Making Solid Copper Mugs, but should you drink from them? 

I'd suggest using brass screws to secure the handles instead of steel. Those steel screws will react with the copper and cause a layer of corrosion to form over time which could make it impossible to get the screws out later should you need to replace the handle.

These look great. If you plan to try and make them again, before you start applying slurry, finish your blanks with wax and make the finish as you would like to see the final product. You can eliminate the printing striations and seams with the wax filling in the ridges. The slurry will take on the smoothness of the polished waxed mold and when you melt the PLA the walls of the mold will be smooth. Your finished product will be dolphin smooth.

Traditionally copper saucepans were plated with tin which of course is food safe. I would suggest tin plating the interiors either electrolytically or possibly by filling them with molten tin and pouring it out to leave the inside plated.

You dont really want a more conductive material for a mug. This will just make the energy flow better and make hot things cool faster and cool things heat up faster.

If you’re not planning on using some sort of coating, I would be very careful drinking anything other than water. Particularly stuff with acids like lemon/lime juice that you demonstrated can be very bad as it will leech the copper off and straight into your drink. Heavy metal poisoning is not very difficult to get if you’re unaware so be careful.

I worked for an artist who used this method for casting aluminum. He would put the hot shells into a pit filled with vermiculite. It would keep complex shapes upright, help retain the heat and hold the shell together if it cracked during casting.

Copper-tin or copper-silver can look a lot like pure copper and resist acids. They are types of Bronze; they form a patina (metal carbonates, mostly) that protects the base metal from acid leaching. Recycled Bronze can be risky; arsenic, antimony and beryllium Bronze are becoming rarer, but are still found in the electronics industry and old Sculptures. Beryllium was widely used in contact-pins for connectors; flexible, corrosion and abrasion resistant. A tiny sliver of beryllium Bronze under the skin can lead to ulcerating sores that take weeks to heal!

Great work. One note, copperware has to be coated with tin when will it be in contact with any acidic substance either food or drink, to prevent leeching while still preserving the thermal conductivity of the material.

My grandfather was a coppersmith. Copper and foods do not mix - tin the inside with lead free tin, i.e. soft solder, and it'll be fine. Coppersmiths used dilute hydrochloric acid as "soldering water" to prepare the surface for this. A more modern solution would be to use lead free soft soldering paste, i.e. ground up solder (e.g. 97% Sn, 3%Cu) in flux paste, brush coat the inside of the mugs with it and the heat them gently untill the paste melts and you get a silvery tinned surface. Rinse well before use to get rid of any flux residue.

You should use natural PLA for investment casting. The colorant in your black pla is a good part of the ash you observed.

What awesome mugs! Though you may want to plate the lip and insides with Silver to avoid copper leaking into any citric acid drink like most sodas are. Other than that I cant wait to see what you make next. Also glad the Cardboard tricks working for you.

The Vornoi pattern that emerged by accident is really something nice to look at. I like how you made the wooden handles also faceted and now they kinda match the smaller pattern on the mugs.

These mugs are neat, for sure I think my favorite part of them, is the primitive handles. It adds so much character to the copper I love it!

PLA wasn't completely cooked out of the mold. You need as little PLA in this as possible. Basically, you'd need to print the inside and outside of the mug as vase mode shells that you'd then glue together using as little glue as possible (probably modeler's thin glue). The pouring spout and the handle knob, also glued on separately (tho you'd need to print only the outer shell of the handle knob and the spout.

My southern grandmother might throw hands for that act of sacrilege you brought upon that cast iron skillet.😭

Its been a year or so since I last saw your videos, and you've really refined your techniques! Love to see a channel growing like this, keep up the great work

The mugs look fantastic. What I would suggest though is keying the shaft for the handles or using two screws to hold the handles on. I think over time they will loosen on one screw then spin and dump your drink in your lap!

Very neat! Though, you might want to consider plating the lip and inside of the mug with silver to keep the copper from leaching into any drinks with citric acids (most sodas) or anything above a fruit-juice. Apparently it only takes 27 minutes for a Moscow Mule to leach more copper than FDA regulations allow in safe drinking water. Silver plating the inside would also save you from having to clean off the inevitable oxidization/patina! At least on the inside =D

I always find your videos fascinating , especially these copper mugs. I really like the handle it looks very natural to hold.

