket
Post by: Canam370 on September 08, 2013, 05:15:36 pm
I use a torch and heat the copper until it goes a nice pinkish/rainbow colour. Once it cools the pink fades but that should be enough. Works for me!
Title: Re: Annealing copper head Gasket
Post by: brent j on September 08, 2013, 05:52:33 pm
Heat it red hot and drop it into cold water
Title: Re: Annealing copper head Gasket
Post by: oldyzman on September 08, 2013, 08:01:23 pm
BS Brent, that would harden it
Title: Re: Annealing copper head Gasket
Post by: Paul552 on September 08, 2013, 08:08:55 pm
BS Brent, that would harden it

Not copper it won't
Title: Re: Annealing copper head Gasket
Post by: Mick D on September 08, 2013, 08:12:00 pm
BS Brent, that would harden it


The first time I tried it was when BHP taught me and hundreds of times since.

As Brent said, cherry, glowing red. Then drop it straight into your prepared cold water.

Very important that your water is mixed with one cup of metho to five cups of distilled water.

They then come out spotless, free of scale etc.

Distilled water is not essential but it's dirt cheap and produces a gasket free of soot and scale. It will require no further cleaning.

Title: Re: Annealing copper head Gasket
Post by: Tim754 on September 08, 2013, 08:18:14 pm
Yep I follow the heat and rapid cool water/metho system as taught by an A grade mechanical engineer.

PS that system should not be used if trying to re-anneal your vintage wedding tackle....  ;)
Title: Re: Annealing copper head Gasket
Post by: Tim754 on September 08, 2013, 08:26:54 pm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9VcqBprVP6o
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9-WzWNKXtQE
Title: Re: Annealing copper head Gasket
Post by: Mick D on September 08, 2013, 08:31:36 pm
BS Brent, that would harden it

Its possible you may be thinking of case hardening certain Irons and steels.

Mick.
Title: Re: Annealing copper head Gasket
Post by: oldyzman on September 08, 2013, 08:54:15 pm
Sorry Brent, i Just thought you were kidding.... Seems some others agree.
Thanks for all of your help
Brett
Title: Re: Annealing copper head Gasket
Post by: oldyzman on September 08, 2013, 09:04:38 pm
Good Video's also
Title: Re: Annealing copper head Gasket
Post by: cumagutsa on September 09, 2013, 08:58:22 am
if you cool it off straight away or let it cool naturally makes zero difference.
Title: Re: Annealing copper head Gasket
Post by: brent j on September 09, 2013, 12:50:56 pm
Sorry Brent, i Just thought you were kidding.... Seems some others agree.
Thanks for all of your help
Brett

No worries Brett,

If I put a bit more detail in my post it would have been easier to follow

Brent
Title: Re: Annealing copper head Gasket
Post by: David Lahey on September 09, 2013, 02:03:34 pm
I use cumagutsas method (just letting it cool in the air), because there is no risk of causing it to go out of shape, which can happen if quenched in water
Title: Re: Annealing copper head Gasket
Post by: firko on September 09, 2013, 02:57:35 pm
I've always heated then until they're a pinky red and dunked them straight into cold water, that's the way I was taught during the coppersmithing part of my apprenticeship. I've never had a gasket go out of shape that I can recall.
Title: Re: Annealing copper head Gasket
Post by: pancho on September 09, 2013, 05:29:45 pm
I've always heated then until they're a pinky red and dunked them straight into cold water, that's the way I was taught during the coppersmithing part of my apprenticeship. I've never had a gasket go out of shape that I can recall.
I have not bothered to drop it into cold water 'cos if you have it a bit over hot  it can bend or wrinkle were the plies or multis hang on to it.
 My preferred method 'till now was to heat it on a steel plate and let it cool, that way it stays flat.

 I didn't know the trick about a cup of metho to five of water, sounds good!
  Cheers pancho.
Title: Re: Annealing copper head Gasket
Post by: Andrew L on September 09, 2013, 07:13:42 pm
How many times can you do it before the head gasket is nfg.
Title: Re: Annealing copper head Gasket
Post by: micks on September 09, 2013, 07:20:29 pm
" I didn't know the trick about a cup of metho to five of water, sounds good!"
  Cheers pancho.
yer pancho it`s one cup of metho to five of orange juice for me
Title: Re: Annealing copper head Gasket
Post by: kim80y on September 09, 2013, 07:22:17 pm

 I have not bothered to drop it into cold water 'cos if you have it a bit over hot  it can bend or wrinkle were the plies or multis hang on to it.
 My preferred method 'till now was to heat it on a steel plate and let it cool, that way it stays flat.

 I didn't know the trick about a cup of metho to five of water, sounds good!
  Cheers pancho.
[/quote]

Geez, if you are quick enough with your hands it hardly even leaves a mark..harden up..LOL

Good solutions folks!!!

Cheers
Kim
Title: Re: Annealing copper head Gasket
Post by: OverTheHill on September 09, 2013, 07:42:55 pm
just hook a bit of wire & hold it up then circle round n round with the gas till cherry red then drop in a bucket of cold water, makes em soft then grease it on assembly & you'll never have a problem. Talking of grease, i [arc] welded the exhaust on my old farm 626 coupe--just replaced the front muffler with steam pipe & dribbled the weld from thick to thin, anyway, greased the double header pipe where it bolts to the manifold & a week later it still smells like Castrol R [like it]
Title: Re: Annealing copper head Gasket
Post by: brent j on September 09, 2013, 07:46:49 pm
How many times can you do it before the head gasket is nfg.


A copper gasket can be repeatedly annealed. They do compress a slight amount each time they are tightened down and do not return to the original thickness. Annealing them does not restore the thickness. There may be a limit to how many times they can be annealed but I think you'll find they will end up too thin before you reach that stage.
Title: Re: Annealing copper head Gasket
Post by: chrisdespo on October 11, 2013, 11:41:00 am
Cherry red and quench in cold water. was the correct procedure when i did my trade. good to check the thickness against a new gasket if you have one, i always put on a new one if available. by the way you can aneal aluminium as well but dont try and heat it to cherry red just warm and cool the same way although i still think new is best if you can get one.
Title: Re: Annealing copper head Gasket
Post by: Freakshow on October 11, 2013, 01:18:45 pm
on the speedway bikes i just put the gasket on the stove, when it glows i grab the pliers and fling it into the sink with water in it.  did it the other day with the sc500 head gasket, smells like lasts night dirty dishes but came out soft and sealed like a bought one
Title: Re: Annealing copper head Gasket
Post by: oldyzman on October 11, 2013, 04:02:09 pm
Thanks for the advice gents, it worked out well...Cheers
Brett