Decorative Copper | Quick Ship Metals News-Blog

Embossed Copper Creates Form in Addition to Function

Feb 252011

Jesse Lupo stands beside his latest distilling marvel made of stainless steel and copper. This 40-gallon still is designed to distill any type of alcohol except Vodka.

Jesse Lupo has been ginning up the heat on welding rods for another still in his shop in Maine and this one is a real beauty, wrapped in a sheet of decorative Georgia style embossed copper. While this particularly distinctive style of copper sheeting is very striking to the eye, it also caused some head scratching at Trident Welding.

Jesse ordered a full size sheet of the Georgia style copper sheeting, which is normally 96” long. When he started measuring to make the cuts for the outer surface of his latest still, he noticed that the copper sheeting was 1-1/4” shorter than expected. Since he has always been pleased with the quality and service from QuickShipMetals.com he called to see why this sheet did not meet his expectations.

What he learned caused him to have one of those “Ah” moments, that we’ve all experienced when the unconsidered obvious is explained. This style of copper sheeting starts out a full 96” in length, but because the Georgia Style pattern is embossed, the surface is raised and that increased height comes at the expense of length and width which are drawn up by the embossing process.

“When it was explained to me it made perfect sense. I just hadn’t considered it before. It’s a beautiful pattern and really gives a dramatic look to this 40-gallon steam jacketed still,” he said.

The copper in this particular design is used to dress up the exterior and conceal the insulation layer on the outside of the steam jacket. The steam is used to heat up the mixture and create the alcohol. Once he is finished with the actual construction of a still, the task of polishing has to be done. For the copper on his stills, Jesse uses Top Brite®, a product similar to Brasso®, but he feels it works much faster and produces a better, longer lasting shine.

For the discoloration that welding creates in stainless steel, he says that a wire brush and a lot of elbow grease is the solution. Another professional trick he shared is to use a vibrator sander and a Scotch-Brite® pad. Once he’s through with the polishing work, he washes the stainless steel with isopropyl alcohol to remove any impurities.

If you’ve got a project that would be improved by a piece of decorative copper, QuickShipMetals.com has an excellent selection that includes Hammered Connecticut , Hammered New York, Hammered New Hampshire, Hammered New Jersey, Hammered Georgia, in addition to the Hammered Georgia pattern.

Log onto the Live Chat link from the website, or call the toll-free number 888-334-2177 and make something happen!

For more information on stills and Jesse’s Trident projects, see the previous article Big Things Brewing at Trident Welding.

Big Things Brewing at Trident Welding

Copper Curiosities, Fun Projects

Jan 052011

Jesse Lupo (r) and his father, Hubert Hall stand beside a still designed to distill honey vodka for a company in New York.

It is always interesting to see the finished products that are created from the many and varied metals sold here at QuickShipMetals.com. When an ordinary sheet of copper, stainless steel or aluminum makes its way through the order/shipping process and heads out the door, sometimes we get to see it again in photos of its new form.

The uses for our metals are as many and varied as the customers who contact us for our products, for each individual has a vision yearning to be realized. All that is required for shape, form and functionality to be created from raw materials is the melding of a creative mind with the metal that meets their needs.

While photos of beautiful creations created from our copper are received routinely, we recently received this photo from Jesse Lupo at Trident Welding, which is more than a bit unusual. Pictured in the photo are Jesse and his father, Hubert Hall, standing next to a 100-gallon vodka still that was custom made for this specific distilling process. This newly completed still is ready for shipment from his shop in central Maine.

Jesse began his professional life as a carpenter but soon developed an interest in welding. He improved upon his skills and became a boilermaker, doing commercial and industrial types of welding. Since he became very good at precision welding of pipes, his next professional pursuit was Bio-Pharmaceutical welding which requires very critical beads. As his worked progressed it occurred to him that the pipes and projects he was welding had a lot in common with a distillery, and a new business was born.

His current business ambition is twofold. First his commitment is to build high quality stills that exceed his customer’s expectations. And then some day he wants to become a licensed distiller himself, with a focus on flavored rums and specialty blends. Certainly his stills are capable of excellent results.

This 100-gallon column still has a decorative sheeting of quilted copper that adds beauty as well as concealing a layer of insulation.

The first man who purchased one of Jesse’s stills has received a Gold Medal Award for his vodka, so the old axiom, “the proof of the product is in the tasting” holds true. “Our stills are very versatile and you can brew any type of alcohol with slight variations in the design. That’s an advantage we have over our competition. Most companies that build stills only do one or two models and those are your only options take it or leave it. I’m a fabricator, and I’m not married to any one design. If a customer wants something special I’ll build it,” he said.

The stills Jesse builds are made of high-quality stainless steel. The copper is used to remove sulfur during distillation and as a decorative metal, or in some instances to conceal insulation beneath its decorative surface.

Micro breweries and specialty distilleries have become so popular around the country, so there is quite a demand for stills today. With the proper governmental paperwork and a simple pot still, anyone can become a distiller of spirits. If you have such ambitions and an idle welder, we’ve got the metal you’ll need. If you lack the welding skills necessary for such a complex creation, give Jesse a call at Trident Welding, and he’ll call us for the quality metal. He’s got the talent; we’ve got the copper and stainless steel.

For more information on brewing or distilling spirits visit the American Distilling Institute website, the creation of renowned alcohol expert Bill Owens. There’s a ton of information and a forum for friendly advice from others that share the passion for brewing spirits.

Give us a call on our toll-free line at 1-888-334-2177, or check out our extensive line of copper and stainless steel online. We’ve got what you need for even the most ambitious project!

Copper Sheeting - a Practical Solution, Beautiful Benefits

Fun Projects, Problem Solved

Jul 122010

By Frank Ross

Like many home improvement projects, the beginning of this attractive copper-accented planter was rooted in an unsightly, outdated object that needed to be removed. An ugly lamppost in front of Christina Galvan’s home needed to be removed, but it was mounted in a large mass of concrete. For Christina, a structural engineer, a block of concrete was an opportunity, not an obstacle.

With a few concrete blocks, some mortar and stones she created a planter that also served as a place to mount her house number. After further analysis, Christina felt the house numbers didn’t show up well against the dark stones, especially at night. “I looked at several options, but the commercially available products were pretty expensive compared to the raw materials. I did some research on the Internet and found QuickShipMetals.com. The pricing was very reasonable so I ordered a piece of copper sheeting cut to size. I had never worked with metal before, but the copper was very easy to work with and the holes were easy to drill,” she said.

“The numbers were mounted to the planter with screws and the only challenge was making sure the holes lined up properly so they could be reattached in the same location. I used a piece of cardboard to make a template and checked the alignment to make sure before I started drilling,” she said.

“I think the planter looks fantastic. The copper is starting to weather now and it looks very organic. In fact, I like the look so much I’m thinking that I need to do a copper sculpture or create a water piece with copper in my backyard. The area I live in is noted for copper, so it is a natural fit and I love the look,” she added.

If you have a project that could be complemented with the natural beauty of copper, give our customer service staff a call on our toll-free line. Copper might be the solution you’re looking for. 1-888-334-2177.