I found a really thick copper "bowl" inside an old Eastman Kodak facility being demolished around 1997. It measures 15" across and is relatively shallow with a rise of 3". Weve used it for a firebowl ever since and has some great coloration after hundreds of fires.

Hey, it was really cool to see this project go from start to finish. It was a bummer that there was some cracking and air pocket holes left in the end product. I've worked with diecast molds and I would recommend adding a few "vent holes" in the sides of the design of the 3D print next time, so most (if not all) the imperfections can be pushed out to the sides of the end product.

Those handles are perfect. Very cool mugs. Lol I learned the hard way coffee and solid metal mugs usually hurts.

Nice work! I love the “rustic” look. It adds character. Not “perfect” like the ones you buy from China. If you ever make a set of these and sell them I would be interested.

I love the way the mugs turned out. I especially like the rustic, hand carved walnut handles. Great job!

Your videos are so interesting to watch. I’d love to see a tour of the shop in a future video!

This is a random thought but, would a large one of those ultra-sonic bath things work for removing the shell after?

Seeing the "imperfections" on the outside at the end, especially on the left mug, made me think they look like a maze. Imagine this random pattern all over the surface instead of a perfectly smooth surface. It kinda fits to the rough handle 👍😎

I really like how those cracks look. Can't wait to get my furnace so I can make stuff like this.

Gotta love a functional cast! And what great character!

The creation of these mugs was, as usual, an interesting look into the mind of the creative genius behind Robinson Foundry. I'm always amazed at what you come up with as, step by step, a concept evolves into a concrete product. And regarding the information you impart, well, my cup runneth over...

Great job! Looks like when you sliced the stl, you have low polygon sides. You can see them in the cast. You can increase the deviations and number of sides to make it close to a perfect circle

Just gorgeous. Nice work.

As a decoration, they look great. As mugs, I think they won't do it. I mean, they will make a cold drink warm fast and a hot drink warm fast. Awesome to drink natural water at room temperature though =)

You're an artist! Everything I've seen you make turns out super cool!

I like how you left the imperfections from the cooling, and the lines from the 3d printer. it's a satisfying contrast.

I love the green "flame" of copper in the forge! Cool video!

It looks like some of the surface finish issue on the mugs themselves could be caused less by shrinkage, but dissolved gasses in the copper melt affecting viscosity and forming bubbles. liquid copper readily accepts dissolved hydrogen but it doesnt in the solid form which can cause pitting, cracks, and porosity as it solidifies. I recommend degassing the Copper by adding in a small amount (

That is so cool!!! Metal and wood shop in one!! The flaws in the metal and the rough finish on the handles match perfectly. I hear that copper is actually an antimicrobial so they are often used in water pipes.

I agree with everyone saying to use brass screws and maybe make some walnut dowels to hide them. You don’t need to glue them in, just make them a pressure fit and if you need to disassemble, you can put a dab of hot glue on them and pull them out. I’ve done this before and it works pretty well. I just heat the tip of the glue stick itself, stick it to the plug, and then when it cools you just pull the glue stick to pop the plug out. Anyway, they look awesome and I’d absolutely never use one because I hate metallic taste on stuff.. lol I’d buy them to just use as pencil cups or something…

Brilliant Project- Thanks for sharing

You're an Artist. Beautiful work,

Nice work. The mugs looks fantastic. 👍👍

Love this , your patience working through the processes of making these mugs is admirable.. not a quality I possess 🙄😂😂🙏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

Thank you for speaking like a normal person, and not a spastic RU-vidr that feels pathologically compelled to turn everything they say into the most exciting catch-phrase ever.

Beautiful work! I imagine dwarves drink their mead out of mugs like these.

Nice muggs! However, there is a reason you tin the inside that is with contact with the cupper. If you use them daily it will release cupper ions into the liquid and you will be sick.

Very cool, I'll never do this but this will never be recreated in a lab so it's your slice of eternity. It's awesome for people to see how timely and difficult this is and know their item is a one of a kind ... Imagine buying one and finding out someone else has it too! Buy the pair! :)

Great job. They looks pretty nice 👍

Love the finish on the copper cups.

Brilliant looking mugs, defects and all I would consider rounded edges on the top edge would make it more comfortable to drink from perhaps.

Moscow muels are actually fairly controversial. The thing that help give them their destinctive taste is the copper basically being leached into the drink by the acidity of it, which needless to say, probably isn't great for you!

