Tools and Materials for Making Metal Fittings
Article by TMY Editorial Staff. Photos by John Stoudt.
While this is not an exhaustive list, it does provide some suggestions that will make working with
non-ferrous (excluding aluminum) materials easier. There are many manufacturers and suppliers of these tools and materials. Use your search engine to find the item online or at a store close to you.
Miniature Torch
This butane torch is ideal for soldering brass, copper, bronze, and even stainless steel. This torch delivers up to 2000°F for soldering (and other). Simple push button ignition lets you get to work quickly. The flame is adjustable, and it is easy to refill the gas cylinder built into the torch.
Helping Hands Tool
Keep your hands away from the heat and hold everything tightly together. This frees up to ensure safe soldering with improved precision and flexibility. You can easily position components where you need them with the alligator clamps that swivel four ways. It comes with two alligator clips, a magnifying glass, and weighted base.
Hand Seamer
A 3-inch hand seamer, sheet metal bending tool helps you to bend and flatten sheet metal and non-ferrous metals without the need for heavy duty sheet metal tools.
Spring Loaded Tweezers
When you are soldering you often need a way to hold the pieces together while you solder. Along with the “Helping Hands Tool”, these cross-locking tweezers are a great way to clamp the pieces you want to solder.
Small Bench Vise
This 3-in bench vise attaches quickly to a bench or table top. It can be rotated 360 degrees on its swivel base. You use it for various processes in working the sheet metal for small parts. There is a small flat area behind the jaws that can be used as an anvil surface.
Small Ball Peen Hammer
This hammer is 9.5 in long with a wooden handle and weighs 4 oz. It is great for shaping non-ferrous metal.
Vise Mount Metal Break
This attachment mounts magnetically to your bench vise and makes clean bends in sheet metal. It is available in different sizes.
Automatic Center Punch
This center punch tool has a spring-loaded mechanism. You place the point of the tool where you want to make the center punch mark and press down. The spring tension retracts and springs out marking the wood, metal, steel, aluminum, brass, >copper, and more.
Silver Solder
This high strength, low temperature silver-bearing solder provides a stronger joint than soft solder. It bonds with all ferrous and non-ferrous alloys except aluminum and forms strong vibration-proof joints. Using the flux provided, the solder flows quickly to penetrate tight clearances.
K & S Precision Metals
K & S makes a large variety of small precision metal shapes including bar, round, tub;, square, and other shapes. These shapes come in brass, copper, and aluminum. These items can be found in hardware and hobby stores or directly from K & S.
Small Bench Anvil
This is great for shaping wire, metal, and other items for making small parts. It is made of cast steel, measures 5 ¼ by 2 1/2 by 2 ¼ inches, and weighs 1 ¾ lb (variations will work).