Online Metals Copper Protobox 5 lb - Assorted Shapes – Pure Copper Sheets, Rods, Plates, Stock Tube, Pellets for Crafts, Jewelry, and Scrap Metal, Random Copper Pieces for DIY and Industrial Projects

First impressions

I like having a bin of “reach-for-it” metal offcuts in the shop—those pieces you can test a setup with, make a bracket from, or use as a heat sink without sawing into fresh stock. The Copper Protobox hits that sweet spot. My box arrived neatly packed, just over the advertised weight, with a variety of copper pieces that felt immediately useful rather than purely random. Think short lengths of rod and tube, a handful of rectangular plate and sheet cutoffs, and a sprinkling of small pellets.

Expect shop cuts, oxidation, and a few burrs; this is drop material after all. But the selection had enough thickness, length, and variety to support a surprising number of projects without feeling like a bin of sweepings.

What’s actually inside

No two boxes are alike, and that variability is both the appeal and the caveat. My assortment included:

• Rods: Mostly round, in the 1/8" to 1/2" range, with lengths from 3" to 10".
• Tubes: A mix of thin and medium-wall segments, useful for standoffs, sleeves, and decorative work.
• Sheet and plate: Small rectangles and squares, roughly 18–10 gauge, with some larger plate closer to 1/8" thick.
• Pellets: A small bag of clean pellets, perfect as sacrificial anodes for plating or small-lot experiments.

Everything was clearly copper—no mystery alloys in my batch. If you need mill certs or traceability, this is not the right product. If you need “good, real copper in handy sizes,” that’s exactly what this is.

Material quality and behavior

I checked several pieces for conductivity with a multimeter and got the low resistance readings I’d expect from ETP copper. Soldering behavior was textbook: with proper flux, both tin-lead and lead-free solder wet and flowed cleanly on cleaned surfaces. The rod and plate respond predictably to annealing—heat to dull red and let it air cool for softness—then work-harden as you hammer or bend. That’s ideal for jewelry, decorative work, and small forming tasks.

Machining went smoothly. Drilling and countersinking were clean with a sharp bit and a light touch. Milling required conservative feeds to avoid burr formation; a quick pass with a deburring tool restored edges. With tubes, be prepared for slightly out-of-round ends from saw cuts—nothing a facing pass or a file can’t clean up.

Surface finish varied from bright to lightly oxidized. A scotch-brite pad, pickle (citric acid solution), or a vinegar-and-salt soak quickly restored shine for decorative or electrical work.

How I put it to work

• Jewelry and small metalwork: I cut a few rings from tube stock, annealed them, and hammered to shape; the material took textures nicely and polished up well. Sheet offcuts were great for stamped pendants and test patinas (liver of sulfur, ammonia fuming).
• Electronics and fixtures: A piece of 1/8" plate became a quick heat spreader for soldering small connectors; rod segments made solid bus bars in a benchtop power distribution block. Low resistance readings validated the use in low-current test fixtures.
• Electroplating: The pellets and a short rod served as anodes in a copper sulfate bath for bright-plating a couple of brass knobs. Dissolution was consistent, and the finished plates were even after a short agitation.
• Welding support: Copper isn’t something I weld in typical shop projects, but a plate made a great chill block/backing bar for TIG welding thin stainless, exactly the sort of “nice to have” that a grab-bag box makes easy.
• Prototyping hardware: Tube pieces were handy for custom bushings/spacers. The ability to pick from several diameters saved me a trip to the supplier for one-off sizes.

The randomness factor

The assortment is the point, but it also means you won’t always get what you hoped for. My box skewed slightly toward hollow stock; if you’re chasing mostly solid bar or thick plate, you might need to plan on a second box or supplement with targeted purchases. The variability didn’t hamper my projects, but if your build list specifies exact dimensions, order cut-to-size copper instead. This is for experimenting, learning, and solving small problems fast.

A few practical notes:

• Some edges are sharp. Gloves and a deburring pass are smart before you start.
• Expect saw marks and light oxidation. Clean-up is quick but necessary for clean solder joints or polished finishes.
• Lengths are short. Great for small parts, less useful for long runs or large panels.

Value and convenience

Buying copper by the foot in small quantities is surprisingly pricey; buying full lengths to cut down is wasteful if you only need a handful of small pieces. The Protobox solves both problems. Cost-per-pound is sensible for hobbyists, repair techs, and educators who need variety more than long, uniform sticks. The convenience of having sheet, rod, and tube on hand, all in workable sizes, meant I started and finished more small projects without waiting on an order.

Just note what you’re not paying for: there’s no dimensional guarantee, alloy certification, or surface finish specification. If those matter, this isn’t a substitute for precision stock.

Tips for getting the most out of it

• Sort and label: I keep small bins for “rod,” “tube,” and “plate,” and a caliper nearby. Labeling sizes saves time later.
• Clean before joining: A quick abrasive clean and appropriate flux make soldering and brazing on copper dramatically more reliable.
• Anneal often: For forming and jewelry, frequent anneals prevent cracks and keep hammering consistent.
• Deburr smartly: Use a VARGUS-style deburr tool for inside tube edges and a light file pass for outside edges; you’ll get cleaner fits.
• Use tubes creatively: They’re great for captive spacers, low-friction bushings, and even simple cable pass-through grommets once you chamfer the ends.
• Keep a plating kit: If you do any finishing work, those pellets make excellent consumables for a small copper plating setup.

Who it’s for—and who it’s not for

Ideal for:
- Makers and jewelers who want practice and project-ready copper without committing to full-lengths.
- Electronics tinkerers needing conductive bus bars, shields, and heat spreaders.
- Educators teaching conductivity, plating, or basic metalworking, where varied shapes encourage experimentation.
- Maintenance and repair folks who benefit from a “try this” selection for quick fixes.

Not ideal for:
- Projects requiring certified alloys, tight tolerances, or guaranteed dimensions.
- Large-format builds needing full sheets or long, continuous lengths.
- Applications where oxygen-free copper or specific tempers are mandatory.

Reliability and consistency

Across the box, dimensions were within what I’d expect from drop cuts, and nothing felt like scrap you’d only throw away. I weighed the contents and came out slightly over the stated five pounds. That said, assume you’re getting a thoughtful assortment rather than a curated kit. You’ll occasionally wish you had more of a certain shape; that’s the nature of grab-bags.

Safety and handling

Copper is forgiving but deserves respect:
- Wear gloves when sorting; burrs and sharp corners are common.
- Ventilation is smart when heating copper—flux fumes and any residual oils aren’t pleasant.
- If you machine a lot of it, manage chips; copper strings can be grabby.

The bottom line

The Copper Protobox earns its keep by being the right mix of quality, variety, and practicality. I reached for it to prototype, to test setups, to solve small problems, and to make a few finished pieces—all without overthinking the material list. It’s not a replacement for precision, spec’d copper stock, but it isn’t pretending to be. It’s a well-chosen pile of copper you’ll actually use.

Recommendation: I recommend the Copper Protobox for hobbyists, educators, and shop folks who value versatility and keep a running list of small copper tasks. The material behaves like good copper should, the assortment invites experimentation, and the price is sensible compared to piecemeal buys. If you need certification, exact sizes, or uniform shapes, look elsewhere. For everyone else, it’s a genuinely useful box to keep within arm’s reach.