# My First Attempt at a Quasi Steampunk cane



## Rad (Feb 19, 2013)

Didn't know what "Steampunk" was until I started with the Idea of doing a cane out of Copper! I like to use contrasting elements, but I tied the wood in with a little copper inlay on one end.

Sorry for inflicting my experiments on you!!


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## CAS14 (Dec 28, 2012)

Hmmmmm

Since I have developed no talent for carving a wood spirit, you just gave me an idea that I may be capable of pulling off for my son's walking stick, when the wood is sufficiently dried.

Last weekend I purchased some brass tubing about 1 1/4" (?) dia. and plan to cut 3" or so to epoxy over the bottom as protection. The upper bark-on grip, I now know how I might make it look striking like yours.

What did you use to seal and finish the bark and the spiraling grooves?


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## Rad (Feb 19, 2013)

CAS said:


> What did you use to seal and finish the bark and the spiraling grooves?


CAS -- I have been using 2 or 3 coats of Helmsman Spar Urethane clear gloss.


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## CAS14 (Dec 28, 2012)

Rad said:


> CAS said:
> 
> 
> > What did you use to seal and finish the bark and the spiraling grooves?
> ...


Thanks Rad!


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## Sean (Dec 29, 2012)

That's a great looking handle on that cane! So how did you attach it so you feel comfortable with it staying together

if I may ask? I'm not familiar with steampunk as pertains to sticks? I googled it but ...


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## Deb (Jan 1, 2013)

That is a really nice walking stick. I love the handle.


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## Rad (Feb 19, 2013)

Sean said:


> That's a great looking handle on that cane! So how did you attach it so you feel comfortable with it staying together
> if I may ask? I'm not familiar with steampunk as pertains to sticks? I googled it but ...


Thanks Sean! I fastened a 3/4" hardwood dowel inside the copper tube and extended it beyond the tube -- drilled a hole large enough into the topper to receive both the dowel and copper tube -- I screwed the topper and the dowel together with one of those screws that have threads on both ends. Before I screwed it down tight I put epoxy in the hole to keep it tight! It's not going anywhere!


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## Rad (Feb 19, 2013)

Deb said:


> That is a really nice walking stick. I love the handle.


Thanks Deb! And welcome to the site!


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## Sean (Dec 29, 2012)

Thanks for the info. It's really a cool piece, love looking at it each time I open the thread.


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## Rad (Feb 19, 2013)

Sean said:


> Thanks for the info. It's really a cool piece, love looking at it each time I open the thread.


Your welcome! And thank you -- I'm going to post a couple more of the copper ones I did at the same time, on this page before I leave the copper behind and move on. I was just experimenting -- I'd like to learn how to bend copper pipe, it's not easy like conduit.


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## Fordj (Jan 8, 2014)

I have bent copper pipe with conduit benders, only to have to cut it out and replace it with 'proper, approved, and bought' fittings. All this had to be flooded with nitrogen on the inside of the pipe during the silver soldering process (to eliminate oxididation of the interior of the piping).

Copper would seem to be softer than steel, but modern metalurgy has made copper alloys very tough to internal pressures. It seems that bending copper pipe seriously reduces its pressure holding capability, making it uninsurable in the commercial workplace. I have piped gasses using copper to Laser cutting machines, with silver solder joints, that has a regular pressure of 170 psi.

I do have two 10" pieces of copper pipe, (1" nominal, and 3/4" nominal) that I use as "cheater bars" on Allen wrenches and small regular hexhead bolt wrenches in my toolbag. They distort before my tools, or the fastener I'm trying to remove.


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