copper washer

[Tommyf]

Hi Guys ,
I have an old dumper with a lister ts3 engine and i have a leak from the sump plug. I tried to get a new copper washer yesterday but couldn't get the right size.
I have done some research on the web and it seams that if you heat them up until they glow red and let them cool down they become soft again and are reusable.

Has anyone tried this and does it work ?

Many thanks in advance

Tom

 

[Windy Miller]

Copper work hardens quite quickly so annealing it as you describe will certainly help, but if it's all scored and knackered it may well still leak!

Maybe back it up with a fibre washer and some sealant too?

 

[normspanners]

Yep do it all the time, I usually heat it and quench it in water works a treat takes seconds be care full you dont melt it though.

but if it's all scored and knackered it may well still leak!

even quite knacked ones will work
on sump plugs I usually give a couple of winds of ptf tape also.

 

[Topleymike]

If the washer is solid copper,not a rolled one you cab anneal it to re use it as long as it is not too damaged. Heat it to cheery red and then quench it in water. Then you can face it on a sheet of wet and dry on a flat surface a piece of thick glass is a good stand in for this. A new washer would still be better,you will get one from some where online I expect.

 

[Coo]

I've done it successfully on banjo joints - remember to sand the washer flat to help seal after its cooled

 

[wyn]

As others have said ..heat it then chuck it in some water.

I used to be able to reuse the copper head gasket on a Maico 490 a couple of times by doing this.

 

[MattF]

What's the size of the copper washer? Annealing it will work fine. If you're heating it in a bright place, just heat it until you get a silver sheen all over the surface. You've hit the temperature you want then. Not always easy to see it's turned red if you're working in a bright place. Letting it go to a brighter red won't hurt though. Personally, I always let pieces air cool rather than quenching, when possible. Shouldn't make a difference in theory, but I personally tend to find air cooling preferable.

As Mike & Coo said, rub it on some fine wet & dry once done. It'll clean up any ridges and get rid of the oxide layer.

 

[rtbcomp]

Copper will anneal if you quench it or let it cool gradually. Quenching will remove any scale from the surface, cooling slowly could allow oxide to form.

Don't go mad sanding it, that will work-harden the surface.

 

[MattF]

Copper will anneal if you quench it or let it cool gradually.

In reality though, it seems to be a bit more quirky. On several occasions, I've found that quenching led to it being harder than expected, whereas allowing air cooling never has. I may just have happened to miss the sweet spot on temperature, I don't know, but air cooling has always been reliable.

 

[the artfull-codger]

As stated above heating it to "cherry red" anneals it, dunking in water does nothing to the annealing process except to help remove some of the scale, & I'm puzzled as to how sanding can make it work harden?? I've flanged scores of model boiler end plates & sanded them without work hardening them,it's the forming & bending action that work hardens it.

 

[Bladevane]

Did this recently to 2 copper washers either side of a banjo on a rear brake calliper. The monkey who changed the suspension bushes (that's another story too long for this thread) must have hung the calliper by the flexible which caused a tiny movement between banjo and calliper resulting in half a litre of brake fluid coating the inside of my wheel.

 

[Wozzaaah]

Why not just post the dimensions of the washer and see if anyone on here has one that'll fit?
I've got a few odd ones knocking about and I'm sure others have too.

 

[roofman]

Why not just post the dimensions of the washer and see if anyone on here has one that'll fit?
I've got a few odd ones knocking about and I'm sure others have too.

yea me too,i have a draw full of them...iff i have your size Tommyf you can have it free

 

[brightspark]

Yep do it all the time, I usually heat it and quench it in water works a treat takes seconds be care full you dont melt it though.

even quite knacked ones will work
I usually give a couple of winds of ptf tape

why do u quench it in water ?? are u in a hurry to cool it down otherwise it serves no purpose

 

[Tommyf]

Many thanks for all your replies I will give it a go in the morning , I will measure it beforehand just in case it's no good .

Many thanks to wozzaah and roofman much appreciated

All the best , tom

 

[normspanners]

why do u quench it in water ?? are u in a hurry to cool it down

Yep always in a hurry coz it is always seems that you get a weep just when your tight on time !! but it also helps get the scale /crud off it and they turn out a nice sandy new copper colour IMO

 

[Bladevane]

Agreed.