metal cutting scroll blade

[Smitty1]

Are there metal cutting scroll blades
that will cut copper sheeting ?
I am a newbie with scrolling. I have a project in copper
that requires I cut free flowing slots with
small radii, like a 1/2 in dia.
If there are blades available that will cut copper/metal,
could anyone please guide me to it ?
Thanks,
Smitty

[CanadianScroller]

I know Flying Dutchmen has metal blades.

Member Old Dust told me about diamond coated blades available from American Science and Surplus.

Last week I saw some Delta diamond coated blades for ceramic tile but they were costly. $13 each

You could try what I did when cutting aluminum. I did the rough cutting with a modified junior hacksaw blade... I cut them down to 5"... Then finish off with a regular wood cutting blade/

[Rolf]

Copper is soft gummy stuff, any blade that has 3 or more teeth to cover the thickness of the copper should work. I would sandwich it between 2 pices of thin plywood. Pegas also has some Jewlers blades that are made specificaly for metal. I havn't tried them yet.

[William Young (SE BC)]

Also check out The Pegas metal cutting blades
http://bensscrollsaw.com/store1.html
They are personally my top choice for scrollsaw blades. .
W.Y.

[Jediscroller]

Hey Carl,
My understanding about the diamond blades is that they will virtually never dull. So $13 might not be a bad price for a blade that lasts forever.
Smitty, I would suspect any woodcutting blade will cut copper as it's a very soft material. You've already been given a couple of sources of blades, my recommendation is that you try some of each and decide which you prefer. Everyone has their favorites.

[GrayBeard Phil]

Smitty:

Google for Silversmith supplies.

For example, (out of many)
http://www.silversupplies.com/catalo...ws/index.shtml

This page has several metal cutting blades of different sizes. Take a look at the PIKE blade line of product way at the bottom of the page. You can Google just for Pike Blades, and maybe find them cheaper than the link above.

Copper, brass and aluminum I think are OK to cut with 'silversmith' blades but I don't think anything else.
Heat is a problem with metal. Please clean your saw, as hot metal chips and saw-dust don't play well together. (I am sure you know that already, I am just being long winded. No offense intended.)

Phil

[Rolf]

I would not use a diamond blade on metal especialy not copper.
The diamond blade is basicly a wire impregnated with diamond bits. The metal would gum it up and get hot. The diamond blade would be for glass or ceramic. Using water drip to cool. What a mess that would be.