# Cutting thin brass to shapes



## rwl7532 (Sep 8, 2011)

Need recommends on cutting thin brass to shape.

Attached shows the brass and the shapes I want to make. Those shapes made of cardboard are used as templates for tracing with pencil. I'm hoping if made from the thin brass I can use them to trace and to guide a hand held Xacto blade for cutting vinyl (contact paper on glass).

I have the Carter Stabilizer for my bandsaw and a thin blade. I may opt for that route depending on feedback here. 

The width of the sheet in the picture is 4". The brass sheet is .015"


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## Quillman (Aug 16, 2010)

Fret or band saw. But the stuff wants to pull this way and that.
Sandwich (use psa) in between mdf or wood.


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## rwl7532 (Sep 8, 2011)

Quillman said:


> Fret or band saw. But the stuff wants to pull this way and that.
> Sandwich (use psa) in between mdf or wood.


I had thought of the sandwich but not using adhesive. Good suggestion.

Attached are examples of what I do with these shapes...


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

If I was doing it , I'd be making MDF copies of the cardboard templates . Then I'd trace the shape of the template onto the brass , and cut the brass as close as I could get it to the template outline with a scroll saw . 
Then I'd secure the brass with double sided tape to the MDF template, and finish off the edge with a flush bit on a router table .
Get someone to shoot the bit with wd40 as it's cutting the brass .

I did this with aluminum checker plate , and everyone thinks I got someone to cut it out with a CNC water jet


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## DaninVan (Jan 1, 2012)

Are you using etching creme, or sandblasting, Ralph?
Perhaps a different masking technique might work for you?
Sandblasting Film | Sandcarving Film | Sandblasting Information


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## rwl7532 (Sep 8, 2011)

DaninVan said:


> Are you using etching creme, or sandblasting, Ralph?
> Perhaps a different masking technique might work for you?


Sandblasted.
And very low pressure; 40 psi will do the trick.

Contact paper is very inexpensive and cheap. 
I'll take a look at the links you included.

Regarding low pressure: see attached. Fern.
~18 psi


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## Herb Stoops (Aug 28, 2012)

I made some simple jewel box hold opens once out of brass with a trim router and a 1/16" bit. I made a 1/4" plywood template and followed it with the shank of the bit. Might try a Dremel too ,they have small router bits. 
How thick is the brass? if it is thin enough snips or those cheap HF scissors with the inserts in them might work and a fine file or sanding block to smooth the edges. Just some suggestions.
Herb


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## rwl7532 (Sep 8, 2011)

Herb Stoops said:


> How thick is the brass?


.015" thick.


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## Herb Stoops (Aug 28, 2012)

rwl7532 said:


> .015" thick.


Is it the fern,the oval ,or the whole thing you are making out of brass? after seeing the picture, I have no idea how you would make that.
Herb


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## rwl7532 (Sep 8, 2011)

Herb Stoops said:


> Is it the fern,the oval ,or the whole thing you are making out of brass? after seeing the picture, I have no idea how you would make that.
> Herb


The brass cutting problem is the first post. Every subsequent post was examples to discuss other issues brought forth as the thread developed as many threads do. e.g. sandblast or cream. Pressure used when sandblasting. Etched mugs that I have made in the past by using the cardboard shapes (shown in first picture) which I used as a pencil tracing aid onto Contac paper.


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## Herb Stoops (Aug 28, 2012)

rwl7532 said:


> The brass cutting problem is the first post. Every subsequent post was examples to discuss other issues brought forth as the thread developed as many threads do. e.g. sandblast or cream. Pressure used when sandblasting. Etched mugs that I have made in the past by using the cardboard shapes (shown in first picture) which I used as a pencil tracing aid onto Contac paper.


