This project is the third and final project to build the tiled tea tray: how to make and attach the copper handles. These gorgeous handles can also be made and used on their own as drawer pulls, cupboard handles, or even as tea towel holders.
In this project, copper pipe is flattened by hammering; this process will naturally result in a curved flat piece of copper. Forming these handles is a great introduction to plumbing and metal fabrication tools such as pipe cutters, hammers, metal files, as well as a metalwork table vise (if you have one). You will learn key skills like how to cut pipe, flatten and bend copper using a hammer, file the rough edges, and drill holes in the copper.
Try your hand at our Tea Tray Part 1 to make a wood tray to attach these handles to.
Explore Related Trades Careers: Plumber, Metal Fabricator
In this project, copper pipe is flattened by hammering; this process will naturally result in a curved flat piece of copper. Forming these handles is a great introduction to plumbing and metal fabrication tools such as pipe cutters, hammers, metal files, as well as a metalwork table vise (if you have one). You will learn key skills like how to cut pipe, flatten and bend copper using a hammer, file the rough edges, and drill holes in the copper.
Try your hand at our Tea Tray Part 1 to make a wood tray to attach these handles to.
Explore Related Trades Careers: Plumber, Metal Fabricator
Tools & Materials
Material List
- 3' - 3/8" copper pipe
- four #8 x 1 5/8" pan head wood screws
- two ~1" x 4" x 10" scrap wood (approx. size)
Tool list
- safety glasses
- ear protection
- measuring tape
- washable felt pen
- pipe cutter (or hacksaw)
- metalwork table vise (or metal surface to hammer on)
- hammer or mallet
- centre punch
- drill press vise and drill press OR hand drill
- metal file
- 1/8" twist bit (for metal)
- 3/32" twist bit (for wood)
- awl
- screwdriver or appropriate driver bit
Procedure
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Use your measuring tape to determine the width of your tea tray. Use a washable felt pen to mark a length of 3/8" copper 2" shorter than the width of the tray.
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To create a uniform curve, gently bend the flattened pipe by hand or over a curved object to achieve the desired handle shape.
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Repeat previous steps 1 – 5 to make a second handle.
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Use a washable felt pen to mark one hole placement in the middle of each flat end of each the copper handle (4 in total). Check that the screws that will be installed at these marks will not overlap or interrupt the screws already in the tray.
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Place the centre punch on the felt pen mark, and give it a tap with a hammer to make an indent in the copper (this will help keep the twist bit steady when starting to drill the holes). Repeat until all 4 marks are punched.
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Secure your handle in a drill press vise and clamp the vise to the drill press table, or have a partner hold it securely to a piece of scrap wood.
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Drill your marked holes with the drill press (or hand drill) and 1/8” metal twist bit.
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Use a metal file to clean up any rough edges.
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Mark your pilot hole locations in the wood: place your handles on your tea tray again and use an awl to poke into the wood through the middle of each hole.
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Remove the handles and use the hand drill with the 3/32” bit to drill pilot holes straight down into the wood edges.
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Put your handles back in place and use the screw driver (or hand drill and driver bit) to insert your 1 1/2" screws.
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Make a big pot of tea or a batch of lemonade and serve it up on your new tray!
Note: safety glasses are required for the following punching and drilling procedures:
Extension Challenges
- Make your tray handles more robust: drill two holes in the end of each handle instead of just one (8 screws needed to install the handles).
- Design handles out of other types of metal, such as EMT electrical conduit, sheet steel, etc.
- Bend spoons or other utensils into a curve, then drill holes in them and attach in the same way as the copper handles.
- Weld your own handles out of pieces of scrap metal or found metal objects.