Cutting Sheet Brass

[Phil H 1Participant @philh1]

[Phil H 1Participant @philh1]

I am about to start cutting some brass sheet (1' square sheets of 18g) for the Northumbrian tender. I have only ever used shears for sheet work on jobs where the 'curved' sheared edges don't matter. Does anybody have any tips for holding and cutting flimsy and expensive brass sheet to give nice clean, straight edges?

PhilH

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Phil,

Buy a jeweller's piercing saw and some decent [Swiss] blades.

[Sorry to be so brief: Just got back from the Dentist, and feeling rough]

MichaelG.

Edited By Michael Gilligan on 12/11/2014 11:55:53

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Clamp the sheet between two bits of MDF or ply with the line sticking out about 1/8". 32tpi blade in a hacksaw and keep the blade fairly flat to the work.

I'd only use a opiercing saw for any curved bit. If you do have any then cut a "V" notch about 2" beep into some scrap MDF or play, clamp that flat to your bench with teh V overhanging the edge and sit at the work, the blade will pull the metal down onto the board and it will be supported around the cut by the V.

J

J

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Ooops … just noticed you said 1' square sheets

… I read it as 1" square sheets, and presumed you were making something very small.

…Blame the Dentist.

MichaelG.

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

Or cut oversize and trim down to the line with a file or linisher – very easy to do with the latter, so take it easy!

Neil

[Phil H 1Participant @philh1]

Thanks.

The tender is very simple with relatively long straight lines so it looks like I'm off to B&Q for some MDF.

Taa.

PhilH

[Roger Provins 2Participant @rogerprovins2]

I'd use a bandsaw with a 32 tpi metal cutting blade.

I keep a small 2 wheeler specially for this sort of thing.

Edited By Roger Provins 2 on 12/11/2014 18:19:23

[Russell EberhardtParticipant @russelleberhardt48058]

I use a 40 year old Burgess bandsaw for sheet brass using a 1/4" wide 32 dpi blade. Having three wheels it has a good throat depth for a small saw so will take a 12 inch cut. There are always a few on Fleabay.

Russell.

[john jennings 1Participant @johnjennings1]

I too use the bandsaw route for sheet metal cutting, both with a B&D equivalent of the Burgess and a bigger ELU wood cutting saw. A 32 dpi blade is needed and for brass will need to be sharp (new?), alloy cut by this method will tolerate a blunter blade.

My usual technique is to use 3 to 4 mm ply wood as a carriage, this damps the blade and reduces the noise.

Correctly positioned (and with a well set up bandsaw) you can run the carriage plywood edge down the fence and get very reasonable straight edges.

I must confess to having abused the B&D in the past , cutting steel blocks 1-1/2" thick and alloy blocks even thicker.

John.

[IanTParticipant @iant]

Or you could use a jigsaw and a guide like this guy Phil…although I think I'd make the gap narrower on mine

**LINK**

Regards,

IanT

[Phil H 1Participant @philh1]

Everyone, thanks for all the suggestions so far.

I like the jigsaw fixture and maybe the bandsaw idea but I'm also thinking about the number of times I will cut plates like this. For example, the Northumbrian that I am building will have maybe 6 or 7 pieces of brass sheet. I think I will try the simple twin MDF sheet to cut with a hacksaw followed by filing to a line and see how I get on.

Michael/ Jason… when it comes to the fine cuts e.g. for piercing the tender pump hatch – you mention a piercing saw with high quality blades. Do you have any links to get the right blades?

PhilH

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Posted by Phil H 1 on 14/11/2014 12:00:58:

Michael/ Jason… when it comes to the fine cuts e.g. for piercing the tender pump hatch – you mention a piercing saw with high quality blades. Do you have any links to get the right blades?

.

Phil,

I haven't bought any or a while [you do, eventually, learn how to not keep breaking them]; but I would recommend Vallorbe … They have been making them since Noah was a lad, and I've not found any better.

They seem to be available on ebay at very realistic prices [assuming that they are genuine!]

You need at least three teeth in the thickness of the material you are cutting; so choose the pitch accordingly.

Best Wishes

MichaelG.

.

Edit: … there are a few useful comments and links in this previous thread.

Edited By Michael Gilligan on 14/11/2014 13:09:08

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

You can get the Vallorbe blades here and their Swiss ones are good as well

[Phil H 1Participant @philh1]

Cheers.

[clogsParticipant @clogs]

HI Guy's, ref bandsaw blade cutting…

what pitch and Ft/per/Min do you suggest to cu 3mm 316 stainless plate, have a lot of friction plates to make for two sets of girder forks….(yes, motorcycles again)….

many thanks Frank in France

[Barry McDowellParticipant @barrymcdowell95834]

Place between 2pieces of 3 or 4mm MDF and cut out with a Scrollsaw with a 32tpi or thereabouts metal blade will cut straight, curve, internal cuts without any worry. Glue / paste the outline onto the front of the MDF and just follow the line.

Barry.

[Ian S CParticipant @iansc]

I'v used my band saw on thin brass, and steel without any backing, and a fairly coarse blade, just don't push too hard. The other way is to use a guillotine, set up right it should be able to cut straight and square.

Ian S C

[Nicholas FarrParticipant @nicholasfarr14254]

Posted by Ian S C on 15/11/2014 11:21:56:

I'v used my band saw …………………………………………………………

The other way is to use a guillotine, set up right it should be able to cut straight and square.

Ian S C

Hi, depending on the thickness and hardness, guillotining brass can leave an annoying little curve along the cut edge, unless it can be clamped down very close to the cut.

Regards Nick.

[Derek DroverParticipant @derekdrover32802]

I clamp the sheet between some strips of mild steel… there's no chance of the cutting blade eroding into the steel and it'll maintain the edge.. if you drift off a little then its also easier to file down to the steel edge.. very fine blades are necessary and it elbow grease !!

[Ian S CParticipant @iansc]

18 swg .048", a cheap, or worn guillotine might not leave a very tidy edge.

Ian S C

[julian atkinsParticipant @julianatkins58923]

hi phil,

i dont possess a bandsaw. i cut up all my sheet on a kitchen table with a block of wood and G clamp near the start of the cut with a hacksaw. with a new 18 tooth hacksaw blade the whole lots should take no more than a few minutes and is good exercise.

a carpenters bench vice or black and decker portable bench is ideal for finishing the edges with a sharp file. i dont possess either and add 2 lengths of angle iron in the bench vice.

on my current project (see album) all the copper sheet for the boiler, and brass sheet for the tanks (not shown in the album yet), and steel sheet for all the cab and bunker parts and running boards and smokebox was done this way.

cheers,

julian

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

I roughed out the frames from 3mm CRS for my shunter with a Black and Decker jigsaw, then tidied up by milling and some draw filing. A bit nerve-wracking even with small frames, but it shows what can be done if you are determined enough.

The bodywork was brass cut oversize with tin snips and filed to the line.

Neil

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