I think I understand now, You will use the brass to make a sandblast template of the banner that you can reuse? Would the letters on the mug also be brass?
Herb


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## rwl7532 (Sep 8, 2011)

Herb Stoops said:


> I think I understand now, You will use the brass to make a sandblast template of the banner that you can reuse? Would the letters on the mug also be brass?
> Herb


From post #1:

"Those shapes made of cardboard are used as templates for tracing with pencil. I'm hoping if made from the thin brass I can use them to trace..."

The cardboard is not sandblasted. The correctly cut to shape brass would not be sandblasted. The letters used in subsequent steps are vinyl stick on letters and are one use only.

I am primarily making a tracing aid for making pencil marks - out of .015 brass sheet instead of cardboard. The aid (whether cardboard or brass) is laid on a piece of contact paper and an outline with pencil is made. The subsequent steps do not involve the template any longer. Explaining all the steps that ultimately result in the mugs shown is out of scope for this thread.


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## Herb Stoops (Aug 28, 2012)

Thank you for explaining it ,Ralph, I just couldn't get it through my thick head what you were trying to achieve. I am not familiar with what you are doing.
Herb


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## vindaloo (May 30, 2009)

Use a piercing saw. It's like a fret saw but the blades are finer. All model railway enthusiasts who build loco's out of brass use them. The blades come in various coarseness'.


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## Nickp (Dec 4, 2012)

Ralph...I would think .015 brass might be too fragile for any powered saw like a bandsaw. I suspect anything you use that is powered would need some kind of zero clearance to contain the brass. I like the sandwich idea that Pat suggested... I also like snips/scissors... .015 can be cut pretty easily with almost any scissor. It's also thin enough to cut with a knife provided something stiff is on both sides. Rough cut to size and file down to a template would also work.

Nice stuff you're doing, BTW...


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

Nickp said:


> Ralph...I would think .015 brass might be too fragile for any powered saw like a bandsaw. I suspect anything you use that is powered would need some kind of zero clearance to contain the brass. I like the sandwich idea that Pat suggested... I also like snips/scissors... .015 can be cut pretty easily with almost any scissor. It's also thin enough to cut with a knife provided something stiff is on both sides. Rough cut to size and file down to a template would also work.
> 
> Nice stuff you're doing, BTW...


I was a tinbasher before , so I was concerned about distortion if the brass was cut with tin snips


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## Danman1957 (Mar 14, 2009)

Hi Ralph,

Did you try a new sharp blade in a utility knife,.015 is thin and brass is soft. Maybe try on a corner that won't be used for your etching.

Good luck.


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## OPG3 (Jan 9, 2011)

Ralph,

You, as well as many of my other friends; know that I tend to look at things differently...
Joy has a machine called a Silhouette Cameo - it is a vinyl cutter, therefore; *no brass would ever be needed.*
Prior to the Cameo, she had one called a Cricut - it was nice, but she has a strong preference for the Cameo.
It is driven by her laptop and will take the image in a number of formats and print them with amazing accuracy!
The vinyl she purchases is paper-backed and when that backing is peeled off (immediately prior to application) it has a sticky surface.
She's done quite a few small projects for me and some even involved my need to etch glass. Apply vinyl, apply gooey clear stuff, rinse off at the correct time and peel off the vinyl. Yes!..it really is that simple. She interacts with hundreds of people that own these machines that share helpful suggestions (like RF).

She'll be back in town this evening and I'm betting if you can scan that cardboard - she will make the cutouts for you and mail them to you!

Files formatted as .pdf is what I almost always provide to her.

Otis P. Guillebeau III from Auburn, Georgia Cell phone (text me first with your number) is 770-855-5482


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## rwl7532 (Sep 8, 2011)

Thanks all for replying.

I tried a utility knife - that didn't work - too thick even after multiple passes.
Scissors did work and are able to cut the needed tight radius.

In post #1, that one piece of cardboard has been used since 1989!! My object was to get more precision and consistency in my work.

