How to Burr by Hand without a Burring Machine

[@thecopperelf]

I do all my burring and lagging by hand like that either on the hatchet stake or tinsmiths stake. I've had a machine for two years that I rebuilt including forging a replacement spring for the one that was missing, great fun researching and rebuilding. Anyway I watched your video on using the burring machine and thought it was time I used mine. I went to the workshop, cut a disk, got my glove caught, dropped the disk, run off, scored the metal and generally annoyed. I have put the machine back on the floor with the stake tools and gone back to burring and lagging by hand with a lump of wood. I taught this technique when I first started by a master tinker from Ireland holding the stake between your legs! Love your videos, keep up the good work.

[@housecopper]

Absolutely awesome that you're doing it all with the stakes - so cool and old school! And seriously, when I learned the burring machine, I was told "it's the hardest machine to master" so keep at it!! And thank you for watching!!!

[@hard_rock_miner7686]

Ack! This is exactly what I I as looking for! Thanks so much! Most of the old textbooks and such available online still go right to the machines... and if they don’t, they simply say something along the lines of, “use the double seaming stake.”

[@housecopper]

Hi Chester! So happy this helped you - the books are definitely trickier to follow, at least from my experience. :) Much cheer!!

[@tommiller9743]

Great video, Sara! I just stumbled upon it a few minutes ago!

[@housecopper]

Thanks Tom! Hope you're doing super!!! See you in Ohio at the convergence?!

[@joegoodaker5951]

I have a small brass rid and a steel rid with 1/4” slit on one ind and 3/8 on the other. I use this to start to form my lips or burs. It helps to keep it even

[@housecopper]

Yes! I know another tinsmith who does this as well. It does work well.

[@keithrayeski6417]

Fascinating! I’ll be 64 in a few days and while once upon a time I was focusing on learning blacksmithing in my golden years, my focus changed slightly after a visit to Sturbridge Village in Sturbridge, Mass., over the summer with my wife. I really enjoyed what the tinsmith was creating! But I found that while finding a blacksmith to teach that skill was fairly easy, finding a tinsmith who is having classes, was virtually impossible. I even found dozens and dozens of books and KZbin videos teach blacksmithing…but slim to none, on tinsmithing! Would you feel comfortable offering suggestions or recommendations? I live in Milton, NH. Thank you for your channel. New subscriber.

[@housecopper]

Thanks for subscribing!! Old Sturbridge Village is a favorite among the tin and coppersmiths I know - one year we want to get the convergence back there! You'd enjoy the convergence. It's annual and in June, and usually in the Midwest, like in Archibald OH or in Indiana, etc. I'll check with Bob (the master I apprenticed under) to see who is out in NH. I also do classes/workshops if you and your wife fancy a trip to Wisconsin. :)

[@NUMENOREAN91]

How do you round the metal without a slip roller?

[@housecopper]

There are a few methods - I will make a video on this! Thank you for the idea!

[@tjfritts9013]

Excellent stuff! What gauge materials do you use most often for things like cups, skillets, etc?

[@housecopper]

Aw, thanks! It's a very particular subject, hahaha. Not a lot of people care/want to know this part of the trade!! :) For making by hand, we use 24oz copper as it works the best for forming by hand and on the traditional machines and stakes. For my Cookware I make for House Copper, I use .090 and .125 (1.5mm - 3mm) because I use power tools for those. :)

[@tjfritts9013]

@@housecopper Thanks! I'm happy to learn more, and I'm glad you're sharing more simplistic methods for those of us who don't have lots of machinery.

[@angelus_solus]

Heh, this is just like raising the edge on a set of pauldrons or spaulders.

[@housecopper]

Yeah, there's a lot of raising/burring that goes on in several activities! :)