Copper hammering

[Grafted In]

Picked up a few round copper sheets and making my first real bowl.
Got probably 10 or 11 hours hammering it.
I began with my heart set on a simple , non textured (To me that's a whole nother skill/tallent) bowl from a 6" piece and make it as nice, yet as simple as possible.
I also am set on hammering it as smooth as possible, then polish it to shine.

I'm writing in hopes of finding others who share my interest.
I use some advice on what works best for this size bowl.
I know precious little about about hammers.
Actually, i've reshaped most of every hammer i own already.
Thank you.

 

[d taylor]

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I know nothing about this craft, but do you use a mold form, to hammer the copper sheet around. Or is this just free form shaping

 

[Grafted In]

I'm sorry for not responding sooner, d Taylor.
I had messed around with much smaller pieces a few years ago, but, well..life happens.
This time I bought a couple of 6" and 8" discs on Amazon for about $15 ea. I started hammering a 6" by rounding off and polishing the flared end of my biggest chisel, but after watching more videos I saw some were using a "cup" made in the end of a log about 12". This seems to work better, but doesn't allow for hammering a base.
And so that's what I've been using.
If I like what I can do with that setup, I may invest in an anvil (cannot find the section of RR track i had begun grinding and polishing.
My biggest hurdle, I suppose, is getting my hammer hand from following the bowl while it should be concentrating on striking the anvil/wooden cup in the same spot every time.

Anyway, for just a few dollars I may have found something I will stick with til I get good at it and my bowls and such please me.
Then I'll buy a stake and some real hammers.
The discs eliminate the need to cut any copper and for $15 ea shipped to my door, I decided to go that way.


Give it a try. Let me know if you find it as relaxing as I have.