For those interested, I'll lay out my process:

1) I start with a rectangle of Contact paper. As tall as the glass mug and wide enough to span about half the diameter of the cup.
2) I draw a horizontal line in pencil which represents the lower edge to guide placement of the letters.
3) Given the length of the name, I use one of the three cardboard templates and trace the outline of it on the rectangle of Contact paper.
4) Remove backing of Contact paper and apply to the mug. Customer has provided left/right handed.
5) Using an Xacto knife I cut the outline of the scroll, the horizontal line and the inner curve of the tips of the scroll. That inner curve is at my discretion and a source of variance in the results.
6) The vinyl letters of the name have been arranged on a surface similar to wax paper. The waxed surface allows minor adjustments to be made easily.
7) The top half of the scroll is lifted off and layed upon the letters which are still on the waxed surface. Rub slightly with a spoon and then pick up the Contact paper piece and the vinyl letters come with it.
8) This piece is now replaced exactly where it was pulled from and rubbed with the spoon. Now gently pull the contact piece off which leaves the letters behind. The lower half of the scroll had been removed just prior to this step.
9) Bring into box where I sandblast and sandblast the main body of the scroll.
10) Remove the tips of the scroll and sandblast with a feathering in technique creating the 3D appearance.
11) Remove all remaining Contact paper and vinyl lettering and wash the etched cup.

When I have everything in place, the steps above can take a few as 12 minutes and certainly within 30.
Cost of materials is about 10 to 20 cents each mug. Abrasive can be reused almost indefinitely if aluminum oxide.
Step 10) is why etching cream will not work. Also sandblast glass is a much brighter white.


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## rwl7532 (Sep 8, 2011)

Scissor results attached.
I just traced with a Sharpie using my cardboard templates, covered brass with clear contact paper so as I worked the pieces the lines wouldn't smudge.
Minimal adjusting yet to do but certainly adequate for a tracing template.


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## OPG3 (Jan 9, 2011)

Ralph, Can you make one that says: Otis Polk Guillebeau III?

...from Auburn, Georgia


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

rwl7532 said:


> Scissor results attached.
> I just traced with a Sharpie using my cardboard templates, covered brass with clear contact paper so as I worked the pieces the lines wouldn't smudge.
> Minimal adjusting yet to do but certainly adequate for a tracing template.


There's that distortion in the brass I was concerned about via cutting .
My idea was no good either , because when you peel the brass from the template , the brass would be bent all to hell . 
I think the only way this could be done distortion free , is to use a scroll saw first to cut it out as close as you can to the line ,then finish off the edges with a belt sander .


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## honesttjohn (Feb 17, 2015)

Rick,

Would one of those cheapie plasma or laser cutters work on something like this?


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

Well that's something I never considered . Seeing as that brass is so thin , maybe with multiple passes it would ? 
Stan would be the one to answer that one . He has the bigger tube in his , 100 watts


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## rwl7532 (Sep 8, 2011)

OPG3 said:


> Ralph, Can you make one that says: Otis Polk Guillebeau III?
> 
> ...from Auburn, Georgia


If I would, I couldn't.
1) too many letters
2) discussions of possible transactions are out of scope for threads.


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## rwl7532 (Sep 8, 2011)

RainMan 2.0 said:


> There's that distortion in the brass I was concerned about via cutting .
> My idea was no good either , because when you peel the brass from the template , the brass would be bent all to hell .
> I think the only way this could be done distortion free , is to use a scroll saw first to cut it out as close as you can to the line ,then finish off the edges with a belt sander .


What I have pictured is SUCCESS. The slight distortion is irrelevant because these pieces are only used for a pencil tracing their outline.

As for your original idea, substitute a different adhesive; I would use a touch of hide glue which when heated will give up quickly. The brass would just slide off.


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

rwl7532 said:


> What I have pictured is SUCCESS. The slight distortion is irrelevant because these pieces are only used for a pencil tracing their outline.
> .


Got it  





rwl7532 said:


> As for your original idea, substitute a different adhesive; I would use a touch of hide glue which when heated will give up quickly. The brass would just slide off.


Good idea . I was trying to think of alternatives


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