# Copper hood - Looking for input



## steve1234 (Sep 13, 2007)

I made a range hood that I will be covering with copper. Does anybody have any first hand experience bonding copper sheet to wood? 

I've read that TC-20 adhesive is the best but requires clamping. The hood surfaces are curved and I can't figure out how to achieve the required clamping. I've read "use solvent based contact cement"....good thought there except all contact cement I've seen says bonds anything to anything.......except don't use it on copper. I've seen several articles stating, "bah, don't worry about the warning "don't use it on copper", I've done it and it works". I have trouble believing the instructions on the product are just wrong. 

So far the front runner article is one that says, true, the contact cement bond to the copper will degrade over a few weeks. Scuff up the copper, use an automotive primer on the copper then the contact cement. The primer bonds to the copper and the cement bonds to the primer....that makes sense to me.

I have the copper, I have the cement and the primer.....just looking for the last bit of "yea, I've done that and it works great" before committing.


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## DangerMouse (Jul 17, 2008)

Loctite makes a Latex contact cement that does not say 'do not use on copper'. I have some here in front of me.
in your case, i would consider scalloping down the left and right side of the front piece, and fold all the half-rounded 'tabs' over and use decorative nails (like those 'hammered' look, rounded head upholstery nails) to secure each tab. then a run of the same down the edge against the wall, and no glue would be necessary, except perhaps to hold it in the right spot to nail it.

Just my 2¢

DM


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## steve1234 (Sep 13, 2007)

DM-
you're probably right in that I may not need to worry too much about the adhesive. I was planning on running a corner piece (plasic corner protecter "L" piece wrapped in heavy copper foil) to cover up the seems. Copper nails through the corner piece (and sheet) and then cover the copper nails with the heads of copper rivets, for "the look". 

Mechanically attaching at the seems with the curved surface should prevent any "oil canning' in the field should the adhesive start to fail....I hope. I'm just trying to look at all angles and "measure 3 times" prior to committing $150 worth of copper sheeting. Meanwhile the wife is suggesting we have measured enough....


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## DangerMouse (Jul 17, 2008)

is the inside to be lined? you want to consider the heat and moisture inside it.
i figured you'd do the lap on the edges somehow, good idea you describe. 
mine would just save the hassle of cutting the edge pieces and eliminate the need for plastic, more time/care cutting the front sheet too.
and that stuff is pricey, i know.... you wouldn't want to 'oops'.....

DM


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## DangerMouse (Jul 17, 2008)

oh, and real nice job so far... be sure to post when it's all done!

DM


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## steve1234 (Sep 13, 2007)

thanks. Hopefully the finished pics will come soon. 

What you can't see from the pic is the wood part is build around a stainless insert. It is the full stainless liner with the power pack (fan, filters, lights) and is vented through the hood and out the roof. There is about 1-1/2" thickness of exposed wood on the edge facing the stove. This will also be covered with some copper. A chunk of the faux foam molding (or whatever it's called) will go aournd the "skirt" to hide the copper edge where the curved surfaces stop....at least that's the theory.


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## Daniel Holzman (Mar 10, 2009)

Nice project. I recently built a copper drip cap for over my door. I soldered the seams, using both lead based (wire solder) and non-lead (plumbing) solder. Both worked very well. I attached my drip cap using copper nails, spread a little clear silicone over the nails to prevent leaks. So far, so good. But nowhere near as elaborate as your project. I like the look of copper, post a picture when you get it done, so far looks great.


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## biggidybankston (Dec 8, 2009)

Steve -
Just discovered this post, since its a little old - you may have already moved on...

The right way to "clamp" the sheet down for gluing would be with something called a vacuum press (used a lot for working with veneers), but that is entirely impractical for your application. I spent a summer working in a machine shop once, and it gave me a thought...if you can find a local sheet metal shop with a plate roller, you could get them to put just a smidge more curve in your sheet than the radius of your form. Then you could clamp down each edge of the sheet and the bend of the material would keep it pressed into the glue until it sets. Look for a local job shop where owner actually works there. I bet you could get it done for about 50 bucks. Heck, at my shop we would have just shown you the roller and let you do it, its a pretty simple machine.

Hope this helps,
-J


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## firehawkmph (Dec 12, 2009)

Steve,
Any finished pics yet? Just curiouis, how big a blower is in there (cfm) and does it need makeup air?
Mike Hawkins


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## Thurman (Feb 9, 2009)

No advice on glueing down the copper from here. I "old school" I would create seams and use appropriate ways to attach all from there. I do want to say that is an ingenious way, and a very nice looking way, so far, to cover the exhaust fan unit. Good job. Waiting on "after" pics, Thanks, David


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## steve1234 (Sep 13, 2007)

Well, nearly complete.....
After looking at the shiny copper sheet, we quickly concluded it needed to be hammered. We tried many things from hitting with a trailer hitch (big dents) to driving over the copper sitting on a bed of gravel. After numerous attempts, we settled on the exposed aggregate stepping stone. Put a beach towel on the stone, copper on the beach towel then hit the copper with a rubber mallet. 

The problem with that is now surface is dimpled which made the contact cement thing tougher. It turned out that the hammering "bowed" the sheets in the right direction so the curve on the sheets held them tight to the hood surface when the top and bottom edges were mechanically fastened. There are a couple spots with "reverse denting" that you can push in, but you can't really see them due the hammered look of the copper. 

The next step is to paint the faux stone molding. It will be a cream color, similar to the lighter colored tile in the backsplash. 

Oh, and the blower I think is rated at 750cfm (KOBE)


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## Cecosugi (Feb 27, 2009)

That is beautiful! What is the counter?


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## firehawkmph (Dec 12, 2009)

Steve,
The kitchen's looking good. Did you inquire into the makeup air? 750cfm is quite a bit of air to pull out of a house when that fan is running on high. I don't know the particulars off the top of my head, but something in my mind seems to remember having building departments question us when we hit 400 cfm as to how we were going to provide makeup air. The last thing you want to happen is have that fan pull CO into the house from your fluepipes. 
Mike Hawkins


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## steve1234 (Sep 13, 2007)

the counter is antiqued marble. 

Mike- I will have to look into make up air requirements. I know I had a discussion about the hood with my inspector, but nothing about make up air. 

Thanks for the tip....(Doh!, just when I thought I was almost done)


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