The texture on the handle is a really nice touch. Feels like old times :)

Is there any taste copper imparts? The copper pan I had was excellent at conduction and it was coated with zinc, neither should be with acidic foods because it leeches and gives a taste. If that happens to you, and you'd like to try plating, it be cool to see them gold plated. I love the warm look of your cup.

GREAT VIDEO!! Love the mugs!!

Nice work! I enjoy the process. One off is art in my book and this is art!

The most satisfying process to watch .

Awesome casting video. Thanks.

Looks amazing!! The time and craftsmanship you put in reflect the finished product.That being said, next time if you ever make a mug, refine the connection point from the handle. A slimmer attachment would feel more natural holding the mug.

Being an utter novice in casting, but trying, this was an excellent video as well as idea. Thx for sharing bro.

These would be fun to do some engraving on. Thanks for the idea!

You should try using a spokeshave on the handles instead of a knife, much safer and much better control.

I've been 3d printing for a couple of years, and this is a great project!!! What kind of filament did you use? Was it straight pla? I only ask because there are a lot of variations and I've never thought about what would completely burn the best. It feels a bit devious 3d printing something that I will literally destroy, but yet I'm excited to try this!!!

Great looking mugs!

quick tip, use LOST PLA which is a form of pla that is much like lost wax, it melts super easy and leaves no residue

I wish I could make my own. I live in an apt so no tools for me. You did a beautiful job!

Clean process and cool design. If you're modelling with Fusion, check your .stl output settings, you can get rid of those facets in the mesh by increasing resolution. The build line texture doesn't transfer but the facets kind of did so just FYI you can control that if you're making the original model with parametric CAD software. A pair of screws, a small non-concentric set screw that gets covered by the concentric panhead screw, would keep the handle from clocking or indexing out over time.

Very cool looking and those cracks give nice touch. Just found your channel and video is very well made

I think all the pits and imperfections make them look awesome.

Beautiful piece of artistry. Question........can you tell me where I might find the model you used for your variation on the theme?

Anther benifit of copper for mugs is that it can absorb the flavor of a drink. While not much, if you use a copper mug for the same drink for years, it starts adding to it, as the flavor mingles with other ones. That does mean if you use one for Moscow mules (a common drink to use copper mugs with), then put wine in, your wine will taste bad, and the mules will have a strange flavor. So, unless you are careful (say using one type of drink in low quantities that compliments the main one), use it for the same drink.

I have a few suggestions to make: Beakers are usually made of an insulating material not one that conducts heat like copper does. That's why glass or ceramic is often used, because these are not good conductors. For example my titanium camping beaker, already a better insulator than copper, has double walls and a vacuum in between to hold the temperature of my drink longer. I'm not sure that copper is a healthy material to drink from or keep food in. My great grand father, who was a copper smith, used to coat the insides of his vessels with tin. In fact most copper vessels I've seen have been treated in this way. I'd have used wax instead of plastic to make the positive forms for the beakers. Most plastics leave some ash behind when they are heated up to their melting point. Wax just turns to liquid and then evaporates leaving a pristine negative form. Personally, I find the rims on these beakers not ideal and not really inviting to place my lips on. They will also possibly make drinking difficult without dribbling. There's a good reason why the rims of most drinking vessels are round and smooth. Otherwise, all in all, an interesting project.

I had a mule for the first time today... in a copper cup. Interesting to learn that this is traditional!

Cool project!! It's fun when you get copper or brass hot enough to start seeing the crystalline structure. Answering the question from the video... I'd say treat it like you're drinking out of one of those old lead tankards they used back in the day. Especially if you have a hot acidic liquid in there. I used to fix musical instruments. Some folks have allergic reactions with the metals in the instrument and we'd electroplate it with silver or gold. You'll end up with silver with a copper undertone similar to plating phosphor bronze . Very pretty to look at and safer to drink out of. Best to use a brush electro plating instead of dunking it into a solution since the hard edges will collect more silver and appear inconsistent to the rest of the mug.

They look great!

I love my aluminum cup. It cooks stuff pretty well. I can cook 3 ramen in it if i did it right and I've always wanted my own copper cups.

RF, shut up and take my money! Those mugs are superb, and I need them for fully enjoying my bourbon! Great channel; I love your presentation, and ingenuity. Keep up the excellent work. ;)

They look great. Can you coat them to prevent the patina from forming over time?

