I’ve had a lot of trouble cutting brass sheets (or aluminum, any types of metal sheets) without distorting the edges. Any suggestions on tips n tricks to cutting thin brass sheets? Also, should I watch out for anything if I am cutting a brass sheet with a thin rosewood veneer glued on top?
thanks!
Difficult, regardless of the tool used. A shear causes the least distortion. For sufficiently thin or soft metals, scribe cutting with a knife works (just like scribing styrene to cut it, but you cut all the way through instead of breaking.)
But any method will cause some distortion, even in hard metals like steel. The best thing is to dress the edge afterwards. For soft stock, you can burnish it flat on a piece of glass or smooth steel with a nylon or hardwood burnisher. For harder or thicker materials, a few passes with a file is often sufficient.
If the brass is 18 gage or less…a pair of Malco sheetmetal shears will work wonderfully. For steel…26 ga. or less. About $35 at a sheetmetal supply house.
If the piece you want to lop off is less than an inch wide, the piece will ‘curl’ as you cut, but if you are careful, your edge should be fine. Be sure to angle the shears ‘away’ from you with your wrist to avoid ‘mashing’ the metal apart.
And follow your line! Don’t treat it as a suggestion![(-D]
Also…it won’t hurt to rub the newly cut edge with some emery or a file…all metal cutting tools leave an unforgiving edge!
You can make brass softer and more mallable by annealing it… Heat it to red-hot with a propane torch and let it air-cool (don’t quench it. That makes it harder.) to the touch before you cut it…
Actually, for brass you have it backwards. Quenching brass makes it more maleable—just the opposite of ferrous metals. You’ve probably tried your process with success, because brass air-quenches very well, especially in thin sections.
Brass also work hardens very rapidly, so much so that a sheared edge is distinctly harder than the metal away from the edge. If folding after cutting, annealing of the edge is recommended.
Very true Ross,…one can ‘treat’ non-ferrous metal until it’s crumbly!
But in thinking about the original question about cutting…I’m leaning toward continuous scoring with a new utility knife blade…not that I need to do it…but it seems like a good option.
Score cutting is a good option, but is best done on a hard surface, even glass. It also produces a slight lip on the upper edges on both sides of the cut. The more maleable the metal, the worse the lip is.
One option for cutting more complex shapes is a nibbler, essentially a miniature hand-held shear. Very useful tool for plastic, too.