What is the best way to do this?

[Coyote_Bandit]

I have a roll of copper. About 22 guage. Fourteen inches wide and ten feet long.

I need to cut an oval from the copper. Approximately ten inches tall by eighteen inches long.

I have tin snips but they leave a sharp jagged edge. I could smooth it with a file. But I am concerned that there might be some areas that will not lie flat after being cut by the tin snips.

I have a jewelers saw but egads that seems like overkill. Nevermind the fact that the throat size is limited. Not sure if it could even cut this piece of metal.

I have a dremel with tons of attachments......

I have some glass and wood saws but nothing with blades available to cut sheet metals.

I suppose I could make the oval and then rough cut the oval with the tin snips leaving a small but generous border. Then I could drill small holes along the oval marking every couple of inches or so. Then I could cut with the jewelers saw - or maybe the dremel. I'd probably have to file the edges but they should not be too rough.

Any better suggestions?


Thanks!

[amerikat]

1. Do you have a router?

The best way to go with soft metals such as copper or aluminum
is to use a carbide tipped laminate bit. Laminate bits are used to
cut formica type materials and work great on copper and aluminum.

You will need to rough cut(cut about 1/16th" over the finish size)
with tin snips or aviation shears. You will also need to make a template
out of wood or plastic. The laminate bit comes with a bearing on the end
that is made to follow a template. It will give a very clean cut but
will leave a slight burr that a fine file will clean up.

[Coyote_Bandit]

2. Ummmm......

Thanks for the suggestion.

No router here. And I'd like to minimize/avoid spending money on tools if possible.

The copper will be glued/siliconed to the top surface of a masonite oval which has already been cut. The copper and masonite will also be drilled and held together by screws. The screw ends and the nut will be soldered and patinaed to match the copper. The copper/masonite will be placed inside and framed by a came edging - most likely zinc but possibly lead with rebar reinforcement. I might use a steel brush dremel attachment to add some decorative markings to the flat exposed copper surface. It is important to give the copper a smooth edge and to keep the surface flat.

[amerikat]

3. Do you have the Dremel router attachment?

I have a bunch of slightly used laminate bits from my days in the
cabinet shop trade. I could send you one, no charge.

The only way to cut soft metal is with a router, laser or water jet
if you want a clean edge.

How did you cut the oval?

[Coyote_Bandit]

4. Somebody else

cut the masonite oval using a scroll saw I believe.

Router attachment for the Dremel - now that's a great idea. I'll investigate those possibilities tomorrow. I assume it should fit and work with my Dremel even though it is one of the older models? Have to check on that.

I've cut many considerably smaller copper pieces with a shear or a jewelers saw and had a good clean edge. Just not practical for this.

I wonder what a hacksaw would do.....probably too jagged unless I could find a very fine blade.....

[Wash. state Desk Jet]

5. You can buy a pk. of roto zip

metal cutting blades about $8.00. Those blades look like drill bits. dermal may also make those. If your dermal is powerful enough to cut thin metal it's a go. However you will have to do some practice cuts,.Your dremal should have a guide attachment what makes it function like a router. Dremal I think also makes a circle cutting attachments same as roto zip. In fact dremal has it's own version of the roto zip which is a multi function tool . It is faster and easier to run than a router. Roto zip used to be a dry waller's tool. It is great for those circle cuts.With the metal cutting blade on your dremal, if you draw the circle than drill holes around the circle on the outside of your line=pattern,than come back in with your dremal with a metal cutting blade attached ,you may be able to free hand a perfect cut.Or if you rough your cut up somewhat, you can clamp down your material,put yer sanding or grinding attachment on yer dremal and smooth out the rough edges. !

Good Luck. !

[Robb]

9. Router thingy for the Dremel is amazing

...I can't begin to tell you the number of jobs I've faked my way through -- with class and grace -- using that.

I probably don't need to mention it, but it's the kind of thing I'd forget: copper will probably get real warm when you start at it, so hold it with gloves. :D

[Stinky The Clown]

6. Copper is soft. Done right, you can use wood working tools to cut it. Here's how

Sandwich the copper between two sheets of thin plywood. Maybe 1/4 inch. Mark the shape and cut it out with a sabre saw or, ideally, on a bandsaw. If you do now want any holes through the copper as might come from drilling a hole to bolt the sandwich together, use clamps. Three or four of them. Move the clamps, one at a time, as the sawing progresses.

Given the right blade, this will work with copper, brass, aluminum and steel.

The sandwich method will also leave you with the flattest sheet metal possible at home.

Industrially, if this piece needed to be perfect, it would be cut with a punch for a piece of that size. In a fab shop, it would be done with a plasma cutter or a water jet. The least preferred way would be mechanical saw cutting. But at home, that's the best we can do. My sandwich method will dissipate heat and support the metal's cut edge, both things contributing to as flat and smooth a cut as possible with a saw.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

7. This sounds like the best advice.

I just used my Dremel to cut a square hole for a filter in an 18 gage stainless sink and it worked great - I used the cut-off wheel.

But I think your idea will yield a better cut.

[Wash. state Desk Jet]

8. No, no,I think it's gett'en off track

Yer's must consider he should concentrate his effort using just one tool as though it is all that he has. take fer example the moon walk when Collins had just but one tool. That tool was a hammer the space administration had fabricated ,or especially made just fer the occasion. Now Collins wrote about that hammer in detail, and he said before he did the moon walk ,he never ever imagined that there could possibly be so=oo many different uses fer the hammer. Again, it was the only tool device he had. That was also a experiment. Collins delivered on that one.

If the bandit is going to get past his problem area, he must work his way through it! Therefore he should solve the problem with his dremal looking at it as though his dremal is the only tool in existence . He must than take the big step.

If he does not take the first step,he will remain stuck right where he is endlessly. The bandit should read Michael Collins views about the wonders of the hammer as tool for life in space exploration.

[Coyote_Bandit]

10. I've borrowed

a Dremel router attachment and I'm going to have a go at this in a couple of days. Will update then.

Thanks for all the suggestions.

[randr]

11. Water jet would be the best

Although expensive you may find a local jet cutter that would give you a deal since your piece is so small.
Otherwise use the sandwich technique and clean edges with grinding wheel or file.

[Coyote_Bandit]

12. Done

I marked the oval with a sharpie. Then I used a Dremel with a cutting wheel to cut to the outside of my mark. Took five wheels. Then I used the Dremel drill press accessory to hold the Dremel stationary with the grinder wheel while I ground the edges. Then I used a mill bastard file to finish the edges. Whole process took a couple of hours. Had to stop several times to allow the metal to cool so the copper would not discolor from the heat. Tried a few other methods first but found this easiest and most accurate.

Thanks for all the suggesitons.

[Wash. state Desk Jet]

13. It worked !

You can get diamond cut off wheels fer yer dremal. You can also feather down yer edges with it. Usually it would be used for cutting tile,but it works well on thin metals. It's this way, there is lots of ways to do it,but you got to go with what you got. Otherwise yer calling all the people you know to try to barrow what you ain't got.

If you solve a few more problems with yer dremel, soon enough you will be shopping fer yer next tool, the tool that does more. And from there,on and so on.The experience you build up along the way counts for a lot. In order to become good at solving household problems requiring repair,you must get good at problem solving.

Take a look at the Roto Zip the next time you are at the tool store.