I have always had a particular love for old technology, and old methods of doing things, particularly historic metalwork. The level of craftsmanship I see here on CPL from some of the master Fettlers never ceases to amaze me. I keep saying "if only I had a lathe, milling machine, a real shop" etc. I recently stumbled upon this YouTube video featuring traditional coppersmiths in India making water pots the way they have been doing it for centuries: Coppersmiths In India I literally watched the whole video several times in amazement that they can do such work with only a handful of tools and generations of experience and skill. You have to love the brazing done over a coal fire! I challenge someone to build a pressure-lamp fount in the same manner. I will let you use a lathe to turn the necessary fittings however, foot-treadle powered of course! Cheers, Doug E.
I'll accept your challenge Doug ! (Now where do Pete Sav and Mick Emm hang out these days ) Great vid and I, like you Doug, have a great appreciation for crafts and skills such as these
You'll have to find a treadle lathe first, I do have access to one. I could probably make one, I just don't feel like it.
Great video I remember bashing copper like that when I left school sandbags,tree stump and iron bars and a hammer were the needed tools We did have gas torches the fire method of soldering is something else not a Cnc machine or computer in sight great stuff Pete
Hi Doug Amazing! Thanks for sharing this gem, I just overshot my lunchbreak watching it! Regards, Jeremy
Glad some other people got a kick out of this video. I love how the guy in the beginning marks and scribes a circle around centre by eye, then proceeds to cut a perfect hole using only a chisel and hammer. I never saw the coal-fire method of brazing either, but it looks like it does the job very well. If anyone feels inclined to make a pressure lamp fount (just kidding!) you are allowed to use a gas torch for brazing. What I especially love is the fact that this is not some living-history demonstration, but people still making useful articles as a day-to-day occupation, basically unchanged in hundreds of years. Have Fun! Doug E.
Excellent video! If that set up was in the UK., then all of the health and safety folk would have a heart attack! Jeff.
I was going to mention, I could never imagine working in a shop like that barefoot! Nary a pair of safety glasses in sight, not even gloves to protect from sharp metal edges. I also wondered what the lady at the end was dipping the pots in to bring up the copper shine. Must have been somewhat acidic to remove the tarnish so fast, and she was putting her whole arms in the vat.
I think it was more the "mud" (well, whatever it was! ) she was using. Still, bare-handed , can't be good for the skin if you ask me. Best regards, Wim
Actually, I was thinking of the scene right before that where the pots were floating in a vat and she was immersing them. Perhaps it was just water, but the pinkish color seemed to get brighter with just a few dunks in the liquid! As for the brownish goop she smeared on later, that may have been tamarind paste, which is a great copper cleaner due to it's acidity and mild abrasive qualities.