Awesome!! Cheers Robinson

So I don't know for sure if this is what cause the craggy imperfections and dimples in it, but a possible reason it could be is oxygen trying to escape. When we were casting copper in school, my teacher said copper is notorious for absorbing large amounts of oxygen while melting and it can cause imperfections even with the most ideal investment. Any time I have seen anyone do any serious copper casting, they cover the copper in a few layers of charcoal to minimize oxygen absorption since it will float on the metal's surface. I did that for my one big copper casting and it came out pretty clean.

ooh would be perfect for the wayyyyy tooooo hot coffee in office. Just pour it in a copper mug and then put the copper mug in a cold bath of water and the heat will dissipate away without making coffee watery and thin (which it becomes when I fill the mug with ice cubes)

Brilliant they look really good 👍

Great project! Cheers! 🍻

Those cups look awesome.

To je prava mojstrovina. Čestitke.

I used copper plated solid silver cups every day. Copper and Silver cups actually provide health benefits over time as the metal adds a barely noticeable metallic taste, and not only that but the water gets slightly more purified and it adds more minerals that are beneficial to your health. Any type of solid silver dishware and silverware provides these same benefits. I use solid silver cups and plates and spoons, etc. The only downside is dishware and silverware will cost you a small fortune, around $30,000 in today's prices for solid silver dishware and silverware, because of the materials and labor. I have ancestral silver plates and dishes from generations of my family. The oldest silver everyday object that I had, a silver pot was from the 1890s. I come from a zamindari family. This was what we used everyday.

very nice product with a distinct rustic look, i quite favor that, tho perhaps you would like to look at the topic of copper utensils and moscow mule by adam ragusea to decide how you would like to use copper utensil in a way to minimize any metal consumption issues that might happen

you should try using some airvents in your castings, so the air inside the shell has a free way to leave the shell

Been planning to do something like this myself. Though I think I'll make my mom a pancake skillet first. Question: what copper alloy do you think would make the best knife? I am wanting to make an agate handled knife for a rockhounding friend of mine, and a good bronze or brass would compliment some of the green agate I have.

Copper cups are fine for anything non-acidic. I wouldn't use them for tomato soup or even soft drinks. Hot tea may also be a bad idea. Copper isn't typically toxic, depending on the alloy (we will come back to that) but, chronic exposure may cause problems. That said copper was one of the first materials used for kitchenware in general and is still in use for specific applications in cooking, primarily candy making. Now about the alloy. Copper is a very soft metal. So it is typically alloyed with other materials to increase its hardness. Some of these are heavy metals like antimony. Those can be toxic in relatively small doses and do not pass out of the body very well. So, they bioaccumulate and cause all kinds of health issues. Since you are making these from scrap, I don't know what the heavy metal content is. As long as you don't degrade the metal, it shouldn't be a big issue (back to that no acid thing) but, something to be aware of.

I think it would be bad for metal Poisoning as copper can like some randome dude said "you might want to consider plating the lip and inside of the mug with silver to keep the copper from leaching into any drinks with citric acids"

They came out great!

The Roman's used to drink water that came from lead line aqueducts. I think drinking from copper should be good.

If you plan to drink Moscow mules from these, I suggest a protective coating on the inside of the mug. The acid from citrus leeches the metal into the contents of the food/drink.

good stuff. Why does it take so long in the slurry curing process? can you heat it to speed up? curious.

You shold palte the inside of it with tin. If your drink thoches the bare copper, its bad for you(it realises some thing that is not good for you).(specialy acicik drinks like lemonade) Culchers that used copper pots and pans,platedthe inside of it with tin(like persians and indians). And finding pure tin is imposble, its alwayes a mix of tin and lead. Sooo... Bassicly you should not use copper cups and pans. Love you videos by the way. Very well edited.❤

Yes! Another awesome video!

Just came from BigStackD where a slightly faster casting process occurred 😀

noble metals usually not casted, copper things for cooking/eating traditionally made from sheet of metal and hammer. Look how you put your initials on cup's bottom by hammer - your name could be 3D printed on mold and casted, and it is the only way if it was iron but copper rarely casted

If you flatten the sprue and remove the handle, It would look like a nice chalice or stemmed cup. You might want to line that cup with tin or stainless steel. Your body needs copper to metabolize iron, and for strong bones, but too much is a bad thing. Anyways, it's a great build, and I enjoyed it. Thanks.

Beautiful , not for coffee. Great video.