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  • #1

    Copper Dome

    I am interested in making a copper dome for my mobile oven. I have found an old blog about someone making one for their gazebo Quarry Garden Stained Glass: How This All Started, Part 14 but I need to see a lot more detail about how they did it, how was it seemed together, how did it attach to the metal frame, how did they construct the metal frame, how thick of copper did they use ect.

    I am thinking of using 24oz copper sheet for the added strength but if I can get away with thinner stuff it would save a bundle. I have no idea how to properly seem together the dome shape though. I have seen tutorials from copper roofers who specially overlap each seem differently depending on the pitch ect but those are all for square panels, not the funky shaped ones used in a dome.

    I have seen a member here who seemed together smaller pieces of copper to great effect but unfortunately that is not the look I am going for. I love the look of soldered copper seems like the dome from the tutorial, however, I don't know how to achieve this.
    Last edited by clg763; 10-23-2012, 08:45 AM.
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  • #2
    Re: Copper Dome

    You can buy paint with copper in it that ages to look like aged copper after a spray of activator.
    Ive got some here and it looks just like copper.
    The English language was invented by people who couldnt spell.

    My Build.

    Books.

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    • #3
      Re: Copper Dome

      Yeah, that is the build I referenced, it is gorgeous, just not the look I am going for, I want a dome that looks similar to the gazebo in the blog I referenced.

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      • #4
        Re: Copper Dome

        Ive seen a guy in Melbourne make a pyramid shape out of marine ply and he stapled thin copper over the triangles of ply then assembled it and put copper flashings over the joints.

        Its a cheats way and he used a roll of very thin copper and it looked good,just do it over triangles of curved fiberglass if you want a dome.

        Good luck and post photos

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        • #5
          Re: Copper Dome

          curved fiberglass eh? that would be a great nailable substrate that isn't as flammable as wood. Using thinner copper would be nice so I could avoid spending as much money, I don't know to form the seems on it though. Because of the irregular shape of the panels, I would have to have multiple short overlaps and solder those seems I guess.

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          • #6
            Re: Copper Dome

            As a sheetmetal worker, I would personally lay out the shape for the panels and make a pattern. I would then trace that pattern onto the copper using a scratch awl. I would then cut it out leaving a one inch flange around the edges. Next I would dovetail that one inch flange. I would then roll the panel in a slip roll machine to shape(to get it perfect you would need an english wheel, but I don't see any examples online where it looks like they they went that far, and they still look good). I would then bend the dovetails down 90. I'd repeat this process for every panel. I would then join the panels at the dovetails with the rivets. Once the dome was complete I would solder the seams.

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            • #7
              Re: Copper Dome

              Just throwing an idea in the air.

              Finish the dome in stucco. Find or create a design of your own. There are numerous concrete stamps out there on the market. There are mold making materials to copy one of your choosing. You can form the outside layer to look like what ever look you want. That look could be of overlapping shingles, seams to appear like formed metal, etc. Brickie's idea of the copper paint could be the crowning touch. The sky is the limit on what you might come up with .

              just say'n
              Joe Watson " A year from now, you will wish that you had started today" My Build Album / My Build

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              • #8
                Re: Copper Dome

                Here is some I prepared earlier.....

                Copper Boy.


                Bigger picture.


                A rusty painted cows skull.
                The English language was invented by people who couldnt spell.

                My Build.

                Books.

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                • #9
                  Re: Copper Dome

                  I have an oven with the copper cover that you are looking for. You can see photos at STANDARD PIZZA COMPANY. The dome is assembled as a stand alone unit and then lowered onto the completed fire brick dome. When professional welders stop by to see the oven, I am told that the welding that was done was very difficult to accomplish. I know that a coppersmith who specializes in making weatervanes did the work. You might want to seek out the advice of someone in that profession.

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                  • #10
                    Re: Copper Dome

                    I found this site to have the most complete descriptions of several ways of building copper domes.

                    http://www.copper.org/applications/a...lts/intro.html

                    The one you are looking for is called "standing seam", just follow the link.
                    I am considering "flat seam" style for my oven, but I am still not sure if I will go that way due to amount if labor. Additionaly, as angle of the dome changes, to ensure watertightness, near the top seams need to be soldered, later ones are ok with sealant, and after a certain angle nothing is required. In particular, most complex would be transitions between the dome and oven openning and vent.

                    My alternative approach is stucco

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